Pioneer Cooking
When you think of a cast iron Dutch oven, what comes to your mind? Pioneer cooking? Stews over
open fire?
Of coarse both are true, but they are still very much in use today and as for
Dutch oven,
possibilities are endless.
Dutch ovens can be used for frying, baking, boiling, and steaming as well.
Purchasing Your Dutch Oven
When purchasing your Dutch oven, make sure
lid has a raised ridge.
This is to hold your heat source, which will be briquettes.
This will help you to reach
proper temperature needed for whatever cooking you are wanting to do , with
exception of boiling or frying.
In which case you would want all
heat on
bottom.
Heating Fundimentals
If you are planning on baking, you need more heat on
top than on
bottom.
Put one briquette on
bottom for every 3 on
top of
lid.
For preparing stews, use one on
top for every 4 on
bottom. When roasting, put briquettes on
top and bottom evenly.
Best Temperature
To understand
temperature and number of briquettes needed takes a little math.
Each briquette adds about 25 degrees of heat.
A good starting temperature is 350 degrees F.
To figure out how many briquettes to use, take
size of
oven in inches, and subract three to get
number of briquettes for under it, and add three to get
number of briquettes for
top.
Preparing To Cure Your Dutch Oven