Tuesday, July 22, 2008

DUTCH OVEN BAKING


ON THE CAMP MENU TODAY IS BACON CHEESEBURGERS, WITH SWISS CHEESE, AND HOMEMADE POTATO SALAD, ALL PREPARED OUTSIDE ON THE PATIO.

WHAT'S A 1/3 POUND BACON CHEESEBURGER WITHOUT A HOMEMADE HAMBURGER BUN? MARY GET OUT THE BREAD MACHINE AND MAKE SOME HAMBURGER BUNS, AND I'LL BAKE THEM OUT ON THE PATIO IN THE DUTCH OVEN.

BAKE HAMBURGER BUNS OUTSIDE IN THE DUTCH OVEN WITH CHARCOAL? YUP, AND HERE'S HOW TO DO IT.

I PUT THE DOUGH IN A GREASED #12, SHALLOW, DUTCH OVEN.


I'VE HAD THIS DUTCH OVEN FOR 37 YEARS SO IT'S WELL SEASONED. NEXT I PLACED THE OVEN, WITH THE LID ON, OUT IN THE SUN TO WARM THE BUNS AND LET THEM RISE.

WHILE THEY WERE DOING THEIR THING I GOT OUT THE VOLCANO STOVE. THIS STOVE GETS THE DUTCH OVEN UP OFF THE GROUND AND CONTAINS THE HOT CHARCOALS SO I DON'T START ANOTHER CALIFORNIA WILD FIRE.


I BAKED MY BUNS AT 350 DEGREES, THAT'S 10 CHARCOAL ON THE BOTTOM, AND 16 CHARCOAL ON THE TOP.


LOOKS LIKE MY BUNS ARE READY TO BAKE.



JUST POP THE DUTCH OVEN INTO THE VOLCANO STOVE, SIT BACK, AND CRACK OPEN A MILLER GENUINE DRAFT LIGHT 64.



NOW HERE IS THE SECRET TO BAKING BREADS, PIES, ETC IN A DUTCH OVEN. YOU ONLY BAKE WITH BOTTOM HEAT FOR 2/3 OF THE BAKING TIME. TODAY I'M BAKING MY BUNS FOR 25 MINUTES. THAT'S ONLY 15 MINUTES WITH BOTTOM HEAT. AFTER 15 MINUTES IN THE VOLCANO I PULL THE OVEN OUT AND LET IT SIT FOR 10 MORE MINUTES WITH JUST THE HOT CHARCOAL ON THE LID.


WORKS EVERY TIME !!! JUST REMEMBER THE SECRET 2/3 BAKING RULE.




4 comments:

dee said...

Hi Rex and Mary, I am gaining weight as I read. Your blogs are getting better all the time. Great food site Mary. I sit at my desk and make time almost every day to check up on you two. Can't wait to try out some of the recipes. Dee Malsack

R. Mansfield said...

Great pictures. I've just linked to your post in our newest "Cast Iron Around the Web" at http://www.cookingincastiron.com.

Anonymous said...

I found your site from cookingcastiron, and have added it to my favorites....thanks for the tutorial on making hamburger buns...can't wait to break out my bread machine & dutch oven to try it myself. Now it just has to stop raining here in WNY!
I look forward to checking out more of your blog.

Anonymous said...

I can't thank you enough for your recipes and secrets to cooking in a dutch oven.

Although Fulltimer dreamers [still working] we camp often with the kids and I have NEVER been able to master the art of this darn contraption.

I begged my husband to take me camping this weekend just so I try again! :D

I especially liked the heat/timer chart at the beginning of the blog [I am reading backwards - most recent until now]

Also the first time I saw Big gASS grill I thought you had a typo...giggle...now I realize it was intentional and makes it GREAT & very FUNNY.

Nice blog, I am really enjoying it. Hugs to you all.