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Farm Kitchen:  Cooking Outdoors Over a Fire  |
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NikkiBeaumont
True Blue Farmgirl
473 Posts
473 Posts |
 Posted - Apr 10 2009 : 3:28:35 PM
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We are going down to our farm this weekend and I am going to attempt to cook stew in a dutch oven over our fire pit. I hope that all it takes is keeping the fire going and stirring it occasionally. Not sure what to expect. Everything always seems so simple and easy in theory. Ha!
Does anyone have any tips for cooking over a fire successfully? Also, has anyone ever used pie irons and if so, do you have a great recipe to share?
Farmgirl Sister #554 |
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Farmgirlheart
True Blue Farmgirl
103 Posts
Valerie
Los Angeles
California
USA
103 Posts |
Posted - Apr 10 2009 : 5:55:29 PM
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Good Luck Nikki! Let us know how it turns out! I unfortunately have not yet had any experience with the dutch ovens! Enjoy!
HUGS! :) |
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goneriding
True Blue Farmgirl
1599 Posts
Winona
Central Oregon
USA
1599 Posts |
Posted - Apr 10 2009 : 8:29:25 PM
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I used to be quite the hand with dutch ovens. Let the fire go down to coals that are red and set the dutch over over it with a tiny bit of space between. You can even put coals on top of the lid so it bakes from all sides. You shouldn't be able to burn your food, no matter how hard you try, cuz you are cooking on coals and not fire. In theory that is. Just keep an eye on it and don't go too far over on your cooking times. Be sure you have something like tongs or a hook to raise the lid to check.
I have some recipes somewhere that I got off the net and if you google it, you'll find lots of recipes. It's the easiest cooking you'll ever do!!
Winona ;-)
To read funny stories about my cooking 'skills', please visit http://lostadventuresincooking.blogspot.com/
For uber-opinionated, pleasurable horse related reading, please visit http://horseinfoperson.blogspot.com/
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4185 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4185 Posts |
Posted - Apr 11 2009 : 03:37:12 AM
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Ahhh you can burn in a dutch oven. At lesast I have. Keeping an eye on whats cooking, turning it often, and checking the heat of the coals. (holding your hand over the coals to see how hot) Stirring often.
Michele |
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southerncrossgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
631 Posts
Gena
Harmony
NC
USA
631 Posts |
Posted - Apr 11 2009 : 03:50:27 AM
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Let us know what works best. I have had a cast iron dutch oven for years, and it is still in the box!!
"A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes"==Cinderella |
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goneriding
True Blue Farmgirl
1599 Posts
Winona
Central Oregon
USA
1599 Posts |
Posted - Apr 11 2009 : 08:18:29 AM
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*snork* How funny, Michele!! That is the one pan I've never burned food! I can burn water too! hehehe...
Gena, just send that DO right on over here!! :-) hehe...
Winona ;-)
To read funny stories about my cooking 'skills', please visit http://lostadventuresincooking.blogspot.com/
For uber-opinionated, pleasurable horse related reading, please visit http://horseinfoperson.blogspot.com/
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NikkiBeaumont
True Blue Farmgirl
473 Posts
473 Posts |
Posted - Apr 12 2009 : 1:18:22 PM
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Okay, y'all! I'm back and I have to say that I am shocked at how successfully we cooked over a fire! First thing I did was dig a fire pit and I lined it with pavers and rocks, then I started a freakin' big fire. I think that I was a little overzealous in the fire building department. I let it mostly burn down and then I put the dutch oven on an old grate from our fireplace. Within 5 minutes the stew was sizzling and then boiling over. Woah! I did not expect that. I thought that it would take hours for this thing to heat up but not so.
Here's a photo after I added more water and things calmed down a little bit.
Farmgirl Sister #554 |
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NikkiBeaumont
True Blue Farmgirl
473 Posts
473 Posts |
Posted - Apr 12 2009 : 1:20:30 PM
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Then after stirring and adding more water and praying and crossing my fingers, I was able to sit back and relax and do a little reading between stirring.
Farmgirl Sister #554 |
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NikkiBeaumont
True Blue Farmgirl
473 Posts
473 Posts |
Posted - Apr 12 2009 : 1:23:24 PM
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At dinner time I stirred up cornbread mix and Lovin' Man and I cooked it in the pie irons. It turned out nice and brown! Tasty!
Farmgirl Sister #554 |
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NikkiBeaumont
True Blue Farmgirl
473 Posts
473 Posts |
Posted - Apr 12 2009 : 1:27:43 PM
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And here's the end result.
We also baked some cookies in the pie irons for dessert. Then this morning I fried bacon in the dutch oven and made pancakes in the pie irons. Phew! We had a great time. My daughter, Oakley, said that she had never had so much fun.
Farmgirl Sister #554 |
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goneriding
True Blue Farmgirl
1599 Posts
Winona
Central Oregon
USA
1599 Posts |
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NikkiBeaumont
True Blue Farmgirl
473 Posts
473 Posts |
Posted - Apr 14 2009 : 03:50:07 AM
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Here's a vintage photo of breakfast!
