Did you know that Dutch ovens have been used to cook food for hundreds of years? Many cultures have their own version of the Dutch oven, and the American colonists loved the Dutch oven for its versaility and durability.
The Dutch oven was a popoular means of cooking back when power was not a reality, and it only makes sense that, if we're preparing for an emergency, we should prepare to cook with something that doesn't require power. Try these Dutch oven recipes, which include food storage items, to make the most of this versatile vessel and really prepare to meet any challenge.
Au Gratin Potatoes
12” Dutch oven with 9” glass, 2 qt. casserole dish. You can also use 10” oven without dish.
24 briquettes: 8 bottom, 16 top
Serves 8
Good:
5 cups dried potato slices
½ tsp. salt
1 – 2 Tbsp. dried onion
2 Tbsp. whole wheat flour
1 cup powdered milk in 4 cups water
Salt and pepper
½ - 1 cup cheese powder
1 cup crumbled bread crumbs
Better:
Use white flour in place of whole wheat
Replace powdered milk with evaporated milk and water.
Best:
Use 1 cup grated freeze dried cheddar cheese to replace cheese powder
Directions:
Soak potatoes and salt for 1 hour. Drain (save water for mixing with milk). Grease casserole or line Dutch oven in foil and layer ½ of potatoes in bottom. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and ½ of onion and ½ of cheese powder. Layer remaining potatoes, then salt and pepper, onion, and remaining cheese powder. Mix reconstituted milk and whisk in flour. Pour over potatoes. Bake in oven, checking every 15 minutes. On the 3rd checking, sprinkle bread crumbs over potatoes. Cover and bake 15 more minutes. Be sure bottom does not burn. It would be best to make a foil ring* to set casserole dish on. Cook 1 hour, checking every 15 minutes.
Note: When I first made these I wasn’t sure how good they would be, but after making my first batch, I am sold. You will need to increase the amount of dried potatoes you have in your storage, along with the cheese powder (store this in freezer for a longer shelf life).
*To make a foil ring take an 8” sheet of foil, roll up like a snake, shape into a coil, flatten slightly, and you have a baking rack to use in your Dutch oven.
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
12”-14” oven, 8” square pan; serves 9 (or foil lined 12” Dutch oven and double recipe)
24 briquettes, 8 on bottom, 16 on top (pre-heat 5 min.)
Cook 30 to 45 min
Good:
¼ cup butter flavored shortening
½ cup brown sugar
1 ½ cups dried apples, soaked 30 minutes and drained, or 2 – 15 oz. cans of peaches, fruit cocktail, cherries, etc., drained.
2 short cans pineapple, or 1 tall.
1 2/3 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. vinegar (white or apple cider)
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 cup water
1/3 cup
Better:
Use white flour in place of whole wheat
Best:
Use melted butter in place of butter flavored shortening
Directions:
Melt the butter flavored shortening in the bottom of the square pan. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over melted shortening. Drain fruit, then arrange fruit on top of brown sugar. Set pan aside. Start your Dutch oven Pre-heating now. Stir together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Mix the vinegar, vanilla and water together and then add to the dry ingredients. Add the oil and whisk until smooth and creamy, about one minute. Pour cake batter over fruit. Place pan on foil ring and cook 30 to 50 minutes. (Check after 30 minutes). Cake is done when it has pulled away from sides of pan and center is firm. After removing from oven (use players to lift pan out of oven), cool 10 minute; then take a knife and run it around edge of cake. Place a plate or small cookie sheet over top of cake, hold in place and turn up-side down. Leave the pan on the cake for a few minutes before removing.
Note: If you have a yellow or white packaged cake mix, fix it according to package directions. If you have no eggs, that’s OK, just mix the juice you drained off your canned fruit with water and use ¼ cup more water than asked for on the box. You can use it in a foil lined 12” Dutch oven. Just double the amount of butter flavored shortening and brown sugar in bottom of oven. Double the amount of fruit (use 20 oz. can of pineapple). If you have nuts or maraschino cherries arrange them over fruit. Pour cake batter over all and place lid on Dutch oven. Bake as directed above.
Banana Bread
12” or larger Dutch oven; 1 loaf
24 briquettes: 8 on bottom, 16 on top
Cook 1 hour
Good:
1 cup sugar
2 cups whole wheat flour
½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
1 cup dried bananas, broken into very small pieces, soaked until tender, and drained
½ cup oil
¼ cup reconstituted powdered milk
1 tsp. vanilla
Better:
Replace whole wheat flour with white flour
Best:
Replace oil with butter or butter flavored shortening
Replace ½ of sugar with brown sugar
Directions:
Lightly grease 8x4 bread pan. Mix dry ingredients (first 5) together. Cream together remaining ingredients, then add wet ingredients to dry. Mix well. Pour batter into pan. Bake on foil ring for 1 hour. Check for doneness. Cook until done (bread has pulled slightly away from sides). Do not add more briquets.
Note: You might say, “Banana Bread out of dried bananas?” Yes, this works really well. It is better the next day too, since the banana flavor has had time to permeate the whole loaf. Enjoy this one!
Recipes from justdutchit.com.