Frontier America Trading Company

Recipes

Easy Biscuits

So you just bought a Dutch oven. You’ve done the seasoning process. You want to try it out. There is no easier, nor foolproof way then to start out with a package of store bought Pillsbury doughboy biscuits. So start those briquettes. Heat up the pot. Drop them in. Put on the lid. Stick some briquettes on top. No peeking allowed. In about 10 minutes, you’ve got piping hot biscuits.

Quick Biscuits

Prepare your charcoal for very hot (450° ) oven. Place oven over bottom briquettes. Mix 2¼ cups Bisquick and 2/3 cup milk to make a soft dough.

For rolled biscuits; turn dough onto surface dusted with baking mix. Knead 10 times. Roll 1/2" thick. Cut biscuits. Place in oven.

For drop biscuits; do not knead dough. Drop by spoonfuls into oven.

Set lid on oven. Add required top briquettes. Bake 8 to 10 minutes until golden brown.

Scratch Biscuits

Prepare your charcoal for very hot (450° ) oven. Place oven over bottom briquettes.

Mix 2 cups flour, 3 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 cup shortening or lard, and 3/4 cup milk to make a soft dough. Turn dough onto floured surface. Knead until smooth. Roll 1/2" thick and cut out biscuits. Place in oven. Set lid on oven and add required top briquettes. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown.

Lazy or "Dump" Cobbler

Place 12" Dutch oven over 15 hot bottom briquettes. Pour 2 cans (30 oz. ea.) sliced peaches with syrup into oven. Spread 1 package cake mix (white, yellow or spiced) evenly over peaches (eggs or shortening not needed!). Sprinkle cinnamon over all to taste. Dot top with butter or margarine. Put lid on top of oven, add 10 hot briquettes and bake for about 45 minutes or until done. This recipe will have a layer of peaches with a cake covering that the boiling syrup self mixes. Serve with milk or ice cream, if you wish. (©Instruction brochure Lodge Manufacturing Co. & Bill Brummel; Lone Star Dutch Oven Society)

Adjust quantity of fruit for 10" Dutch oven to 3 cans (15 oz. ea.), for 8" Dutch oven to 1 or 2 cans (15 oz. ea.). Adjust quantity of cake mix for 10" to 2/3 package, for 8" to 1/3 package. This recipe works for any canned fruit; blackberries, raspberries, peaches, even mixed fruits. Note top and bottom briquette counts are reversed from normal practice; 25 total for 12" oven, 21 total for 10" oven, and 16 total for 8" oven.

Baked Apples

Easy to do. Get your fire started. Core as many apples as you need or can fit comfortably in your oven. In a saucepan, make a syrup of sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, and water. Put the apples in your oven, fill the centers with raisins, pour the syrup over the works. Put on lid. Set to bake slowly at about 350° for 45 to 60 minutes, until apples are tender but not mushy. Lift lid and baste every 10 to 15 minutes.

Bread

Mix 1 package active dry yeast with 1 cup warm (not hot) water. Mix 3½ cups flour, 1½ teaspoons salt, and the water to make your dough. Knead dough on floured surface. Put in greased bowl. Turn once to grease completely. Cover and put in a warm place to rise until doubled. Punch down. Let rest for 10 minutes. Make a ball. Put in Dutch oven. Let rise until doubled. Bake in hot oven (425° ) 25 to 30 minutes.

Variations to the basic bread recipe include adding butter or shortening, substituting milk for the water, substituting whole wheat or rye flour for 1/2 the flour, including nuts, raisins, herbs. The addition of sugar makes a sweet dough for cinnamon rolls or sticky buns.

Apple Pie

Get your fire going. You will need enough to bake at high temperatures (425° )/ Prepare pastry for pies. (You may use prepared pastry from the refrigerated section of your super market.) Mix 5 cups fresh tart apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (or dried apples that you have soaked overnight) with 1/2 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Set oven on bottom layer of coals to preheat. 8" pie pans fit 10" Dutch ovens. 9" pie pans fit 12" Dutch ovens. Slide a pastry into pan and trim. Fill level with apple mix. Dot with butter or margarine. Place top pastry in place, trim to about 1/2 inch, tuck under bottom pastry and seal. Poke some holes in the top to let steam escape. Slide the pan into your oven, put on the lid and top coals. Bake 40 to 50 minutes.

Everything is the same as you would do at home except the type of oven. Of course, any fruit will do; Blackberries, Blueberries, Huckleberries, Raspberries, Peaches. You need merely adjust the amount of sugar to taste. If your bottom crust is a bit soggy, that apparently was normal in the old days. Dutch ovens steam the food as much as bake it.

Crazy Cake

In an 8x8 baking pan, mix 1½ cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 3 tablespoons cocoa. Add 6 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 cup cold water, and 1 tablespoon vinegar. Mix well. Put pan in Dutch oven, and bake at slow heat (325° ) for about 30 minutes.

