Outdoor Cooking Magic

I love grilled vegetables.  Grilling vegetables gives them an extra special flavor that can’t be beat.  Try this recipe and see if you don’t agree. 

Peel onions and cut them into large wedges from top to bottom. Cut the tops from the bell peppers, remove the core, and cut in these into large pieces also (from top to bottom).  Trim the ends from the squash and cut diagonally, into round shapes, about 1/2″ thick.  Toss all the vegetables in a large bowl with olive oil and seasoning.  It will help season the onions if you open up the onion wedges so the seasoning can get into the wedge.  Cook the vegetables on a very hot grill, turning occasionally, until the peppers are slightly charred and vegetables are tender.  This won’t take long, about 5 minutes.  Serve immediately.

There is nothing like freshly caught fish cooked over your campfire.  Try this recipe for blackened fish.

Mix all the spices together. Coat each of the fillets with the spice mixture.  Melt the margarine (or butter, if you prefer) in an iron skillet over a hot cooking fire. Sear the fish for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, or until they smoke and appear “blackened”.

Remove the skillet from the fire and cover. The heat in the pan will complete the cooking in about 10 minutes.

To make it easier, you can mix the seasonings at home and store in an air-tight container to bring with you.

Mix all ingredients together and store in an air tight container.

Put the beef roast, salt, thyme, clove, peppercorns, bay leaf and garlic in Dutch oven.  Add the water.  Heat until it is boiling, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 2 1/2 hours.  Now add remaining ingredients. Cover the Dutch oven and simmer until beef and vegetables are tender.  This should take about 30 minutes.  Remove beef and vegetables. Cut beef into 1/4″ slices. Strain broth and serve with beef and vegetables.

Dutch oven cooking is very versatile.  You can cook almost anything in it, including soups or stews, all kinds of meats, casseroles, breads, desserts, breakfasts, and a whole lot more.  If you are just getting started with Dutch oven cooking, you probably want to try some easy Dutch oven recipes.  While Dutch oven cooking isn’t difficult, you’ll be happier with some tried and true recipes to get you going.  Here are some easy Dutch oven recipes for you to try:

• Easy Dutch Oven Baked Beans
• Dutch Oven Cinnamon Bread
• Easy Dutch Oven Mountain Man Hash
• Three Easy Dutch Oven Desserts
• Dutch Oven Cowboy Stew
• Dutch Oven Pot Roast
• Dutch Oven Au Gratin Potatoes

I hope you enjoy these.  They should be easy enough for any beginner to do.  You’ll find that you can do fairly sophisticated meals with Dutch ovens, but best to start with some easy Dutch oven recipes.

Brown the meat in a dutch oven. Add the onions and saute them.  Add the berries and stock enough to cover the meat. Stir in honey. Bring to boil and cover. Simmer 1 hour. Salt to taste and serve.

Combine first 5 ingredients in large self closing plastic bag or shallow glass dish. Add steak and toss to coat it with the marinade.  Refrigerate 3 or more hours. Spear with veggies on metal skewers. Grill or broil 12-15 minutes, turning frequently.

Scrub the potatoes but do not peel them. Cut each in three or four slice, lengthwise. Blend the butter and soup mix and spread on slices. Reassemble the potatoes. Wrap each potato in square of foil, overlapping ends. Bake until tender, turning once. Takes 45 to 60 minutes.

Thaw the frozen bread dough overnight. Butter the bottom of an 8” Dutch oven well. Mix the heavy whipping cream and ½ cup of brown sugar and pour into the greased Dutch oven. Place brown sugar and the cinnamon/brown sugar mix in a shallow bowl and roll each chunk of bread dough into the mix. Place the bread dough in the Dutch oven layering.  Make sure to not layer the bread dough too high as it will rise a lot in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes with 11 coals on the top and 5 coals on the bottom.

First make the meat sauce mixture:  Brown hamburger meat in skill and drain. Add the spaghetti sauce and tomato sauce to meat mixture.

Now make the cheese mixture: mix the eggs, and all the cheeses together in a mixing bowl.

In a large Dutch oven layer as follows: ½ sauce mixture, layer of noodles, ½ cheese mixture, repeat. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour in a 12” oven with 17 coals on top and 8 coals on the bottom.