Cooking Up a Story: Stories
Cookout at a Dutch Oven Gathering. It’s a D.O.G., and if you have never been to one before, you’re in for a treat.
During the Fall of 2005, my husband and I visited a nearby sporting goods store, looking for some camping gear. It was a beautiful day and my window was down as we drove into the parking lot. My nose caught some wonderful aromas—somebody was cooking something, somewhere. I spied some ez-ups near the entrance of the store, and so we starting talking to the folks putting together this cooking demonstration.
A Dutch Oven Gathering of Food, Friends and Outdoor Cooking Gear
What we discovered was a group of very dedicated Dutch oven cookers (I later found out that the store invited them over to demonstrate cooking on cast iron). At my home, the cast iron skillet never leaves the stove top! It’s always being used to cook something. But I’ve never cooked in a cast iron pot—a Dutch oven—inside, let alone outdoors. I was interested. After our shopping, we stopped by to talk to the cooks (there were 4 or 5 of them) and we tasted their fantastic creations.
As we chatted I learned that they had started a group and got together to cook and share food outdoors during each of the 4 seasons, come rain, snow, or too much sunshine. Even in the winter? Yup, even in the winter. Their love for the Dutch oven prevailed. I took a mini-flyer about their group, thinking this was something I’d like to do too.
Fresh Dutch Oven Baked Cinnamon Pull-Aparts
Months later I started filming for Cooking Up a Story, and I remembered my Dutch oven experience. I found the flyer and I called about filming their next DOG. The next one was scheduled for the first weekend in March. It had been a beautiful early Spring day, but as the sun set, the temperature gave a quick reminder winter was still close by. Nothing deterred these folks. Most were old hands at it. Up went the tables, charcoal was lit, ingredients were put together, and into the pot they went, where the magic happened. As the ‘food table’ grew and people ate, one of the cooks said you’ve got to put that camera down and eat. As I hesitated he said, There’s always time for food. Y’know, he was right. I stopped and filled a plate and was amazed, again, at the variety and the taste.
Inside or out, it works.
Recipes from the show: Peach Cobbler; Columbia River Mud Pie
—Rebecca
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8 Comments
Where can I find a listing of the upcoming events near Florida.
Hi Linda:
You might be able to find out thru the International Dutch Oven Society, they have chapters throughout the US: http://www.idos.com/Chapters/Chapters.php
Or, go to a nearby camping store that sells dutch ovens – sometimes they are in touch with local enthusiasts. Good luck with that – it’s a lot of fun and a great way to cook!
Hi Sharon: Have you checked out International Dutch Oven Society’s (IDOS) website?
Here’s a link, just in case: http://www.idos.org/
They have events listed and also a forum, with a category about DOGs. Also, you might find a local chapter near you. The folks in the video were part of a local chapter, and they are also the ones who organized the seasonal DOGs.
Hope you are able to get something going in your area… it’s a fun event for all!
we would like to attend one of the DOG events. Please let me know when one is being held in our area. We live in Magnolia, MS. This is in the south western portion of the state. Thanks for any information you can send my way. Sharon.
What a comprehensive and interesting blog. Really nice to read it. Please include more details if possible.
regards
weber grill recipes
I have a couple of questions for you. I would classify myself as an advanced amateur dutch oven cook, mostly scouting experience. I want to glaze meats, for example pork ribs, but when I cook them I get so much water in the bottom of the oven the glaze gets watered down. How do you apply a glaze in such cases?
Second question, it seems to me charcoal doesn’t last as long as it used to. I used to get two hours cooking time but recently I’ve had to re-fire coals to continue cooking. Are others experiencing the same thing? I use Kingsford exclusively.
By way of saying thanks, I offer a simple favorite recipe for midnight snacks on our Scouting outings.
One tube of pizza dough (the kind you bang on the counter to open)
package of pepperoni slices
package of grated mozzarella cheese
garlic powder
Roll out the dough. Cover it with pepperoni slices and cheese. Sprinkle with a little garlic powder. Roll the dough into a loaf and seal all the edges. Bake in a 350 – 400 degree oven until brown. About 30 minutes. Control the bottom heat so it doesn’t burn. I can get two loaves in my 14″ oven. Great warm treat for cool evenings around the fire.
A variation of this is to leave the dough rolled out and just sprinkle with cheese and garlic powder. Do not roll up but bake like flat bread. Makes good cheesy bread.
And obviously another variation is to go ahead and add your favorite pizza toppings and bake pizza again baked flat.
I’ve got a lot of good dutch oven recipes and experiences at my blog, http://marksblackpot.blogspot.com
MRKH
I know you dutch oven folks have your own recipes! Come on, email me some of your tried and true recipes that you created: mailto: recipes@cookingupastory.com
We will do our best to post them on this show’s recipe page. Don’t forget to add your name, and if you like what (dutch oven) organization you belong to.
And thanks!
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