Lemon Apple Crisp

Mix 6 cups tart apples, peeled, cored and sliced with 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup raisins. Stir until sugar dissolves, then spread mixture evenly over bottom of 10" Dutch oven lined with foil. Top with a mixture of 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup oats, 3/4 cup flour, 1/2 cup soft butter, 1/2 cup chopped nuts, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon nutmeg. Bake over 8 bottom briquettes and 13 top heat for 20 minutes. Remove from bottom heat. Continue cooking with top heat until apples are tender and topping is brown. Serve warm with ice cream or heavy cream poured over the top. Serves 10 to 12.

Alternate suggestions are to use granola in place of the topping mix or oranges instead of the lemon. ©Lodge Manufacturing Co. & Bill Brummel; Lone Star Dutch Oven Society

Mexican Spoon Bread

Prepare Dutch oven by greasing sides and bottom, then coat lightly with flour. Mix in large bowl; 1 17 oz. can cream style corn, 3/4 cup milk, 1/2 cup melted shortening, 2 eggs slightly beaten, 1/4 cup chopped onions. Blend in 1¼ cups corn meal, 3/4 cup flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon sugar. Mix in a smaller bowl: 1 4oz can green chili, drained & chopped, 2 cups grated cheddar cheese. Pour half of the batter into the oven. Sprinkle with half of the chili and cheese mixture. Add the rest of the batter and top with the remaining chili and cheese. Cover with lid and place over 9 briquette bottom heat, add 15 briquette top heat. After 20 minutes, remove oven from bottom heat. Finish baking with top heat only (about 5 to 10 minutes). Cool slightly. Cut into wedges and serve warm. Serves 8 to 10.

©Lodge Manufacturing Co. & Bill Brummel; Lone Star Dutch Oven Society

Sparkling Potatoes

Using a 12" Dutch oven, brown 1/2 pound bacon, cut into small pieces. (or 1 pound cubed ham) Drain grease then add and cook until clear a large onion, sliced thin and 2 cloves minced garlic. Slice up 8 potatoes, scrubbed with skins and a 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms. Layer potatoes and mushrooms in oven with onions and bacon. Pour a 12 oz. can of Sprite over the top. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cover set over 9 bottom briquettes with 15 on the top. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 40 to 45 minutes. About halfway through the cooking time, turn mixture over to prevent burning. Just before serving, top with 1/2 pound grated cheddar cheese and 1/4 cup chopped parsley. Continue cooking until cheese melts. Serve directly out of Dutch oven, spooning sauce over portions. Serves 10 to 12. ©Lodge Manufacturing Co. & Bill Brummel; Lone Star Dutch Oven Society

Mountain Man Breakfast

Preheat a 12" Dutch oven over 10 bottom briquettes. Brown 1/2 pound bacon, cut into small pieces. Add and cook until clear a medium chopped onion. Remove the bacon and onions from oven and drain on paper towels. Wipe excess grease out of oven and place back over heat. Stir in a 32 oz bag of hash brown potatoes. Fry until potatoes are golden brown, then mix the bacon and onions back in. Break 12 eggs into medium mixing bowl and beat thoroughly. Pour over potatoes, bacon and onions. Cover with hot lid and cook until eggs are almost solid. Sprinkle with 1 to 1½ pounds grated cheddar cheese. Continue cooking until eggs set and cheese melts. Just before serving. top with an 8 oz. jar of salsa. ©Lodge Manufacturing Co. & Bill Brummel; Lone Star Dutch Oven Society

Quick Italian Bake

In 8 or 10" Dutch oven, cook until brown, 1 pound ground beef or bulk Italian sausage. Stir in 1 cup copped tomato, 3/4 cup fresh or frozen green peas, 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Spread evenly. In a bowl, mix 1 cup Bisquick Original baking mix, 1 cup of milk and 1 eggs until blended. Pour over meat. Bake 25 minutes in hot oven (400° ) or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Sprinkle with 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake 2 to 3 minutes longer or until cheese melts. Serve with pizza sauce if desired. Serves 6 to 8. ©General Mills, Betty Crocker Kitchens

Quick Taco Bake

Prepare coals for 350° heat. In 8 or 10" Dutch oven, cook 1 lb. ground beef and 1/2 cup chopped onion until beef is browned; drain excess fat. Stir in 1 envelope taco seasoning mix, 1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce, 1 can (15 oz.) whole kernel corn, drained. Sprinkle with 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese. In a bowl, mix 2 cups Bisquick Original baking mix, 1 cup milk, and 2 eggs. Pour over beef mixture. Bake in slow moderate oven (350° ) 35 minutes or until light golden brown. Serve with sour cream, chopped tomato and shredded lettuce if desired. Serves 8 to 10. ©General Mills, Betty Crocker Kitchens

Kettle Food

Four Bean Chowder

Brown 1 lb. lean ground beef. Add and cook until tender 1 large onion, chipped, 1 cup celery with leaves, chopped, 1/2 green pepper, chopped. Add and bring to boil 1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes, 1 8 oz can tomato sauce, 2 cups water, 2 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon seasoning salt, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, Tabasco to taste. Stir in 1 cup diced potatoes, 1½ cups fresh or frozen green beans, 1 can Kidney beans, drained, 1 can pinto beans, drained, 1 can garbanzo beans, drained, an 11 oz. can corn, and a small zucchini squash, cubed. Simmer until potatoes are tender. Serve sprinkled with grated parmesan cheese. Serves 12 to 15. ©Lodge Manufacturing Co. & Bill Brummel; Lone Star Dutch Oven Society

