Dutch Oven Recipes

A Dutch Oven, often just called a ‘camp oven’, is a cooking pot, usually made of cast iron with a snugly fitting lid. In British English, it is known as a ‘casserole dish’.

A Peek into the History of the Dutch Oven

In the 1600s, the Dutch used a superior method of making these cast iron ovens compared to the English method, by using dry sand to create the molds. This resulted in cooking pots that had a smoother finish, which were subsequently imported into England.

However, Abraham Darby, and Englishman, made up his mind to travel to Holland to check out how they made these ovens in 1704. He came back home and patented a procedure of making cast iron oven that was similar to the Dutch method. It is thought that since Darby’s oven was based on the Dutch method, this is the reason these ovens are called Dutch Ovens.

However, there is another theory that says that the name may have its origins from the Dutch traders who traveled from place to place, selling their cooking pots from their wagons. Whatever may be the origin of the name, it is a fact that the dutch oven has lasted for more than 300 years, and is still a popular method of cooking.

Dutch Oven Cooking

Dutch ovens are ideal for cooking that is slow and long, like making casseroles, stews, and roasts. The old style of dutch ovens made of cast iron can be used while cooking on a campfire to make pies, pizzas, breads, cakes, and biscuits.

Given below are some delicious dutch oven recipes:

Stewed Beef

3 lbs chuck roast, boned
1 lb carrots, sliced thinly
2 cans stewed tomatoes with onions and celery
2 cup onion, sliced
1/2 tsp ginger, ground
3 tbsp flour
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup molasses
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup raisins

Cover the beef with flour and then brown it in oil. Add the stewed tomatoes, sliced onion, pepper, salt, water, molasses and vinegar and cook slowly in a dutch oven for about 2 hours, or until tender. Then put the rest of the ingredients too into the oven and cook for another 30 minutes, until the carrots are cooked. Remove the roast and break it up into small pieces, then use two forks to shred it, then put the shredded roast back into the pan. To be served with lots of rice.

Potatoes and Ham Au Gratin

1-1/2 cups ham, cooked
3 cups potatoes, diced
4 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
1 onion, minced
1/2 cup cheese, grated
2 cups milk
2 tbsp breadcrumbs
Seasoned salt
Pepper

Begin by preheating the dutch oven to about 325 degrees. Melt the butter in it and sauté the onion in it until it turns translucent. Add the flour in and blend, and then add the milk in gradually, stirring continuously, until it becomes thick. Then add the salt and the pepper. Add the potatoes and ham, coating them well. Sprinkle the cheese and the breadcrumbs over it, cover, and then let it bake for about 20 minutes, at 400 degrees.

Simply Chili

2 cans kidney beans, dark red
1/2 green pepper, chopped
3 cans tomatoes, crushed
1 onion, diced
3 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt

Start by preheating the dutch oven to 325 degrees. Add the oil in and then put in the pepper and onions, and sauté for about 5 to 7 minutes. Add in the rest of the ingredients and let it come to a boil, then, lowering the heat to 275 degrees, cover and cook for about an hour.