Tools and Meals to Cook with the Dutch Oven
If you’re looking for a way to add meal options to your camping menu, there’s nothing more versatile than cooking with a campfire Dutch oven. When camping, it is best to have a Dutch oven with both the pot and lid made of cast iron. Cast iron is great for campfire cooking because it can handle very high temperatures without damage and conducts heat evenly throughout the cooking surface. A Dutch oven can be used as a pot over the fire or an oven when covered in hot coals, making cooking with it very popular. Dutch ovens can also be used in an oven at home or on top of a gas heater if other fuel is hard to come by, which makes them a convenient way to cook all year round, in any environment.
Campfire Dutch Oven Cooking Materials
If you haven’t used your Dutch oven at the campground, here are a few tools to help give the best experience when trying campfire Dutch oven recipes:
- Campfire Tripod – A tripod or over-hanger can be used for cooking or keeping your dish warm above the heat.
- Campfire Grate – A campfire grate can function as either an object to position your Dutch oven above the heat or become a cooking surface itself for other pots and pans.
- Long Metal Tongs – Long-handled tongs are a little awkward to use but are needed to move food and position coals around hot campfires.
- Gloves – Heat-resistant gloves add another layer of protection when handling hot food and materials over the campfire.
- Dutch Oven Lid Lifter – Lids can be both hot and heavy, so having a lid lifter is necessary. Some lid lifters can also be used to adjust food while cooking.
- Chimney Charcoal Starter – Charcoal starters are designed to preheat briquettes quickly, which can trim down your preparation time.
- Cooking Thermometer – A little bit of a luxury, but necessary if you want your meals cooked to perfection every time.
- Liners & Oils – Having liners or cooking oils to separate the food from the inside surface of the pot will make it easier to remove food for serving and to clean the oven afterward.
- Potholders – If you don’t have a tripod or a grate, a simple potholder can help you safely raise your warm Dutch oven off the ground without overcooking your dish in the hot coals.
Dutch Oven Recipes to Cook Over the Campfire
Dutch Oven Bread
Total Cook Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 1
Bake soft, flaky, fluffy bread with this campfire Dutch oven recipe from Uno Casa. It requires only a few ingredients and just 30 minutes of baking time. You’ll have your lovely loaf ready to slice and serve with your favorite spread in under an hour.
Dutch Oven Pot Roast
Total Cook Time: 4 hours and 10 minutes
Servings: 10
This campfire Dutch oven recipe brings home-cooked comfort from the warmth of your campfire to your campsite. There is nothing better than the taste of tender beef lying in a bed of fresh vegetables and savory spices, all steamed and baked slowly over charcoals. This Dutch oven recipe delivers maximum taste with a few basic ingredients and your favorite blend of spices.
Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler
Total Cook Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Servings: 6 to 8
This simple Dutch oven recipe only requires eight ingredients. In 12 easy steps, you can bake up a soft and sweet peach pastry with a warm, flaky crust that is sure to top any meal or evening under the stars. Bring a taste of grandma’s cooking to your campfire with this winner for (after) dinner!
Campfire Lasagna
Total Cook Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 6
Meat-free dinner guests? No problem! This vegetarian lasagna is sure to be a favorite for all pasta lovers. Break up a boring dinner routine and spend the night cooking this meal over the campfire with friends and family.
Dutch Oven Campfire Nachos
Total Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
When the kids get hungry, try this quick and easy dinner option. Grab your Dutch oven for a hearty nacho dish, which can function as a snack or a meal. Crispy chips and smooth refried beans, topped with fresh chopped veggies and stringy melted cheese; this is a recipe that can please any hungry camper. Vegetarian campers can enjoy this meal as well since no meat is included.
The Dublin Coddle (Bratwurst Casserole)
Total Cook Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes
Servings: 4
The Dublin Coddle is an easy campfire Dutch oven recipe. Sink your teeth into soft potatoes, glazed onions, crunchy bacon, and succulent sausage all boiled in zesty chicken broth and beer. Enjoy an Irish classic from the comfort of your campsite. As a bonus, this recipe works in your oven at home too!
Campfire Steamed Clams
Total Cook Time: 28 minutes
Servings: 2
Perfect for coastal camping, these light buttery clams are steamed in a white wine sauce. Add in some garlic and pepper flakes for a kick of heat and a bit of spice, and you have a meal that is both flavorful and fragrant. Don’t discard the broth, as it doubles as both a sauce for the clams and as a dip for the bread. Get acquainted with your environment and a taste of the ocean with this campfire Dutch oven recipe!
Dutch Oven Pork Chops and Potatoes
Total Cook Time: 1 hour and 24 minutes
Servings: 4
Enjoy succulent pork chops covered in breadcrumbs, cooked along with hearty cubed potatoes bathed in creamy mushroom soup to blend it all together. With only eight ingredients and an hour of cook time, this meal will quickly crush your hunger and keep your tank full while on the go!
When it comes to campfire cooking, there is nothing wrong with going Dutch! Now that you have some exciting new Dutch oven campfire recipes to cook on your next camping trip, are you ready for your journey? Let us here at Juniata Valley help you with the details from RV parts and accessories, to new and used RVs for sale, including motorhomes, travel trailers, and more! Give us a call, contact us online,
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