Grandma Vera’s Beans

Place your 12" kettle over 14 to 16 briquettes. When hot, brown 1 pound lean ground beef and 1/4 pound diced bacon. Add, then cook until clear; a diced onion and a diced green pepper. Mix in and continue cooking 10 to 15 minutes a 1/4 pound cubed pre-cooked ham, a 12 oz. jar chili sauce, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 3/4 cup catsup, 1/2 cup Dijon mustard. Stir in 2 cans (31 oz.) pork and beans. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes. If needed, crack lid slightly allowing moisture to escape. Beans should be slightly thick. Serves 10 - 12

©Lodge Manufacturing Co. & Bill Brummel; Lone Star Dutch Oven Society

Triple Meat Barbeque

Preheat a 14" Dutch oven or large kettle. Slightly oil cooking surface. Brown 12 country style beef ribs. Brown 12 country style pork ribs. Drain excess fat. Cover meat with 4 bottles (18 oz.) of barbecue sauce. Cover and reduce heat to simmer 2 hours. Replenish briquettes or coals about every hour. Stir often, scraping bottom and sides of kettle to prevent scorching. Add 12 skinless chicken breasts and continue cooking for 60 minutes or until all 3 meats are tender. Broth from the chicken thins the sauce. If a thicker sauce is desired, cook with the lid slightly cracked open. Serves 12. ©Lodge Manufacturing Co. & Bill Brummel; Lone Star Dutch Oven Society

Turkey Potjie with spicy rice stuffing

Stuffing: In a medium saucepan, soften in 3 tsp. butter, a small bunch of finely sliced spring onions, a half cup finely chopped mushrooms, and 2 ribs sliced celery. Remove from heat. Mix in 3/4 cup sultanas (golden raisins), 1 egg, 1/3 tsp. ground coriander, 1/3 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1/3 tsp. ground ginger, 1 cup cooked rice, 1/2 cup, crumbled walnuts. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stiff the belly and neck cavities of a 7 lbs. self-basting turkey. Truss turkey ready for cooking.

Heat a large kettle over medium hot coals, add butter or oil and brown turkey well all over. Pour off excess fat. Turn bird onto its back and season with salt and pepper. Tuck fresh herbs round the bird. Mix grated rind of an orange, 1 cup orange juice, 1 cup dry white wine, 1 cup of water. Pour over bird and cover. Cook very slowly for about two hours, basting occasionally, until meat feels very tender when a skewer is inserted into a leg joint. Add extra hot water if necessary from time to time.

Discard herbs. Place turkey on a carving board and garnish with fresh herbs. If you’re serving it warm, tent with foil while finishing the sauce by whisking in a beurre manie (equal quantities of soft butter and flour) and boil until it thickens. Otherwise allow the turkey to cool, garnish with lots of fresh herbs and serve with condiments and salads. Serves 8 to 10. ©B-West Outdoor Specialties

Lamb Potjiekos (Pot Food)

Cube 3 lbs. lamb and brown in kettle. Once browned, remove the meat and fry 4 large diced onions., adding olive oil as needed. When golden brown, put the lamb back in the pot. Add two large cloves garlic, 2 cloves, a 2 inch cinnamon stick, 2 medium chopped chili peppers, 1/2 tsp. rosemary, 1/2 tsp. instant coffee, 1 tablespoon chutney, a pinch of nutmeg, 1 cup water or dry white wine, a teaspoon salt, a pinch of pepper, 1/2 tsp. coarse ground coriander, 1 tsp. paprika, and a tablespoon apricot jam. Put the lid on the pot and allow to slowly simmer until the meat is tender. (A few coals placed on the top of the lid will produce heat from above.) When the meat is tender, sprinkle 1½ lbs. chopped baby carrots over the top. Add 8 small peeled white potatoes. Add water or wine if needed. Do Not Stir or Mix the Potjie Allow the pot to simmer for at least another hour. Once the potatoes are cooked through the Lamb Potjiekos is done. Now for the first time, mix the potjie, serve and enjoy. ©B-West Outdoor Specialties

Cowboy Beans

Rinse 1 pound dry pinto beans (2 cups). Bring beans and 7 cups water to boiling in kettle. Simmer 2 minutes; remove from heat. Cover; and let stand 1 hour. (Or, soak beans in the water overnight). Do not drain. Add 2 pounds smoked ham hocks and 1/2 cup chopped onion. Cover; cook over low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Remove ham hocks. Remove meat from bones; dice and return meat to beans. Add a 6 oz. can tomato paste, a 4 oz can seeded and chopped green chili peppers, and 2 tablespoons sugar. Cover and simmer until beans are tender, about 30 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Add additional hot water if needed. Serves 6 to 8. ©Better Homes and Gardens, Heritage Cookbook, 1975.