dutch oven cooking

[BeardyMan]

So, what have people been making in their dutch ovens as the weather's been nice?

2 weekends ago I made a nice chicken in white wine with vegetables, cooked for about 4 hours over the fire in the garden.

Then we thought we'd try making bread in it. Wasn't expecting it to work very well at all, but by some freak of nature it came out perfectly!

Just waiting to get home then I can break out the dixie pot this weekend

So, anyone got a dutch oven? If so what's your best recipe

[Scythe13]

Best idea is to get a cake cooling tray to fit inside your Dutch Oven. You can even stack them.

Add a little water and you have a steamer!

Yesterday I enjoyed steamed pak choi and chicken breast, with a tamari and ginger sauce. Don't forget to add a hint of lemon juice to make the pak choi really taste....MMMMMMMMMM. It was actually something I enjoyed a lot 2 days ago, so had it again yesterday, and will probably have it again today. I'm obsessed!!!

[BeardyMan]

(19 June 2013, 12:51)Scythe13 Wrote: Best idea is to get a cake cooling tray to fit inside your Dutch Oven. You can even stack them.

Add a little water and you have a steamer!

Yesterday I enjoyed steamed pak choi and chicken breast, with a tamari and ginger sauce. Don't forget to add a hint of lemon juice to make the pak choi really taste....MMMMMMMMMM. It was actually something I enjoyed a lot 2 days ago, so had it again yesterday, and will probably have it again today. I'm obsessed!!!

What's wrong with you man? STEAMING things?!? In an oven?!? I was undecided about the bread, wanting to preserve the oven for it's one true purpose of COOKING MEAT, but the wife one that one.

Very versatile cooking instrument the dutch oven. Looks like I'll be steaming again this weekend...

Have to give that a try out, cheers.

[Scythe13]

I took my DO to a load of cookery shops in Taunton and said I was looking for a cake rack that fitted in here. Found one in the 3rd shop, and now I steam veg, meat, and can use the tray to make cakes!

Be careful you don't get a badly finished cake tray, you don't want to damage your precious oven.

[BeardyMan]

(19 June 2013, 13:29)Scythe13 Wrote: I took my DO to a load of cookery shops in Taunton and said I was looking for a cake rack that fitted in here. Found one in the 3rd shop, and now I steam veg, meat, and can use the tray to make cakes!

Be careful you don't get a badly finished cake tray, you don't want to damage your precious oven.

Did yours come pre-treated? I did mine when I got it, but the missus gave it a good scrubbing to get whatever I'd welded to the bottom off.
so now I've got to smoke the kitchen out again for an hour or so to get it back up to scratch!

Mmmmmmm, I'm thinking local cider steamed pork with fresh veg at the weekend. Right, cake tray hunting I go!!

[uks]

I think mine recipe is 'throw it' throw it in and see what comes out.

[bigpaul]

(19 June 2013, 15:31)uks Wrote: I think mine recipe is 'throw it' throw it in and see what comes out.

nothing wrong with that, that's how most cooking started!

[uks]

You actually learn a lot from doing it that way.

[BeardyMan]

(19 June 2013, 15:52)uks Wrote: You actually learn a lot from doing it that way.

Aye, that's what I've been doing so far.

Loads of meat, bottle of two of nice red wine, loads of veg. Chuck it in the fire, stir occasionally and wait 5 hours until perfect

[Scythe13]

If you're going to season it, use flaxseed oil, coat the inside of the lid and pan, pop it upside down in the oven (lid and base seperate) for 1 hour at 180-190*C. Then after an hour, turn off the heat but keep the lot in the oven until cool to touch (or be lazy and leave it over night haha). Presto! Seasoned DO in an evening!

Or you could just cook low acid curries every night for 2 weeks to get the oil coating. Using Coconut oil is pretty good too.