I really needed a table nearby. All I had was a chair and at one point the package of bacon fell on the ground and a little bit of dirt got inside. Um, people probably used to eat more dirt than we do. HA! I found that it was better to leave the pie irons open with the pancakes and just put the top on them and flip them over into the waiting and preheated other half.
I washed my hands quite a bit while I was cooking but I still got dirt under my nails and was a mess when I got finished. When I first planned on doing this I thought that I would wear my boots and my cream colored pioneer dress. Wow! Glad that I didn't attempt THAT. I could have used an apron though. I think I'll try coming up with a farm cookin' outfit and apron that can come out on the other side of a fire not not look the worst for wear!
Farmgirl Sister #554 |
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StarMeadow
True Blue Farmgirl
940 Posts
T
MI
940 Posts |
Posted - Apr 14 2009 : 11:11:53 AM
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You rock! What a great looking meal! I love cooking outside over a fire. Used to do it quite a bit in my youth...ha ha. I just love a good stew or hearty soup with bread.... In fact, I think the rest of that Easter ham at my house is going with some beans tonight...along with cornbread. Not outside though, it's a cold dreary rain here.
When I was a lass we'd get together with my GS troup. One of our favs was "cowboy stew" (which had nothing to do w/cowboys) Ever girl would bring a different can of soup of her choosing. (no cream soups) then we'd brown up some ground beef, onions, and what not and add all the soups. Then we'd toss in one lonely can of tomato. Sometimes we'd add dumplings too. Yummy. One of tastiest dumplings were "gold nuggest"...basically dumpling mix with a chunk of cheddar in the middle. You could use the ever popular canned biscuits too. The dumplings would cook and the cheddar would get all melty....
Can you tell I haven't had lunch! ;-) |
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lacisne88
True Blue Farmgirl
1181 Posts
Chelsey
Lake Stevens
Washington
USA
1181 Posts |
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NikkiBeaumont
True Blue Farmgirl
473 Posts
473 Posts |
Posted - Apr 14 2009 : 3:29:13 PM
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Hey, Chelsey! Thanks for the compliments! That made me feel good. I really like posting photos! Can't believe how easy it is to do!
StarMeadow, those dumplings sound delish! I've never heard of that and I am going to have to try it! Especially with some cowboy stew! Love the lonely can of tomato. Got to remember that!
One of the boys at children's church is so picky about what he will eat for a snack. He never likes what I bring (powdered donuts and Pepperridge Farm goldfish crackers). Finally, I was so exasperated with him I asked him specifically WHAT he WOULD eat. He said, "Squirrel dumplings." He was serious. I told him that I would do one even better and bring alligator dumplings. Oh, boy! He loved that! HA!
Farmgirl Sister #554 |
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Farmers Daughter
True Blue Farmgirl
90 Posts
DiAnn
90 Posts |
Posted - Apr 15 2009 : 08:35:38 AM
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Nikki~ Great Job!
That looks so good. We use to go down to the clubhouse and cook over a open fire. The smell of food cooking over a wood fire is something that gets me every time.
One thing I really loved was cabbage cut into wedges and sprinkles with salt and pepper. Then add some crumbled bacon and onions. Warp in foil. The outside gets kind of caramelized and it is steamed tender with the flavor of bacon and onions. Oh gosh now my mouth is watering. 
I had help plan an outdoor event and we were able to get 2 ladies to come and do an outdoor cooking demo for us. They are reenactors from the Lewis and Clark museum. They made buffalo stew and actually baked a fresh peach pie. The stew was great and the pie was just like done in an oven at home. I was amazed. Never had seen that done before. Seen cobbler made, but this was a pie in a pie plate. She had asked for good hard wood to start her fire. My FIL gave us some of his seasoned oak. She started the fire, left it burn down and racked out a pile of hot coals. She had a flat lidded dutch oven with feet. Place that over the coals to get it preheated with the lid on.
She made the pie crust and filling just like we would to bake at home and placed it in a nice pottery pie plate. I kept thinking she is going to use that nice pie plate. She had a trivet that she placed in the bottom of the dutch oven and then put her pie plate on top of the trivet. She said you can not place it on the bottom or it will get to hot and crack the pie plate. (makes sense) She then put the lid back on and placed about 6 med sized chucks of hot wood coals on top of the lid. She then continued with the rest of her demo and check the pie only once. When checking she just lifted off the lid carefully not to dump the coal on the pie. She also said said you can tell if you need to turn the pot by how the crust is browning. But she had the coals very evenly distributed so there was no need this time to turn the pot.
Let me tell ya I was totally amazed with this pie that came out of that pot. Have not tried it myself, but my MIL has when camping. She said it turn out good but a little burnt in on spot. Guess she need to turn the pot. But just like anything practice makes perfect.
