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Bernard · 05-19-2006, 08:44 PM

I love cooking with dutch ovens and have competed in some competitions (when I can't get out out it; they get a little goofy and overboard, imo). That said, I don't like traditional dutch oven recipes--too much bacon grease/butter/fat, generally speaking.

Once you get the temp/timing down, you can easily do anything in a dutch oven that you can do at home on your stove or in the oven.

I have a good pizza recipe that I mix everything in a gallon ziplock bag (except for the water and yeast). At camp, I proof the yeast in water and add it to the bag and knead it right in the bag. For pizza, put more than the normal 2/3's coals on top and the bottom crust should be fine--just ensure that the oven is perfectly flat. I found out the hard way about being perfectly flat.

Get the temp thing down first. The +3 -3 thing seems to work well for me. For a 350 degree fire in a 12-inch oven, take the diameter of the oven and add three coals (12 + 3 = 15) for the top. Take the diameter of the oven and subtract 3 for the bottom (12 - 3 = 9). For every 10 degrees add/take away a coal. For the timing, just check often.

Once you get the temp/timing down, you can cook anything. Find a recipe that you like and have tried at home and try it in a dutch oven. Most recipes that contain some liquid are quite forgiving. Bread and sweet rolls give me the most trouble.

05-19-2006, 08:44 PM	#14
Bernard Junior Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 2	I don't use dutch oven recipes. I love cooking with dutch ovens and have competed in some competitions (when I can't get out out it; they get a little goofy and overboard, imo). That said, I don't like traditional dutch oven recipes--too much bacon grease/butter/fat, generally speaking. Once you get the temp/timing down, you can easily do anything in a dutch oven that you can do at home on your stove or in the oven. I have a good pizza recipe that I mix everything in a gallon ziplock bag (except for the water and yeast). At camp, I proof the yeast in water and add it to the bag and knead it right in the bag. For pizza, put more than the normal 2/3's coals on top and the bottom crust should be fine--just ensure that the oven is perfectly flat. I found out the hard way about being perfectly flat. Get the temp thing down first. The +3 -3 thing seems to work well for me. For a 350 degree fire in a 12-inch oven, take the diameter of the oven and add three coals (12 + 3 = 15) for the top. Take the diameter of the oven and subtract 3 for the bottom (12 - 3 = 9). For every 10 degrees add/take away a coal. For the timing, just check often. Once you get the temp/timing down, you can cook anything. Find a recipe that you like and have tried at home and try it in a dutch oven. Most recipes that contain some liquid are quite forgiving. Bread and sweet rolls give me the most trouble.