Dutch oven cooking

[jacqueg]

As an apprentice chef, I learned to season my cast iron with cooking oil and tons of rock salt in a 550° oven.  It smoked like hell but you got a beautiful coating that was nonstick and withstood all types of foods.  I do something different now that I don't have a commercial kitchen, but I make sure my pans get a good burning with oil every few days.  

How exactly do you do this? And what kind of oil do you use? The seasoning on my cast iron skillet looks great, but I have noted it is pretty fragile. I would love to know how to do it better. I've never had access to an oven that would heat higher than 500.

 

[Moxadox]

If your seasoning is flaking off, that means there is moisture underneath it. Use a dry scouring pad to take it off. If you see rust when you take the outer layer off, use a Brillo pad to thoroughly remove that. After completely stripping the pan down, wash it in hot soapy water, rinse thoroughly and dry. Heat the pan on the stove to evaporate any remaining water. Fill the pan to just below the rim with coarse kosher salt. Morton's is fine. Pour regular Wesson cooking oil over the salt (not corn oil, because it just doesn't work well, and I don't know why). The oil should come to just below the top of the salt, but not slosh around. Cover it tightly with heavy duty foil or the lid, if it has one. Bake this in a very hot oven for one hour, then turn down to medium and bake another hour. If your pan has a lid, you can clean the lid the same way, and put it on top of the pan while you bake it. Be sure to have plenty of ventilation, because there will be smoke. Plan to run a fan. If it smokes too much, turn it down and bake it longer to make up for lower heat. The process utilizes a chemical reaction that is dependent on time+ heat+ oil+ salt.

After the baking is done, your pan should have a glassy, pebbly surface. Let it cool, then dump out and discard the salt/oil. It can be used for a defoliating scrub for dry skin, if you want. Not good for anything else.

The Dire Wolfess

 

[SoCaliVanner]

Camp Chef makes a collapsable oven dome that goes over your cast iron dutch oven when you use it to bake on the stove, to circulate the heat to the lid. Here is the Thanksgiving dinner I made with my dutch oven and the dome (turkey thigh stuffed with spinach, celery, onion, garlic, hash brown potatoes and cheese), with the dome in the background. The bacon on top was nice and crisp.

 

[WanderingRose]

That looks delicious!

I’m going to have to look at those domes.

 

[SoCaliVanner]

Here's an Amazon link:
Camp Chef Oven Dome
They only show it being used on the big Camp Chef stove, but it works just fine on my standard issue Coleman 2 burner. I use the burner further from the connection, as I don't want the heat on the bare connector.

 

[Dutch Marc]

Just ordered mine a few days ago... pickup on my way to Yuma & QS.

Found great info and receipts on google for 1960hikerdude

https://www.youtube.com/user/1960HikerDude

Not sure if he bring his Dutch oven when hiking .... mmmmooohhhhhaaaaaaa


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[WanderingRose]

I ordered one, too, and can’t wait to try it.

It was on sale, the discount then covering shipping, and is arriving today.  

I’m going to try it out on a gas burner on the stove in my S&B.

The idea of being able to bake on the road, without the mess of charcoal, excites me! 

 

[Dingfelder]

I'm interested in how it works inside on a gas stove. Let us know please, any who are trying it.

 

[SoCaliVanner]

I ordered one, too, and can’t wait to try it.

If you do a youtube search, there are some good demo vids showing different techniques (in the DO, out of it on a trivet, lid on/ lid off). One guy used it to bake a giant cookie in his DO

 

[Moxadox]

Very cool. Thanks!

The Dire Wolfess

 

[LoupGarou]

I’ve done my share of Dutch Oven cooking, but cooking for one, portability and ease of use on a single burner butane stove, my Banks Fry/Bake has served me well.

https://frybake.com

 

[Dingfelder]

What kind of baking have you done on it?

The pics show burning twigs/very small branches on top, I guess to help bake ... do you use the same on your butane stove?

 

[WanderingRose]

So, my Camp Chef Dutch Oven dome finally arrived today, but it comes with no instructions nor recipes, just pictures on the back of the box for how to set up.

Apparently, you just put whatever you want to bake in a 10”-14” skillet or Dutch Oven, place the DO on the diffuser over low to medium flame, cover with the dome top and cook til done.

I don’t find anything, anywhere, that says you can’t use this over a gas burner inside, which I want to try, just to try it out.

Any thoughts?

Thinking about making scones in the morning.

 

[SoCaliVanner]

Go low and slow with the heat, and make sure the oven or pan isn't right on the burner (needs elevation or the bottom will scorch, hence the diffuser that should have come with it). If using the dutch oven, preheat like you would a regular oven. Watch a couple of the youtube videos to get an idea how it works. It's really just what you think. You can put a thermometer in through the hole in the top to check temp.

I can't see any reason that it wouldn't work with a regular stove gas burner, since it works with both a small Coleman and the big Camp Chef units.

 

[WanderingRose]

I do have the diffuser, part of the package, and will be sure to use it.

Okay, I’m gonna try it!

 

[WanderingRose]

Works just as advertised!

I have this griddle, which I thought would be perfect, and it was.

Call me amazed.

My scones did not top brown as nicely as they would have in the oven, but otherwise baked up beautifully.

I have a single burner butane stove that I haven’t used much since my husband died, but which would be perfect for doing this outside.

 

[WILD@HEART]

Yes.  Mostly bread and chicken, when I use it.  Often put veggies down at the bottom and chicken on top, let the chicken fat naturally baste the veggies as it all cooks together.

Yum!

 

[Rainier70]

Another thing that you can do is to put a lifter/spacer between the diffuser and the bottom of your pan. That will help to even out your cooking in the Dome. By lifter/spacer I mean something like this lid rack. https://www.amazon.com/Stanbroil-Fo...43701093&sr=8-3&keywords=dutch+oven+lid+stand

 

[SoCaliVanner]

Works just as advertised!

I have this griddle, which I thought would be perfect, and it was.

Call me amazed.

That's great, Rose! With a little experimenting, you will probably be able to get more browning without scorching the bottom. A little butter or sugar on top might help, too.

I love being able to bake on my camp stove, and the dome definitely helps.

 

[WanderingRose]

Another thing that you can do is to put a lifter/spacer between the diffuser and the bottom of your pan. That will help to even out your cooking in the Dome.

I have some small, cast iron trivets.

Thanks for the suggestions, folks.