For many of us, cooking a hearty meal under the open sky is one of the best things about camping. With a bit of preparation at home and the right equipment, a gourmet meal is possible even deep in the backcountry. And one of the best tools for making a delicious dinner in the bush is a Dutch oven. These stainless steel cooking pots have been used for hundreds of years around the world, and they are ideal for camping since you can place them right over an open fire or on a bed of coals.
No matter which part of the Canadian outdoors you find yourself in, taking along a Dutch oven opens up a whole world of culinary possibilities. And while there are limitless options for what you can create, the folks at jenreviews.com have conveniently compiled 35 delicious Dutch oven recipes for everything from chicken to cheesecake. Below you will find our top five picks to inspire your inner chef, but you can check out the entire list of Dutch oven recipes here.
1. Dutch Oven Campfire Biscuits
Dutch oven campfire biscuits are a great meal for breakfast while camping. They are easy to prepare, packed with energy and especially tasty with a bit of gravy.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup of all-purpose flour
- 2 ¼ cups of biscuits
- ½ cup of butter
- 1 tablespoon of white sugar
Directions
Add the ingredients to a bowl and stir until a soft dough forms. Knead the dough 10 times and roll to a ½-inch thick on a lightly dusted surface. Place into a pre-heated Dutch oven lined with foil. Bake until golden brown. Rotate the oven and lid often. This prevents burn spots. Brush golden biscuits with ¼ cup melted butter.
2. Dutch Oven Monkey Bread with Cinnamon
This simple recipe requires no at-home preparation, allowing you to easily make this tasty baked treat right at your campsite.
Ingredients
- 2 rolls of Pillsbury biscuits
- ½-cup sugar
- ½-cup brown sugar
- 3 Tbsp. cinnamon
- 1 stick butter, melted
Directions
Spray cooking spray in the Dutch oven or cover with sprayed foil. Chop the biscuits into quarters. Make a mixture of sugar and cinnamon in a plastic bag and then drop each quarter into the bag. To fully coat the biscuits, shake the bag thoroughly. Place the mixture in the oven and melt butter in a separate pan then pour it over the biscuits. Allow the mixture to bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes and then check the dough.
3. Dutch oven Pigs in a Blanket
This recipe requires chopped mini-smoked sausage links, although one could also use crumbled sausage. You can prepare ahead of time by cooking and chopping the sausages then mixing the egg mixture at home. You can also prepare pancakes ahead of time and freeze them. It usually works best with 12 coals around the bottom and 18 coals around the top of the Dutch oven.
Ingredients
- 2 16-ounce boxes frozen buttermilk pancakes
- 4 eggs
- 1½ cups half and half
- 1 14-ounce package cocktail-sized smoked link sausages, chopped
- 1½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese
- Maple syrup
Directions
Oil or spray a 12-inch Dutch oven lightly. Carefully unbox the pancakes, separate them, and allow them to thaw. Beat the eggs and half-and-half with a whisk in a large bowl and then add pieces of pancakes and chopped sausage into the mixture. Coat by tossing. Let it stand for 5 minutes then pour the mixture into the ready Dutch oven. Bake for 40 minutes at around 350 degrees. Sprinkle the cheese then cover and let it cook for 10-15 minutes until the edges are set and are light golden brown. Leave standing for 10 minutes. Cut into square pieces and serve the dish with maple syrup.
4. Dutch Oven-baked Salmon
This Dutch oven salmon bake takes just less than a half an hour. There is barely any clean up after making it. One can spice this recipe up by adding a little lemon pepper or lemon juice.
Ingredients
- A 1-pound piece of salmon skinned on one side or four salmon fillets
- 3-tablespoonful Dijon mustard
- 16 crackers, crushed
Directions
Spray the Dutch oven with a non-stick cooking spray. Place the salmon fillet, skinned side down in the prepared Dutch oven. Spread the mustard evenly over the fish and then sprinkle with crushed cracker crumbs. Add a little dill weed or lemon pepper at your leisure. Allow baking at 350 degrees for approximately 15-20 minutes. The secret when doing the cooking is not overcooking your fish. Makes 3-4 servings
5. Dutch oven Brownie
For this recipe, you can get all your batter ready at home and keep it chilled in a cooler.
Ingredients
- 1 box of your favorite Supreme Brownie Mix
- ½ cup melted butter
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1-cup coconut flakes, optional
- 1-cup toffee bits
- 1-cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup chopped pecans, optional
- 1 cup chopped (not crumbled) pretzels
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
Directions
Stir the brownie mix, vanilla, eggs, and butter in a large bowl until they blend finely. Press into a well-greased Dutch oven, which one may also cover using tin foil sprayed with cooking spray. Cover the oven and let it cook at 350 degrees for 14 minutes. Sprinkle the coconut, toffee bits, chocolate chip bits, and finally pecans respectively atop the partially cooked brownies. Drizzle evenly with sweetened condensed milk to within an inch from the pan sides. Sprinkle the chopped pretzels on top. Cover the Dutch oven and continue to bake for 25-35 minutes. Do not over bake.
Do you have your own Dutch oven recipe that you would like to share with us? Let us know in the comments below or share your culinary camping creations with us on Instagram using #brmblife for the chance to be featured on our feed and win prizes!