Life On A B-I7

I had to really coax Polly to give me this recipe. This is a recipe that you can make in cast iron (my preferred method) and works well in the campground. It tastes even better in the wild than it does at home. There is an homage here for my Irish friend. I’m sure you won’t have any trouble picking it out. I’ve always had a bit of a beef with the Irish because they keep the good Guinness in the homeland and they send the shitty Guinness to America. I suppose in a lot of ways we deserve that.

Ingredients

These ingredients are for starters, once the beans come up to temperature in the cast iron, you can adjust the ingredients to suit the flavor profile you are shooting for.

• Pinto, Black, White and Kidney beans in the can, rinsed and drained.
• 3 or 4 Kosher Dogs cut in medallions
• 1/2 can of Guinness
• 1/4 C Molasses
• 1/2 C Ketchup
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/4 C Brown Sugar
• 1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 Yellow Onion cubed and sautéed with 4 cloves of chopped garlic
• Dash of olive oil
• 1 tsp smoked or sweet paprika
• 1/4 C of your favorite BBQ Sauce

Ya, that’s a lot of ingredients, but nothing good comes easily, even in the campground.

Directions

Mix and cook. It doesn’t take a bunch of charcoal, just a few cubes on the lid and a few underneath. If you want to add more protein, Sauté some nice sausage sliced in the diagonal and add to the pot wile simmering.

This recipe uses similar ingredients to the Baked Beans recipe but it does not use BBQ Sauce or Molasses, the result is surprisingly different. This recipe yields 5 or 6 Joes. Most people if they are hungry are going to want 2 of these babies!

Ingredients

• Butter and Olive Oil for sautéing the Onions and Green Pepper
• 1 lb Ground Beef
• 2 large Italian Sausages, casing removed
• 1 Green Pepper chopped
• Medium Yellow Onion chopped
• 4 cloves of Garlic
• 1 Tbsp Tomato Paste
• 2/3 C Ketchup
• 1/2 Can Guinness
• 1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
• 1 tsp Yellow Mustard
• 3/4 tsp Chili Powder
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
• 1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
• 1/4 tsp Black Pepper

Instructions

1. Sauté hamburger and sausage, drain.
2. Sauté onions and green pepper using butter and oil, add garlic at the end of the cooking time.
3. Light charcoal
4. Combine meats in Dutch Oven and add remaining ingredients.
5. Cook using 10 coals on top and 5 - 8 coals on the bottom

Cooking time is about 30 minutes, but could be longer to reach desired consistence. If mixture is too moist, add corn meal to thicken.

Serve over toasted Potato Buns.

This is the perfect accompaniment to the Dutch Oven Baked Beans. It is important to use a parchment lined Dutch Oven to prevent the bread from absorbing flavors from the previous oven use.

Ingredients

• 3/4 C corn meal
• 1-1/4 C flour
• 1/4 C sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 C buttermilk
• 1 egg beaten
• 1/4 C vegtable oil
• Honey butter for topping (optional)

Directions

Measure and mix dry ingredients at home to simplify preparation.

1. Preheat Dutch Oven to 350. 21 briquettes. 14 on top, 7 underneath.
2. Mix all ingredients in preheated, parchment lined Dutch Oven.
3. Cook 30 minutes (approximately) rotating the oven and lid 1/4 turn in opposite directions every few minutes.

A great camping desert. For deserts in a Dutch Oven, always line with parchment paper.

Ingredients

• 1/2 C butter
• 1 C brown sugar
• 1 (20 oz) can peach slices (enough to cover bottom of oven)
• 1/2 C vegetable oil
• juice from peach slices plus enough water to make 1-1/4 C
• 1 yellow cake mix
• 1 box cheesecake instant pudding mix
• 4 eggs beaten

Directions

Use 12” Dutch Oven. Melt butter in bottom of dutch oven. Sprinkle brown sugar on top of butter. Place pineapple slices on top of butter brown sugar mixture. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl and spoon into dutch oven. Cook with 6 coals underneath and 18 coals on top. Place serving plate over dutch oven and invert onto plate.

This isn’t the type of thing you would normally associate with camp cooking, but why not? This is typically made in a 12” Dutch Oven.

Ingredients

Filling

• 1 (29 oz) can pumpkin
• 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
• 3 eggs
• 1 C brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 C evaporated milk

Topping

• 1 package yellow cake mix
• 1 C butter

Directions

1. Mix filling ingredients
2. Cut butter into cake mix
3. Pour filling into parchment lined Dutch Oven
4. Sprinkle topping over the filling
5. Bake for 1 hour (or more) 8 coals on the bottom, 16 on the top

Serve with Cool Whip, of course.

These are finger licking good. A 12” Dutch Oven is recommended for this recipe.

Ingredients

• 3/4 C sugar
• 3/4 C brown sugar
• 1/3 C butter
• 1/2 C peanut butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 C flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 12 oz milk chocolate chips

Directions

1. Cream butter and peanut butter with sugars.
2. Add eggs and vanilla, beat well
3. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt
4. Stir into wet mixture
5. Spread into 12” Dutch Oven
6. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top
7. Bake at 350, swirl chips after 5 minutes of baking, bake 20 minutes more

Cool thoroughly before serving. See cast iron baking temperature chart.

