With hurricane Irene fast approaching I figured now is the time to teach you how to cook in a Dutch oven… the thing is, a Dutch oven cook every bit
as good and fast as electric or gas oven. The difference here you can use it in your fireplace or outdoors and over a campfire…beside an emergency
it helps to know what to
do with all the wheat, rice, cornmeal, sugar, molasses, vegetable oil and dried beans, milk, fruits
and vegetables which you've wisely cached along with firewood or cooking fuel… you have been stocking up right???
A quick word about wood and cooking… Never use Pine… it will leave your food with a piney/turpentine flavor…
Cast iron is the best for cooking no matter where what or how your cooking… not only does it spread the heat more evenly, it takes less heat, and it
adds iron so it cuts don’t on your chances of getting anemia … ladies… it also helps give you extra energy on those every 28 day deals… I know
it’s heavy to pack but it’s worth the effort…
How large of a Dutch oven you need depends on how big your tribe is… how many people you going to cook for… they make some pretty small ones… I
have a huge one, bit I cook for five adults and one child, every day; mine will also boil three gallons of water for cleaning up ourselves and the
tools we cook with… along with a Dutch Oven you might want a nice cast iron skillet… in lieu of water to clean up you can sand rub iron clean, not
something you can do to Teflon…for lack of anything better I have been known to use my E-Tool... that's a small folding shovel... as a skillet...
Now these recipes are not my own…
for a list of my recipes go check out this thread
www.abovetopsecret.com...
otherwise here are these
Living history reenactors of the American Revolution and the War of Northern Aggression take
great delight in recreating authentic army meals around their campfires and hardcore reenactors
actually eat the mess. Patricia B. Mitchell has published a series of cookbooks (available from
Sims-Mitchell House Bed & Breakfast, 242 Whittle Street SW, P.O. Box 429, Chatham, VA
24531) to make this task easier and many excerpts from her books "Revolutionary Recipes,"
"Union Army Camp Cooking," "Confederate Camp Cooking," "Confederate Home Cooking" and
"Cooking for the Cause" are included in this paper. Some recipes have been included from
"Colonial Treasure Cookbook" (Hutcraft, High Point, NC 27262) and from "Colonial Fireplace
Cooking & Early American Recipes" (Shoestring Press, 430 N. Harrison, East Lansing, MI
48823).
Are you ready … great then lest begin
Cooking Rice
Instant or minute rice, while good for cooking in the field, won't store for long periods (without
vacuum or nitrogen packing) since it has already been cooked and then dried. To prepare regular
long grain white rice (1 cup uncooked rice = about 3 cups cooked rice), rinse lightly and drain the
water. Add one cup of water and 1/2 to 1 tsp. salt (or meat stock or bouillon) for each cup of rice.
Optionally, add one teaspoon of butter or oil for each cup of uncooked rice. Bring to a boil over
high heat and allow to boil one minute. Cover pot, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes more. Don't open lid while cooking.
Bean-Rice Casserole
3 cups water
1 cup uncooked rice
1/2 cup quick-cooking black beans (see previous section for instructions on preparing quick-cooking
beans or substitute cooked dried beans or a can of cooked beans)
1 tbsp. instant beef bouillon
3 tbsp. margarine
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup chopped dried pineapple
Put all ingredients in a frying pan and mix. Cover and cook over medium heat for about 20
minutes. Don't stir while it's cooking because that will make the rice gummy. When the water has
been absorbed, test rice for doneness. If it's still a little chewy, add a little more water and cook a
few minutes more.
Carolina Red Rice
1/4 lb. bacon
3/4 cup chopped onions
2 cups cooked rice
2 cups canned tomatoes (or reconstituted dried tomatoes)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce
Cook bacon, remove from pan and crumble. Cook onions in bacon fat until tender. Add rice,
tomatoes, seasonings and crumbled bacon. Cook on low heat about 35 minutes, stirring well. Stir
with fork several times while cooking. Check after 15 minutes and add water if needed.
