Dutch Oven Cooking

[cleglue]

I picked up the 12 inch deep Dutch oven, a second quality 17 inch frying pan (1/2 price), a lid lifter, and a lid stand. Total was $132.47 including tax.

On Sunday evening I decided to try peach cobbler using the cake mix recipe (Lazy cobbler) found in the book that came with the Dutch oven. It took 2 ½ hours to cook it should have taken only 45 minutes to and hour. I guess it took awhile for the temperature to get up. This was my first attempt at using an outdoor Dutch oven. The cobbler tasted good except it had an oily taste. I cleaned the oven with hot water only before using the first time. I cleaned it up again after cooking the peach cobbler.

This could also become addicting.

[Bruce B]

That cobbler is looking real fine!! Good job!!!!

[007bond-jb]

Seasoning new cast iron is tricky & best done after placing the scrubed item in your dishwasher & let run the cycle, removing before the drying cycle. rub with lard or bacon fat & put in a 300 deg oven for a few hours.
Most of the new cast iron cookware has a rough finish on the pots inside bottom. Older pot & pans were milled smooth. You can do this to your new one with a sandpaper flapper pad. (the flat kind) & a drill. Cast iron is super hard & this will take a little time but its worth it.

[john pen]

Nothing wrong with a new addiction !! Looks good. Do you think loading up the lid with more coals would've sped up the cooking time ?

[cleglue]

007,

This pot was one of Lodge's pre seasoned ones.

John,

I was just trying to follow the recipe in the booklet that came with the oven. I'll use more coals next time. After the first 1 1/2 hour when it still didn't look done I lit more coal and started again. Within a few minutes the cobbler was bubbling and sounding good.

[Puff]

C that looks great

[Unity]

Darn, that looks like fun! Keep us posted on future bakes.

--John
(I like your practical block-and-plate cook surface; then I was wondering if a ceramic surface, like fire bricks, would make the charcoal under the oven more effective.)

[Diva Q]

looks great!

[cleglue]

Unity,

I think fire brick would help. Yesterday was first cook using the dutch oven as well as the first time seeing a dutch oven in use except on TV. The Lodge store sells a table that is similar to the one in this picture where the dutch oven can be set for cooking.

http://papadutch.home.comcast.net/dutch ... s-2003.htm

I just used something that I had around the yard to try and use the dutch oven without using the ground as for the briquettes.

[Finney]

Originally Posted by cleglue

Unity,

I think fire brick would help. Yesterday was first cook using the dutch oven as well as the first time seeing a dutch oven in use except on TV. The Lodge store sells a table that is similar to the one in this picture where the dutch oven can be set for cooking.

http://papadutch.home.comcast.net/dutch ... s-2003.htm

I just used something that I had around the yard to try and use the dutch oven without using the ground as for the briquettes.

You can use the bottom of your WSM. Or your weber grill.

[Uncle Bubba]

Be careful how you season some of the off-brand non-sesoned pots. I bought cajun oval pot and since it was shipped from china or who the hell knows, it had a coating of wax on it to protect it from the sea salt on it's journey over the pacific. When i went to season it in the oven the wax created a God-awful smoke and burning wax smell thoughout my house. I ended up scrubbing it with a brillo pad and then seson it on my gas grill.

[Captain Morgan]

same here

[gator]

cleglue,

More coals, I agree. Maybe set 'er directly on the ground?

If you want to cheat a little, you can line it with foil, should take care of the oily taste + make clean-up lots easier. Those cobblers tend to be pretty sticky...did your recipe include a can of sprite or 7-up in the ingredients?

Rob Walsh's new book is supposed to have some good dutch oven recipes in it. Cant wait.

gator

[cleglue]

Gator,

The recipe didn't have sprite or 7-up. Last night I did find a site with those drinks added. I looking forward to cooking something with the dutch oven just haven't decided yet. I do have the week off for spring break. I teach high school. I thought I'd be doing alot of other things around the house beside grilling and Queing but maybe I need to skip plan A and go to plan B (I mean plan Q).

I'm probably going to do another dessert this week in the dutch oven.

[Woodman]

Originally Posted by Uncle Bubba

Be careful how you season some of the off-brand non-sesoned pots. I bought cajun oval pot and since it was shipped from china or who the hell knows, it had a coating of wax on it to protect it from the sea salt on it's journey over the pacific. When i went to season it in the oven the wax created a God-awful smoke and burning wax smell thoughout my house. I ended up scrubbing it with a brillo pad and then seson it on my gas grill.

I now put my new stuff on the burner on my pit to burn off all the wax, then season in the firebox with the gas on!

[Cliff H.]

I have had some of the Dutch Oven cobbler with the sprite in it. They be good.

I think lining with foil is a good idea also.

[gator]

Just started reading Walsh's new book this week, "The Texas Cowboy". According to him they now make foil liners for dutch ovens and are used for cooking dessets - who wudda thunk that. [smilie=borgsmile.gif]

If you are into dutch over cooking, lots of good recipes in the book. Im about 1/3 of the way through and so far its a keeper. Good sections on base spices/rubs/sauces, then sour dough and ducth oven cooking.

gator

[DogMan]

loved the read, I was surprised most of the links after all of these years were still working. Did like the read and very much like my first Dutch Over try, like you I was not happy with the taste and I found you really have to have an eye and know the heat after many attempts. I still working on the skill, Hope you are as well.