It’s hard to beat a good beef stroganoff in the wild.

Ingredients

• 1 medium yellow onion chopped
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1/4 tsp celery salt
• 1/4 tsp garlic salt
• 1 C water
• 3 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 C sour cream
• 1 (12 oz) bag egg noodles
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Brown meat, onion and spices in Dutch Oven
2. Mix water, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and sour cream
3. Combing meat and sauce mixture
4. Pour half into Dutch Oven
5. Spread noodles evenly on top
6. Pour remaining mixture over top, moistening all the noodles
7. If additional moisture is needed, add beer
8. Cover and cook 30-45 minutes, 10 coals on bottom, 15 coals on top

Note: My assistant (who knows more about cooking than I do) tells me this recipe could use celery salt, more garlic salt and some Everyday Seasoning.

Nothing better than crispy little baked potatoes to go along with your casserole. These guys are sure to please.

Ingredients

• 24 oz bag small red potatoes cut in half
• 1/2 stick butter (or less)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tsp Lawyer’s Seasoning Salt

Directions

1. Melt butter (or slightly less than called for)
2. Add spices and herbs
3. Coat potatoes with butter, spice, herb mixture
4. Put potatoes into preheated Dutch Oven
5. Cook at 450 until crispy

If doubling the recipe, it’s better to use two 10” Dutch Ovens than it is to overfill a 12” Dutch Oven.

Use either 10” or 12” Dutch Oven. This recipe bakes up very nicely but it should be allowed to cool before serving.

Ingredients

Directions

1. Melt butter in melting pot add sugar to incorporate
2. Mix dry ingredients
3. Best eggs
4. Fold butter/sugar mixture and eggs into dry mixture
5. Spread into parchment lined Dutch Oven
6. Dab bits of peanut butter here and there on the top
7. Sprinkle a few chocolate chips on top (optional)

Bake 15 to 25 minutes. For 10” oven use 7 coals on the bottom, 14 coals on the top. For 12” oven use 8 on the bottom, 17 on the top. Cool before cutting.

Queso in the afternoon with chips is a real treat in the campground. You don’t just open a package and throw it into a pot. This one takes a fair amount of skill and care in the preparation. This is a real treat. Dip the chips directly in the Dutch Oven.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup finely diced white onion
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 4 oz can fire roasted diced green chilis drained
• 1/4 cup canned diced tomatoes (drained)
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1/3 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp ancho chili powder
• 1/8 tsp smoked paprika
• Dash of cayenne pepper for a spicier queso, optional
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/3 tsp table salt plus additional to taste as needed
• 12 oz can full-fat evaporated milk
• 8 oz freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese see note
• Corn chips for serving

Directions

1. Melt butter in a large pot or skillet
2. Add onion and cook until softened and translucent
3. Add garlic and cook until fragrant then add tomatoes and chilis and cook until well-combined
4. Add minced garlic, diced Roma tomato (or canned), fire roasted diced green chilis
5. Sprinkle cornstarch over the ingredients and use a spatula to stir and cook until absorbed and no lumps remain
6. Add cumin, chili powder, paprika, cayenne, pepper, and salt
7. Gradually drizzle evaporated milk into the pot while whisking. Cook, stirring or whisking, until milk is completely combined, warmed, and slightly thickened
8. Turn heat to low (remove most of the coals) and add shredded cheese. Stir until cheese is melted and completely combined. Taste-test and add additional spices as needed.

I copied this right from the website Every Day Dutch Oven Cooking. I think this is going to be a good one.

Forget the grill this weekend, for your Memorial Day cook out why not try these Baked Hot Dogs in your dutch oven? I was so intrigued by this recipe when I saw it, one of my favorite ways to eat a hot dog is with a soft, steamed roll. By baking the hot dogs with all the toppings together, everything is wonderfully heated through and piping hot at the same time. I thought maybe the rolls would burn in spots but they were perfectly baked, warm inside and a little crispy on the outside.

Ingredients

• 8 hot dogs
• 8 hot dog buns
• 1 14 oz can chili with beans
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1-2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• Mayonnaise
• Mustard
• Sweet Relish

Directions

1. Lightly oil or spray Dutch Oven
2. Spread the inside of each hot dog bun with mayo, mustard, and sweet relish
3. Fill the hot dogs and place side by side in the oven
4. Top each dog with chili, cheese and onion
5. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes
6. Remove with large spoon or and spatula

This recipe is best made in a cast iron skillet on a Camp Chief stove. No need for charcoal or a Dutch Oven (although that is always an option). I like making this on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

Ingredients

• 3 - 14.5 ounce cans chicken broth
• 1 - 26 ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 - 10.75 ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 2 chicken breasts diced and grilled
• 1 yellow onion chopped
• 3 or 4 cloves garlic chopped
• 1 bell pepper chopped
• 1 tsp seasoning salt
• 18 ounces egg noodles

Directions

1. Saute onions, garlic, and peppers
2. Grill chopped chicken breast
3. Add liquid ingredients and seasoning
4. Simmer to let flavors develop
5. Add noodles and cook until tender
6. Enjoy

10” Dutch Oven

12” Dutch Oven