Hopping John
2 cups cooked black-eyed peas
2 cups cooked rice
1 chopped onion (optional)
2 tbsp. butter
dash salt, pepper and hot sauce
Blend and heat slowly about 30 minutes.
Hopping John Soup
1 cup dry black-eyed peas ("southern caviar")
8 cups water
6 slices bacon
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup regular rice
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Rinse black-eyed peas. In a large saucepan add the peas and water, bring to a boil 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and let stand 1 hour. Drain, setting aside 6 cups of the cooking liquid. In
heavy saucepan, cook the bacon, onion and garlic until the bacon is crisp and the onion is tender
but not brown. Remove the bacon, drain on paper towels: crumble and set aside. Stir the blackeyed
peas, raw rice, salt, pepper and reserved cooking liquid into mixture in saucepan. Bring to a
boil, cover and reduce heat. Simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Stir in crumbled bacon and it's
ready to serve eight regular folks or two good ol' boys.
Bread and Biscuits
In case of a power outage, bread bakes just as well in a dutch oven with hot coals or charcoal
briquets (cooking time should be roughly the same as in your home oven). If you don't do a lot of
baking, you might want to invest in a set of no-stick air-bake insulated baking pans and cookie
sheets, which will lessen the chance of burning your baked goods. Bread can be prepared from
stockpiled staples and can be served with any meal. However, note that due to their oil content,
items like wheat germ and whole wheat flour or other unprocessed flours will turn rancid without
refrigeration (or freezing). It's best to store whole grains, get a hand cranked mill and grind your
own flour. In the face of an expected long-term power outage, you will want to preserve or use up
the perishables in your refrigerator. Baking bread is a good way to use your milk, eggs and butter
(substitute melted butter in recipes that call for vegetable oil) before they spoil and will give you
something to put your peanut butter and jelly on or sop up some gravy. To ease this task, you may
want to keep a stock of Jiffy Muffin Mix on hand (rotate periodically by using and replacing).
These mixes are easy to use and are very versatile. For example, the corn muffin mix package has
instructions for preparing as muffins, cornbread, corn sticks and corn pancakes or waffles. Any
Jiffy Muffin Mix can be extended using the following recipe:
Jiffy Muffin Mix Mini-Loaves
1 package Jiffy Muffin Mix (corn muffin, blueberry, apple-cinnamon, etc.)
In addition to the ingredients listed in package recipe (e.g. corn muffins call for 1 egg and 1/3 cup
milk), also use:
1/3 cup wheat germ, bran or uncooked multigrain cereal
1 tbsp. brown sugar or molasses
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup raisins or chopped dried fruit (or 1/4 cup each dried fruit & chopped nuts)
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tbsp. melted butter or vegetable oil
1 tbsp. milk
For corn muffin mix, preheat oven to 400 degrees (or temperature called for by other type muffin
mix). Mix dry ingredients together. Beat remaining ingredients together in a separate bowl, then
blend with dry mix. For maximum rise, let batter rest 3 or 4 minutes and then pour into two
greased 3x5-1/2 inch mini-loaf pans (which will fit in a 10-inch dutch oven, by the way; set the
pans on top of home-canning jar rings or pebbles placed in the bottom of the oven to let hot air
circulate under the pans). Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until brown.
The following quick breads (no active dry yeast required) can also be prepared to use up your
milk, eggs and butter before they spoil:
Logan Bread
6 eggs
3 cups flour (any mixture of whole wheat and rye)
3/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup powdered milk
1 cup oil
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup sorghum syrup or maple syrup
(any combination of these four sweeteners totaling one cup works fine)
1/2 cup shelled walnuts or pecans
1 cup dried fruit (raisins, dates, apricots, peaches, etc.)
Beat all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Pat down into two greased 9x5-inch loaf pans.
