Dutch Ovens (and cast iron skillets)

Dutch ovens remain one of the most versatile cooking pots or pans ever made. There's almost nothing you can't cook with it. You can only hurt it by washing it with detergent, just like any iron skillet. But the cool thing is...even that is fixable.

Advantages of cast iron (and minor disadvantages)

Dutch ovens and cast iron skillets weigh a ton, so you definitely won't take this one backpacking.

• But cast iron spreads the heat out evenly through the pan, so you don't have to worry about cold spots when cooking eggs, pancakes, or anything else.
• You can cook on almost any heat source without hurting the pot. Even setting the pan on or buried in coals, in flames, on a grill, or in/on a stove will get the job done.
• Even if you burn the food, you can soak the pot with water and use scrapers or steel wool (no soap), and your pan or pot is still good. When we forgot the scrubbers, we just take some sand, a rock or some other naturally available rough object and clean it out.
• If you do the no-no thing and use soap, then be sure to season it with a light coat of oil soaked and heated into to it. Before you put it away for the season, you would be wise to oil it as well, and your cookware will last forever.

A Dutch oven is basically a very deep skillet with a lid. Sizes range from 8-18 inches. Our family generally uses the 12-inch size. Most have short leg or "feet," allowing them to be placed on the ground over coals. Placing more coals on the lid completes the oven effect, great for making cobblers, pies, cakes, and breads that taste better than anything you can make in your home oven. A pot of beans, a simple chicken or beef stew with dumplings, or a pot roast is just mouth watering yummy!

There are many cookbooks available through Amazon.com. Just type in the keywords "Dutch oven cooking" and you'll find them easily. My blog will also have a few of our easy favorites. Just stay tuned.