Burying a dutch oven

[Horace]

I was reading in an old trappers book that in the morning he made up his dinner, put it in his dutch oven, put the coals under and over, placed it in a hole and lightly covered it with dirt. When he came in that night dinner was ready. Unfortunately he is now dead, But I would like to know about "lightly covering it with dirt"

 

[Leaky Roof]

This method of dutch oven cooking is just like the modern CrockPot. The layer of dirt should be just thick enough that no smoke escapes. The coals under and on top of the dutch oven buried in the hole provides even heat, especially for meats such as roasts. It will simmer along for 6-8 hours, stay moist, and be ready to enjoy after a days work or play.

Just remember to leave the handle sticking out of the dirt.

Leaky Roof

 

[Bob Riegl]

:bow: Though not PC ( I don't care) I do this by using a sheet of aluminium foil over the top coals and then toss some dirt on it. It is crock pot cooking as I have done pot roasts that took around 5-6 hours to cook by this method.

 

[rabbit03]

Hello Mule Skinner glad you made the post. Iam interested in maybe doing this and will be interested in seeing the other posts. Sounds too good to me! :winking:

rabbit03

 

[ssettle]

I've been cooking with a dutch oven few alittle over 3 years. I don't bury it in dirt,dont want the mess. I've roasted and baked in it usually setting it over charcoal top and bottom. I get better heat control using charcoal bricketts. You can do most anything in one that you can do in an oven. The heavy lid kind of turns it into a pressure cooker which helps a great deal with tuff cuts of[url] meats..Kalin[/url]

 

[Riley/MN]

:bow: Though not PC ( I don't care) I do this by using a sheet of aluminium foil over the top coals and then toss some dirt on it. It is crock pot cooking as I have done pot roasts that took around 5-6 hours to cook by this method.

Pasquenel-Is this a wet method(i.e. pot roast), or are you doing a dry roast?

~Riley

 

[Bob Riegl]

:grin: No it is a "wet" method as there are liquids added to the mix---ketchup, Worcesteshire, onion, wine or vinegar, mushrooms---then the cooking brings out the real gravy----(slobber). Now you did it Riley, got to pull the roast from the freezer and make sauerbraten----slurp, slobber, drool :rotf: :rotf: ---with the weather outside I'll forgoe the Dutch Oven and use my crockpot. BTW Riley, we used to bring 5-6 Dutch ovens to our late fall Camporees and cook for the troop----man them were meals, nobody left hungry---remember the 13th Point of the Scout Law is---" A Scout Is Hungry". :hatsoff:

 

[Riley/MN]

BTW Riley, we used to bring 5-6 Dutch ovens to our late fall Camporees and cook for the troop

Did I ever tell you about our town's Olde Fashioned Christmas? We have people all over town dressed up in victorian garb. People wait in line for a "sleigh" ride that takes 'em to different old-timey events going on around town...

This is the second year that we set up and did dump cake/cobbler to serve to the people as they wait in line. Lift the lid on a peach or berry cobbler and you see the whole line move a little closer to us...

We had about a dozen ovens, usually three bein served out of, three on the coals, three ready to go on the coals, and three in the process of cooling and getting re-loaded.

I am also on Gamehaven council's Outdoor Leadership Skills staff, where we do about 15-20 ovens full of different things for people to try.

Good Stuff!!

 

[Bob Riegl]

:bow: Sounds like your town is where America still exists as we old geezers remember it. :hatsoff:

 

[Blizzard of '93]

So do us a favor Riley and post your peach cobbler recipe. :cursing:

 

[Riley/MN]

So do us a favor Riley and post your peach cobbler recipe. :cursing:

Well it is pretty easy, and hardly ever the same twice...

Two cans of peaches (One large & one small is about right) in heavy syrup in the bottom of a warm dutch oven, then a cake mix(or two jiffy mixes) spread evenly on top-can be white or yellow. Add 6-8 oz of sprite, 7-up, ginger ale...whatever.

Assuming a 12-inch oven, set it over 9 briquettes, with 15 on the lid-check in 20 mins. At below zero windchills we sometimes need to adjust amount of coals and/or cooking times.

~Riley

BTW-I could give you the recipe for Troop 57 Black Forest Dump Cake -but then I'd hafta kill ya (unless ya decided to Join the Troop)

 

[Horace]

It just seemed too good to be true to be able to put your food in the oven, bury it, go hunting or whatever and come back with dinner ready after 8 hours.

 

[Mad Professor]

E.N. Woodcock describes cooking this way in his book "Fifty Years a Hunter and Trapper", p.146.

He used the method to bake beans and called the 2 1/2 deep hole the "bean hole" which was an integral part of the fireplace built into his camp cabin. The beans with fixings were placed into the pot, after some coals had been put in the bottom of the hole the pot was lowered in then covered with more ash/coals that were replentished periodically over the next few days. "We have heard a great deal about the famous Boston baked beans, but we wish to say that they are not in it compared to beans baked in a bean hole" :thumbsup:

 

[MSzychulda]

I have buried my dutch oven several times. I leave a hook on the bail (not the lid, you obviously don't want to put the lid off when it is buried) so I can just lift it right out of the dirt and dust it off prior to opening the lid.

Make sure you start your fire in the hole to preheat it, just adding coals to the hole isn't usually enough, you have to get the ground hot so it doesn't cool off before the meal is done.

I dig a round pit, start the fire and let it burn to coals. Shovel some coals out and place the oven in the hole. Place the coals you shovled out on the lid. Place a lid hook on the bail and bury it. I usually cover the oven with 3-4 inches of dirt, more if it is really cold.

I have done stews and roasts and it works great. nice during hunts and events to do this in the morning, and come back to camp in the evening to a hot meal. Matt