Camp Food Goes Gourmet

There’s only one problem with Dutch ovens, said Laura Kitchings.

They’re addictive.

“Once you find out about them and see how easy they are you wouldn’t want to cook any other way,” she said during a recent camp-out near Adna. “They replace that whole standing over a camp stove in the morning trying not to burn pancakes. You can put eggs, hash browns and cheese all in one pot and it makes a fantastic meal.”

Kitchings, of Olympia, an assistant scoutmaster with Boy Scouts Troop 2 in Olympia, provided Dutch oven cooking instruction at the recent Spring Camporee for Timberline District of the Pacific Harbors Council of Boy Scouts of America at Rose Park in Adna. About 611 Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts make up the Timberline District, which comprises all of Lewis County and Rochester.

About 50 Boy Scouts from Timberline District attended this year’s Spring Camporee, which was held April 27-29. Camporees are part training, part fun and part competition for both scouts and adult leaders. Events included: a chili cook-off; demonstrations and competitions using various camp cooking methods including Dutch oven cooking and box cooking; skits; and a flag ceremony.

“It’s about team building and sharing their skills,” explained Ken Pagel, committee chairman for Troop 373 in Chehalis. (See sidebar for more information on scouting in the greater Lewis County area.)

Kitchings, who home schools her children Sarah, 10, and Dylan, 13, started using Dutch ovens about 10 years ago at the encouragement of some relatives in Utah who have been using them for many years.

She said Dutch ovens quickly became not only a staple at their family and Boy Scout camping trips, but in their life in general. They have an annual family camp out at their home where they use a Dutch oven to feed about 40 people. And in the aftermath of the most recent snowstorm the family was out of power for five days so when the novelty of eating cold food wore off, mom broke out the Dutch oven

“It was a welcome change,” Kitchings said with a laugh.

But if you do plan to take them into the wilderness, because of their weight, Dutch ovens are best suited to car camping. Even so, they’re a fairly common fixture at Boy Scout camp-outs because of their ease of use and ability to feed a crowd.

A full 14-inch Dutch oven will feed 25-30 people, Kitchings said. Most people opt for the 10-12 inch versions. Kitchings said Dutch ovens are a convenient way to cook because you can stack Dutch ovens to cook a multi-course meal all at once.

Dutch ovens cook using the same charcoal briquettes home cooks use for barbecuing. About 10 briquettes on the bottom and eight on the top of a Dutch oven will produce the equivalent of a 350-degree oven inside the vessel. The oven itself is best for casserole type meals or baking, though kitchings said if grilling a steak is more up your alley, you can flip the lid over and use it as a frying pan.

But for the true novice, Kitchings said a good first Dutch oven meal is a Boy Scout cobbler: Pour a can of pie filling of your choice (or the equivalent of frozen fruit) in the bottom of a Dutch oven. Pour one dry cake mix over the top. Add one-half a soda can of liquid of your choice (the soda that came in the can is a good idea. Kitchings said chocolate cake mixes and cola go well together, as do spice cakes and Fanta orange soda). If you want, put a couple pats of butter on top then bake in your Dutch oven about 30-45 minutes.

“It’s pretty much no fail,” Kitchings said.

The timing of meals can be a challenge to learn with Dutch oven cooking, Kitchings said. She said it takes some practice to know exactly when to start your food and the elements can play a big role in how quickly it cooks. Rain and cold temperatures can cool your briquettes, so you may have to add more to keep the cooking going. And if you’ve just come in from a day-long hike and you’re starving, a Dutch oven may not help you much.

“There’s really no way to speed it up,” Kitchings said. “It’s not a microwave. Adding more charcoal is not going to speed it up. It’s going to burn it.”

Cleaning your Dutch oven correctly is one of the most important steps. As with any cast iron product, Kitchings said you never want to clean it with soap. Kitchings said the method she uses, which she got from the Oregon Train Cookbook, is to use a half and half solution of water and apple cider vinegar. Simply remove the food from the oven, add the water and vinegar solution and heat and brush or scrape any leftover bits. Dump out the liquids and put your empty Dutch oven back over the fire to dry it. When it is dry, use a paper towel to apply shortening, olive oil or a cast iron seasoning grease to maintain the cast iron’s seasoning.

Dutch ovens should be stored with the lid slightly cracked to avoid trapping moisture.