Bake at 275 degrees for two hours, or until a tester comes out clean. The bread will be very
heavy, dense and chewy; each loaf weighs 24 ounces. Logan bread tastes good on the trail, is high
in calories and is almost impervious to spoilage.
Pioneer Bread
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup honey
3 eggs
1 cup buttermilk (or sour milk: 1 tbsp. vinegar, 1/3 cup powdered milk, water to make 1 cup, let
set 5 minutes)
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups unbleached white flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup raisins
2 tbsp. caraway seeds
Combine butter, honey, and eggs in a bowl and add buttermilk. Separately, combine flours and
baking soda and add salt, raisins, and caraway seeds. Combine both bowls. Place in a greased
9x5-inch loaf pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.
Molasses Graham Bread
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1-3/4 cups graham flour (or whole wheat flour)
1/3 cup butter
2 eggs, beaten
1-3/4 cups sour milk or buttermilk
3/4 cup molasses
Mix together dry ingredients, then cut in the butter. Work with fingertips until mixture resembles
coarse cornmeal. Blend eggs, milk and molasses. Pour into dry mixture and stir just enough to
blend. Pour into two greased and floured loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes.
Irish Soda Bread
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1-1/2 cups dried currants or raisins
1-3/4 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
3 tbsp. melted butter or margarine
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and currants in a large bowl. In a small bowl, beat
buttermilk, eggs, 2 tablespoons of the butter and vanilla until blended. Add egg mixture to flour
mixture and stir until evenly moistened. Spread batter in a greased 10-inch oven-proof frying pan.
Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Bake at 350 degrees until bread is browned and pulls
away from sides of pan (about 45 minutes). Let cool in pan on a rack for 10 minutes.
Casseroles, Soups, Stews and Dumplings are often prepared and left to simmer over a fire for hours… gotta love the smell of a good stew as it’s
cooking… but you cant have stew without making the batter for dumplings first…
Whole Wheat Biscuit Mix for Dumplings
1 cup white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. shortening or oil
1/4 cup powdered milk
Combine at home and store in a zip-lock bag or Nalgene bottle. In camp, add 3 tablespoons water
per 1/2 cup biscuit mix and mix well. Spoon into boiling stew or soup. Simmer 10 minutes
uncovered and 10 minutes covered.
Cornmeal Dumplings
1 cup cornmeal
1/4 tsp. black pepper
ham stock
Mix cornmeal and pepper. While ham stock is boiling, pour some over meal mixture and stir into
dough. Make stiff enough to form balls the size of an egg and drop in briskly boiling stock.
Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
Dumplings
4 cups flour
1/3 cup lard or other shortening
1-1/2 to 2 cups water
Mix together flour and lard. Add water and mix thoroughly. Toss dough on a floured surface
until coated with flour. Divide into 4 balls and roll dough out 1 ball at a time to about 1/4-inch or
thinner. Cut in strips and cut strips into 2-inch pieces. Add a few pieces at a time to boiling broth.
Cook uncovered, making sure that each dumpling is under the liquid part of the time. cook about
5 to 10 minutes. Makes 4 to 5 large servings. (Note: If using self-rising flour, make sure to use
hot water so dough will rise before cooking.)
Beef Stew with Dumplings
1-1/2 pounds rump roast
1/4 cup flour
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 small onion
1/3 cup cubed carrots
1/3 cup cubed turnips
4 cups potatoes, quartered
Wipe meat off, remove from the bone, cut in 1-1/2 inch cubes. Mix flour with salt and pepper and
cover meat with mixture. Heat some fat from meat in a frying pan. Add meat and brown. Put
meat with browned fat in stew kettle, add boiling water to cover. Simmer until tender, about 3
hours. Add carrots and turnips for last hour of cooking. Add potatoes 20 minutes and dumplings
15 minutes before serving. Use one of the dumpling recipes above.
Chicken and Dumplings
1 stewing hen
3 cups flour
1 egg
1 heaping tablespoon shortening
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cold water
Cut chicken for stewing. Barely cover with water and cook until tender for about 2 to 3 hours.
