By Natalie Bartley

        Cooking in cast iron pots has historical ties to Idaho’s past. Frontier women and men traveling the Oregon Trail relied on dutch oven meals cooked on campfire coals, as did explorers on the Lewis and Clark expeditions.

        Use this novel form of cooking in a kettle-shaped pot as a fun family activity. You can cook almost anything you can think of in a dutch oven. Engage the kids as a way of connecting them to Idaho’s rich historical background, and provide a lesson in cooking at the same time.

        Get started by buying a dutch oven and experimenting with your favorite recipes or the ones provided here. Local outdoor shops sell dutch ovens and special tools for cooking outdoors. Purchase them at D & B Supply, Cascade Outfitters, Idaho River Sports, or your favorite camping equipment store.

        The number on the lid indicates the dutch oven size, referring to the oven’s diameter in inches. Use a 10- or 12-inch oven for six to eight servings. Larger sizes are available.

        Legless dutch ovens are for cooking indoors in your conventional oven. The smooth bottom of the dutch oven slides easily on the racks of your oven. When cooking on charcoal briquettes, use a three-legged dutch oven that has a lid with a ridged edge. The legs elevate the dutch oven above the coals and the ridge keeps the coals from sliding off the lid.

        If cooking on your patio, lay down a layer of foil before setting the coals down. At a campground, simply use the fire pits. When in the wilderness, protect the soil by using a metal fire pan elevated on small rocks.

        Choose between a cast iron and aluminum dutch oven. Cast iron imparts a unique smoky flavor and is the original type of oven. It retains heat evenly and for a long amount of time. Maintaining a cast iron oven requires careful soap-free cleaning, then seasoning the oven with vegetable oil, to keep the oven rust-free. Aluminum ovens are a modern-day-convenience; they are lighter, easier to clean, and food cooks more quickly. Cooking in aluminum lacks the tradition dutch oven flavor. For easy cleanup of sticky foods, line the dutch oven with aluminum foil prior to adding the ingredients.

        Experience is the best teacher. Start with food kids enjoy, including breads and desserts, or start with a recipe you are familiar with. If cooking outdoors, provide supervision while kids are near the hot coals. Keep a bucket of water nearby and a first aid kit on hand. Coals are ready when they turn gray. Evenly distribute the coals underneath and on top of the dutch oven. Rotate the dutch oven 180 degrees halfway through cooking. The food is almost done when you can smell the steam wafting out of the oven.

        Once you’ve tasted the unusual flavor a dutch oven imparts, you may get hooked. People hold dutch oven potluck parties and tailgate barbecues. They cook breakfasts, lunches, and dinners on campouts or in their homes. A dutch oven meal is sure to impress guests, and the kids can easily be a part of this lifetime skill.

HELPFUL DUTCH OVEN TOOLS 

Metal lid lifter or channel lock pliers
Metal stacker for a two-tier dutch oven meal
Charcoal starter cylinder
Long-nosed fire lighter
Thick work gloves or oven mitts
Long-handled tongs, spatula, and meat fork
Fire pan for outdoor and wilderness cooking
Carrying bag for utensils and dutch oven 

Try these recipes in your conventional oven or outdoors with charcoal briquettes: 

Lean Lasagna

1 pound of soy substitute meat or low-fat ground meat
1 onion
1 green peppe
1 cup fresh mushrooms
2 cups grated low-fat mozzarella cheese
1 pint low-fat ricotta cheese
1 cup low-fat parmesan cheese
2 jars premade spaghetti sauce
1 box no-cook lasagna noodles
Garlic powder, pepper, and salt 

Directions

Chop vegetables.
Brown vegetables and soy/meat, add seasonings.
Spoon a cup of spaghetti sauce on bottom of dutch oven.
Alternate layers of ingredients, starting with the noodles.
Finish with spaghetti sauce and three cheeses.
Set dutch oven on 12 heated coals, then place 14 heated coals on the lid.
Bake for about 45 to 60 minutes, checking and turning the oven at least once.