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.