With all this outdoor cooking talk~ I want to build a fire. |
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K-Falls Farmgirl
Chapter Leader
2096 Posts
Cheryl
Klamath Falls
Oregon
USA
2096 Posts |
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StarMeadow
True Blue Farmgirl
940 Posts
T
MI
940 Posts |
Posted - Apr 16 2009 : 06:00:10 AM
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| A REAL pie! Wow. I've done cobblers in a dutch oven but not a real pie. That is one good cook! When we go camping, my kids always ask for the tried and true tin foil supper! ;-) |
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NikkiBeaumont
True Blue Farmgirl
473 Posts
473 Posts |
Posted - Apr 20 2009 : 07:38:26 AM
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DiAnn, wow, I never would have thought about making a pie in a fire! How awesome! Now that you have told me that I do believe that a person could cook ANYTHING in a Dutch oven. I have saved your cabbage recipe and StarMeadow's "gold nugget" dumplings in a word document so that I can refer to them later. I can't wait to hightail it back down to the farm and implement y'alls suggestions!
Farmgirl Sister #554 |
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MissDotty
Farmgirl in Training
49 Posts
Anna
Coralville
IA
USA
49 Posts |
Posted - Apr 21 2009 : 8:01:48 PM
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Dutch ovens function very well as well..ovens! Provided your coals are evenly distributed, the thick iron is a very even conductor of heat and because the lids are usually well sealed, the humidity in the DO mimics a professional bread oven. You can also make an awesome french chicken recipe called Poulet en cocotte .
Take one 4-5 lb roaster (heritage is best), pat dry with paper towels and salt and pepper it.
Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in the bottom of your DO over direct heat until just smoking. put in the bird breast side down and brown the breast lightly.
Toss in 1 small onion chopped medium, 1 stalk celery chopped, 6 cloves of garlic peeled and 1 bay leaf (a sprig of rosemary is optional)
Still over direct heat, flip the birdy over and cook until the veg and chicken is well browned.
Pull the oven off the heat, cover with foil if your lid isn't tight and lid it.
Rake some coals over to the side and nestle in the oven, put a few coals on the lid
Cook for an hour and a half to two hours or until the chicken reads done on an instant read.
Pull out the chicken and tent it with the foil, rest for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile pull the veggies out of the pot and defat the jus as much as you can. reserve the jus, adding the accumulated liquid when you carve the chicken. Spike the jus with a bit of lemon juice and pass with the chicken.
Adapted from Cooks Illustrated. Note: DO not add extra veggies, they contribute too much water to the dish. Also the skin isn't going to be crisp, but who cares?
Also, for a variation on the Cabbage/Onions and Bacon? Try adding a cut up granny smith apple and a sprinkle of caraway seeds. Great with porkchops. |
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NikkiBeaumont
True Blue Farmgirl
473 Posts
473 Posts |
Posted - Apr 22 2009 : 04:30:34 AM
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Roast chicken. Yum! I can't wait to try it! Love the French name for it. I'm gonna turn into a gourmet outdoor cook. Yummy, Anna! If I make all of these dishes in the dutch oven at the farm my husband will never want to come home! And when he does he will probably yank out our stove and microwave, give them to the Goodwill, and I will be forced to forever cook over an open fire in the backyard. Ha!
Farmgirl Sister #554 |
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GreenMeAlison
Farmgirl in Training
11 Posts
Alison
Longmont
CO
USA
11 Posts |
Posted - May 19 2009 : 07:01:21 AM
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Thrilled to find this thread! I've been thinking that I need to learn how to cook on a dutch oven, because baking inside makes the darn house so hot...and we are working on our second day of 90F in May.
Any how, I love this discussion and have to say that my idea came not from re-enactment, but from my study abroad experience in college, in Madagascar. The family I lived with was very westernized, they even had running water, but still cooked with a dutch oven. lol.
Apparently when you are used to a dutch oven (and coal fire), it works even better than an electric oven. lol.
Any how, the most impressive feat I say my host mother accomplish was baking a 3 tier wedding cake (she then made butter cream by hand and frosted the cake). If I can find the photos I'll scan and post them...
I can't really build a fire pit in my back yard, but I could cook on a small charcoal grill -- anyone out there have experience with a charcoal grill and dutch oven combo?
Alison
Suburban tree hugger with three hearts: one on the farm, one in the city, and one in the woods!
http://www.greenme.vg |
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NikkiBeaumont
True Blue Farmgirl
473 Posts
473 Posts |
Posted - May 19 2009 : 12:25:33 PM
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Alison! A 3 tier wedding cake! Amazing! And I thought that I was doing so good making stew and cornbread! Ha!
I haven't cooked on a charcoal grill. Let us know how your dutch oven cooking experiments go!
Last time we went to the farm I made golden nugget dumplings with a beef gumbo, cornbread, and brownies with our pie irons. I'm starting to get the hang of it! And everything was delicious!
We have a wood burning stove in our living room and Lovin' Man is going to weld me a platform that I can put over the coals and cook with during the winter if we have to, or maybe just for fun.
Farmgirl Sister #554 |
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Farm Kitchen: Cooking Outdoors Over a Fire |
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Cooking Outdoors Over a Fire
