What to Cook in a Dutch Oven

Dutch ovens are ideal for cooking in the wilderness over an open fire or even in your oven at home. Dutch ovens allow you to cook meat and vegetables gently to preserve nutrients and enhance flavour.

If you enjoy exploring the outdoors, a Dutch oven can quickly become your best friend. While you can cook delicious, freeze-dried meals from Expedition Foods, if you have more time and the ability to keep ingredients fresh, we have some recipes to try for your next cookout.

Vegetarian chilli

This meal is perfect for those planning to trek off the beaten track who need help keeping meat fresh on their adventure.

You’ll need:

• One can of black beans
• One can of kidney beans
• One can of corn
• One can of diced tomatoes
• One onion, chopped
• Two garlic cloves, minced
• One bell pepper, chopped
• One packet of chilli seasoning
• Oil of choice
• Water for chilli seasoning

How to prepare:

1. Sauté the onion, garlic and bell pepper in some oil until soft.
2. Add the beans, corn, tomatoes and chilli seasoning.
3. Stir well, cover and let it simmer for about 30 minutes.

This vegetarian chilli is a fantastic option for a quick, nutritious meal. All the ingredients are canned or dried, so they’re perfect for backpacking.

Beef stew

A classic autumn/winter dish that will warm you from the inside and fill your soul with joy.

You’ll need:

• One lb. beef stew meat
• Oil of choice
• Two carrots diced
• Two potatoes, diced
• One onion, chopped
• Two garlic cloves, minced
• Beef stock
• One can of diced tomatoes
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Dried thyme and rosemary
• Water (for stock)

How to prepare:

1. Heat some oil in the Dutch oven over a campfire or portable stove.
2. Brown the beef stew meat.
3. Add onions and garlic, and sauté until translucent.
4. Add carrots, potatoes, beef stock, and tomatoes.
5. Season with salt, pepper, thyme, and rosemary.
6. Cover and let it simmer for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally.

This hearty beef stew is perfect for the outdoors. However, some ingredients require refrigeration, so it’s better for those evenings when you’re serving up love in the garden or lucky enough to be at a campsite with an electric hook-up to keep your cool box doing its job all weekend long.

Dutch oven bread

If you’re not a seasoned baker, making bread might not be your idea of fun. It’s often seen as a difficult task: every step must go to plan to ensure the perfect roll and not an embarrassing mess. However, this Dutch oven bake is simple and only requires four ingredients, so it’s hard to get it wrong.

You’ll need:

• Three cups of flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp yeast
• 1 ½ cups warm water

How to prepare:

1. Mix the flour, salt, and yeast in a large bowl.
2. Add the warm water and mix until a shaggy dough forms.
3. Cover the bowl and let it rise for 8-12 hours.
4. Punch down the dough and shape it into a ball.
5. Preheat the Dutch oven over your campfire.
6. Place the dough in the Dutch oven, cover, and bake for about 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for another 10-15 minutes until golden brown.

You can prep at home and then take this with you. Let the dough rise for 8-12 hours while you get on with life outdoors before cooking and demolishing your well-earned bread.

Sticky toffee pudding

Nothing is better than tucking into a delicious sweet treat at the end of a busy day exploring. This traditional sticky toffee pudding is sure to hit the spot.

You’ll need:

• 175g self-raising flour
• 150g caster sugar
• 150g unsalted butter (room temperature)
• Two large eggs
• 200g dates, pitted and chopped
• One tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 200ml boiling water
• One tsp vanilla extract
• One can of toffee sauce

How to prepare:

1. Grease a suitable baking dish that fits inside your Dutch oven.
2. Preheat your Dutch oven by placing it over your campfire or portable stove.
3. Place the chopped dates in a bowl, add the bicarbonate of soda, and pour over the boiling water. Let it sit for about 10 minutes to soften.
4. Mix the butter and caster sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
5. Beat in the eggs, then add the vanilla extract.
6. Gradually fold in the self-raising flour.
7. Stir in the softened date mixture, including any liquid.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish.
9. Place the dish in the preheated Dutch oven. To prevent the bottom from burning, place a cake tin or some stones on a trivet.
10. Cover the Dutch oven and bake for 35-45 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes clean. Rotate the Dutch oven occasionally to ensure that it is even cooking.
11. Once the pudding is done, remove it from the Dutch oven and let it cool slightly.
12. Pour some warmed-up toffee sauce over the pudding, allowing it to soak in.

Due to the intricacy of this dish, it may be easier to either pre-weigh and prep the ingredients before your trip or save this one for an evening in the garden.

Tips for Dutch oven baking

• Rotate the Dutch oven and the lid periodically to ensure even cooking.
• Distribute coals evenly on and under the Dutch oven to create an even baking temperature. Typically, you need more coals on the lid than underneath (about two-thirds on top and one-third below) to mimic oven-like conditions.
• If possible, use a thermometer to monitor the temperature inside the Dutch oven. For baking, aim for around 180-200°C (350-400°F).
• Preheat the Dutch oven over hot coals or on a camp stove. During preheating, add coals to the lid for an even temperature.
• Line the bottom of the Dutch oven with parchment paper or use a silicone baking mat to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
• Resist the urge to open the lid too often as it releases heat. Only check towards the end of the expected baking time.

Other items we recommend for outdoor cooking include but are not limited to:

• A Dutch Oven Lid Lifter is essential to reduce the risk of preventable injuries such as burns.
• A Cooking Tripod makes using a Dutch oven safe and convenient.
• There are so many outdoor kitchen knives that it’s essential to explore all options before deciding what’s best for you.
• A Dutch Oven Trivet lets you put your Dutch oven down on any surface.
• Last but by no means least, a transport bag for your Dutch oven makes it simple to carry it between bases and store it when not in use.

Remember to check out our top-quality Dutch ovens and other outdoor cooking gear selection. For more information, contact a team member on 029 2167 1423.

View our Dutch Oven cookware