Remove chicken from stock and remove bones. Put flour in mixing bowl. In center of flour put
egg, shortening and salt. Gradually add cold water. Work plenty of flour into dough. Roll thin
and cut in 2x3-inch strips. When dumplings are added to broth, lower heat and simmer about 12
to 15 minutes. Place the chicken back in the stew. A little butter may be added if chicken is
lacking in fat.
Chicken Pot Pie
3 to 4 cups cooked chopped chicken
1 16-ounce can mixed vegetables, drained
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup self-rising flour (if using ordinary flour, add 1 tsp. baking powder and 1/2 tsp. salt)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup milk
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) margarine, melted
Place chicken in a large casserole dish and add vegetables, soup and broth. Mix together, in a
separate bowl, the next 4 ingredients for the topping. Pour the topping mixture over the chicken.
Bake at 425 degrees for about 45 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
Meat Loaf with Cornbread Topping
meat loaf ingredients:
1-1/2 pounds ground chuck
1 pound ground pork breakfast sausage
1-1/2 cups cooked rice
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
topping ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. sage
1 tsp. shortening
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 tsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. thyme
3 eggs, beaten
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix meat loaf ingredients together and lightly press into a 9x5-inch
loaf pan. The top of the meat loaf should be flat to make an even surface for the topping. In a
mixing bowl, combine the dry topping ingredients and cut in shortening. Add eggs and milk and
blend well. Spread topping evenly on top of meat loaf. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes.
Beef Stew and Lima Beans
3/4 cup dried lima beans
1 pound boneless chuck stew beef, cut in pieces
1 bunch carrots
salt, pepper and celery salt
Soak beans overnight, drain. Add meat and cook 1-1/2 hours in boiling water. Add carrots and
cook until tender. Season with salt, pepper and celery salt. Serve with tomato sauce.
Beef Stew
1-1/2 pounds boneless stew beef
3 tbsp. bacon fat or shortening
1-3/4 tsp. salt
a few dashes of pepper
1 onion the size of a large egg, peeled
1/3 cup water, and more as needed
5 carrots (6 inch long)
5 potatoes (medium size)
Wipe meat with a damp cloth and cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes. Heat fat until sizzling in a heavy 3
quart saucepan or dutch oven. Add meat, turning it often until a fine rich brown. Add thickly
sliced onion to meat the last five minutes of browning. When brown, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt
and pepper. Add water, cover, heat to boiling, reduce heat and simmer until meat is almost done,
from 1-1/2 to 2 hours. After simmering 1 hour, if more water is needed, stir in 1/4 cup at a time.
A half-hour before serving time, add scraped and washed carrots cut into 2-inch lengths and pared
halved potatoes. Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook until vegetables are
just done. There should be enough liquid in pot to almost cover meat and vegetables. To make
gravy, mix 1/3 cup water and 1 tablespoon flour. Blend until smooth. Push meat and vegetables
to one side and pour flour mixture, while stirring, in a stream into broth. Cook and stir 2 to 3
minutes longer until thickened and smooth.
Company Brunswick Stew
2 fat hens, cut up
6 28-ounce cans of tomatoes
5 pounds of onions, chopped
10 pounds of potatoes, cubed
4 10-ounce packages frozen lima beans
4 17-ounce cans cream style corn
3 10-ounce packages frozen cut okra
4 red pepper pods
2 20-ounce cans tomato puree
1 5-ounce bottle worcestershire sauce
1 pound butter (no substitute)
Cook hens in plenty of water over medium-low heat until they are tender enough to fall from
bones. Remove chicken and let cool. Add tomatoes and onions to broth and cook 1 to 1-1/2
hours. Meanwhile, remove meat from bones and return to broth. Add potatoes, lima beans, corn,
okra and pepper pods. Reduce heat and cook 1 hour longer, stirring occasionally. Add tomato
puree, worcestershire sauce and butter. Simmer about another half hour. Serves 35 to 40.
