Backcountry cuisine
The wonders of Dutch oven cooking
By AMY SPINDLER
For the Express
When spending an evening under the stars, most of us envision roasting a
simple hot dog over the campfire, away from the luxuries of home. But how about a tender
filet of salmon poached in white wine, herbs and butter and served with a beurre blanc
sauce, crisp greens and cous cous after pitching the tent?
Welcome to the possibilities of Dutch oven cooking.
"It's really unbelievable, we can cook just about anything in the
Dutch oven," says Gayle Selisch, who with her husband, Kurt, has spent 15 years as an
outfitter with their company, Middle Fork River Tours. Selisch herself perfected the
poached salmon, and her repertoire includes such gourmet dishes as sea scallop and
prosciutto lasagna, breakfast croissants and old-fashioned berry cobbler.
Selisch describes a Dutch oven as a large pot, made of aluminum or cast
iron, with three legs on the bottom and a tight-fitting lid for the top. Baking,
simmering, roasting, frying, boiling and steaming are all possible in the oven, which
ranges 4 to 24 inches in diameter. Selisch says weight is the primary factor in deciding
between aluminum and cast iron, and adds that cast iron keeps food warm for longer periods
of time.
Meals are a highlight for the Selischs' guests, who spend six days on the
Middle Fork covering 105 miles of the sinuous river. "It's a production, and I spend
a lot of time planning the menus and recipes for each trip," Selisch says.
The origin of the Dutch oven is a bit ambiguous, but author John G.
Ragsdale, who wrote "Dutch Ovens Chronicled," offers several theories.
Ragsdale suggests that in 1704, Englishman Abraham Darby observed the
Dutch casting process, improved upon it and then began casting pots, which he shipped to
the new colonies in America. He also offers that the name comes from Dutch settlers who
peddled cast iron pots in early America, or the name may be derived from the Dutch
settlers of Pennsylvania who used similar pots.
Warm coals are used to heat a Dutch oven to an average temperature of 350
degrees. Most recipes call for a certain number of coals to be set along the rim of the
lid and beneath the oven.
"I'd say put the coals on when they're colored about a third
white," recommends Selisch. "It's important to have the coals warm, but not too
hot or they won’t maintain heat throughout the cooking process."
When asked what common mistakes beginners make, she spares no feelings.
"Well, the meal is either burned or raw!"
For a successful meal, Selisch says it’s important to take into
consideration the lack of air circulation and conservation of moisture while cooking with
a Dutch oven. "All the flavor is really locked in," Selisch says with delight.
Selisch also warns to keep the lid sealed tightly throughout the entire
cooking process.
"You must go by smell because once you take the lid off the oven's
temperature is destroyed," she says. "Start simple with biscuits to learn how
your oven cooks."
So, while a Dutch oven allows outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy the decadence
of a home-cooked meal, it can also present challenges that a kitchen spares the cook.
Declares Selisch:
"One evening it was so windy our guides just couldn't keep the coals
lit! They had three ovens stacked with coals in-between each one, and an entire roll of
aluminum foil wrapped around the ovens to protect the flame from the wind. It looked like
the Leaning Tower of Pisa."