Pea Soup
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 tbsp. butter
celery salt
parsley
3 cups chicken stock
2 cups cooked green peas
1 cup cold water
1/2 onion
1 cup milk
Set aside one third of peas. Add remainder to water, chicken stock and seasoning and let simmer
for 30 minutes. Press through sieve. Add butter. Let boil for a few minutes then add milk and
remaining peas which have been heated.
Split Pea Soup
1-1/2 cups dried split peas
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/8 tsp. pepper
5 cups water
Simmer peas, onion, salt and pepper in water 20 to 30 minutes until peas are tender.
Corn Chowder
2 slices diced salt pork (or 2 tbsp. butter)
1/2 cup diced onion
3 cups diced raw potatoes
2 cups water
2 cups fresh (or canned) corn
4 cups hot milk
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
Saute onion in butter (or pork grease) and mix all ingredients (except milk) in large pot. Cook
until potatoes are tender. Add milk last and serve hot.
Forager's Potato Soup
3 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups water
3/4 tsp. salt
1 cup onion, chopped
2 tbsp. vegetable oil or butter
2 tbsp. flour
2 cups milk
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 to 1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. pepper
Bring potatoes, water and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15
minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Without draining the potatoes, mash them up.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat oil and add onion. Cook until onion is soft. Sprinkle in flour
and stir for 1 minute. Gradually add milk, stirring frequently for 5 or 10 minutes until thickened.
Add cooked potato mixture and seasonings blended together.
Old Timey Potato Soup
1 medium onion, minced
1/4 cup butter
4 cups diced raw potatoes
2 cups water
1 tsp. salt
4 cups milk
a few dashes celery seed
salt and pepper to taste
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
Saute onion in butter until translucent. Add potatoes, water and salt and cook until tender. Add
milk and season to taste. Simmer a few minutes before serving.
Bacon and Bean Soup
2 cups dried beans (or 2 cans cooked beans)
4 slices bacon
4 cups water
1 cup diced onions
1 cup diced celery
1 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. savory
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp. bacon fat
1 tsp. red pepper
1 tsp. salt
Soak dried beans overnight and cook until tender (or use canned beans). Fry bacon until crisp and
drain. In a large pot, mix cooked beans with remaining ingredients. Simmer for 1 hour. Add
water as desired during cooking process. Crumble crisp bacon on top and serve.
Windfall Applesauce
Cut apples, peels and all. Place in pot and add small piece of cinnamon and a small amount of
water. Cook covered for 20 minutes. Cool slightly and add 1 tablespoon butter per quart of
apples and add grated nutmeg, ginger, grated lemon peel and ground cloves to taste. Cool and
serve.
Apple Custard Pie
filling ingredients:
3 apples, sliced and peeled
1-1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 egg
1 cup evaporated milk (or 1 cup double-strength powdered milk)
crust ingredients:
1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 stick butter
For crust, mix flour, salt and butter with a fork until mixture resembles coarse meal. Press firmly
on the bottom and sides of a buttered pie plate. Place sliced apples on crust. Sprinkle with 2/3
cup sugar and cinnamon. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Beat together egg, remaining sugar
and evaporated milk. Pour over apples and return to oven to bake 30 minutes longer.
Jane Fondue or Meat with Red Sauce
3 pounds meat (beef, pork, horse, monkey, water buffalo, dog, cat ... any red meat)
3 cups cooking oil (any kind)
Red Sauce (see next recipe)
Cut the meat into 1-inch cubes and set at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Fill a pot 1/2
full with cooking oil and heat to 375 degrees (meat will brown quickly when oil is heated
properly). Place cubes of meat on sticks and cook in oil for 10 to 30 seconds until browned. Dip
into Red Sauce. Note: If fowl is substituted for red meat in Jane Fondue recipe, be sure to use
only the left wings of the chicks.