Highfalutin Cordon Bleu Meatloaf Baked in a Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven
An easy, stack-and-bake, Cordon Bleu Meatloaf Recipe Baked in a Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Tag: camp dutch oven
No-Boil Stack and Bake Lasagna in a Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven
An easy, stack-and-bake, no-boil Lasagna Recipe Baked in a Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven
But-and-Ben Pie Baked in a Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven
But-and-Ben Pie – Baked in a Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven
A But and Ben Pie is like Cottage Pie and similar to Shepherd’s Pie. Baked in a Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven with Surprise Ingredients.
How did I come up with the But and Ben Pie Recipe? First a bit of history:
But and Ben (or butt and ben) is a simple style for a two-roomed cottage. The But-and-Ben has its origins in Scotland. The Scots would call their homes “bouten binnen” or outside and inside. The outer room was the kitchen and the inner room was the area they “lived” and likely not an area shared with visitors. The But and Ben was a cottage (simply speaking).
With that bit of history, I named this recipe But-and-Ben Pie. I just couldn’t really name it “Shepherd’s Pie;” I am using beef and not Lamb. And, Cottage Pie…well…that’s what inspired this recipe. But, I couldn’t figure out a good, easy way to incorporate the mashed potatoes for the topping of this recipe. And, that’s not to mention all the other ingredients…it would only be a “hint” of Cottage Pie; not really a Cottage Pie recipe.
Scotland and potatoes? No, I don’t think of potatoes when I think of Scotland either. When I think of potatoes, I think of Ireland…and Idaho. Scotland is not as famous for potatoes but then again… Potatoes were first cultivated in Scotland around the early to mid 1700s. They became so dependent on the potato that in “1845, the blight came. The following year, the crop failed completely. Famine spread through the Highlands, the Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland. It could have caused devastation equal to that seen in Ireland, but aid was given by landowners, the Free Church and, eventually, the government.” https://blog.historicenvironment.scot/2017/12/scottish-food-history/
I love Cottage Pie and I love Shepherd’s Pie. And I so wanted to create a version of one of these recipes that I could prepare in the camp cast iron Dutch oven without having to either bring mashed potatoes out there with me or having to do all the steps necessary to have prepared mashed potatoes in camp.
Then…it dawned on me…TATER TOTS. Who doesn’t love tater tots?? Tell everyone in camp we’re having peas and carrots for dinner and they’ll be calling for hot dogs. Tell everyone you’re making a dish with hamburger and tots, and…well…are we sure a 12-inch Dutch is big enough?
This is camp food. There ain’t no calories in camp food.
A word on peas and carrots versus mixed vegetables
Mixed vegetables usually have green beans. And, while green beans work very well in this recipe, they do take longer to cook. If you are using mixed vegetables with green beans, you will need to make sure the green beans are done before adding the toppings.
Likewise, many packages of mixed vegetables have corn as an ingredient. Corn will add a bit of sweetness to this recipe. That sweetness is not altogether undesirable; it’s rather a nice change to the flavor of this recipe. Nonetheless, this is just a heads up regarding the beans and corn if you decide to use mixed vegetables in this recipe.
The Cast Iron
This recipe will do very well in a 12-inch DEEP camp cast iron Dutch oven. A 10-inch may work but I’d suggest a deep 10-inch Dutch oven.
If you are using a shallow or regular 12-inch camp cast iron Dutch oven, your broiling times will be different. With a shallow Dutch, remember: less is more. Less briquettes on the top will allow for more cooking time of the tater tots and let them toast slower. Too much heat will cause the tots to toast too fast with the centers likely not cooking through.
Ingredients
Meat Ingredients
1 Slice of a Thick-Cut Smoky Bacon Strip
2 Pounds of Ground Beef
1 Higher Fat Percentage and 1 Lower Fat Percentage
Onions
1 Yellow Onion (chopped or diced)
3-6 Cloves of Minced Garlic
Vegetables
2 12-ounce Bags of Peas and Carrots
1 10-ounce Bag of Cauliflower Rice
Sauce Mixture
1-ounce Beef or Brown Gravy Mix
12 Ounces of Beer
3 Tablespoons of Worcestershire Sauce
1/3rd Cup of White Flour
2 Tablespoons of Dijon Mustard
3 Ounces of Tomato Paste
Herb Mixture
2 Teaspoons of Dry Rosemary
2 Teaspoons of Dry Thyme
1-2 Tablespoons of Smoked Paprika
2 Teaspoons of Salt (to taste)
2 Teaspoons of Pepper (to taste)
Toppings
28 Ounces Frozen Tater Tots
2 Cups Shredded Cheese
On-the-Plate
Onion Chives
Sour cream
This recipe may seem to be ingredient-heavy…and yeah…it is but also isn’t. Eleven of the twenty-two ingredients are for the sauce and herb mixture. Many can be mixed and prepared at home and ported to camp and “wait” until you are ready to cook.
Instructions
Step 1: Chop the onions, garlic, and chives. Baton cut your bacon and keep it at the ready.
Step 2: Mix the Herbs and Spices
2 tsp salt (to taste)
2 tsp pepper (to taste)
2 tsp dry rosemary
2 tsp dry thyme
Step 3: Create the Sauce
1 oz package of brown or beef gravy mix
1/3rd cup of white flour
1-2 Tbsp smoked paprika
12-ounces of beer
3 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
2-3 ounces of tomato paste
2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
Use a whisk to blend all of the Sauce ingredients. Let the sauce rest under a towel or other cover to keep the bugs out of the sauce.
Don’t fret about getting the tomato paste and the Dijon mustard measurements just right. Just use a regular spoon to scoop out ½ of the tomato paste from a 6-ounce can and just a couple of spoonful of the Dijon will work A-OK.
Step 4: Over a very high heat (24-30 briquettes or the equivalent), add the bacon batons and render the fat. If you are using oil instead of bacon, add a tablespoon or two of oil to the pot and let it heat up.
Step 5: Brown your beef but don’t cook it all the way. Just let it brown. Leave the juices and fat in the pot. Dab up any excess oil if your meats produce too much.
Step 6: Move the browning beef to one side of the Dutch oven. Use the oil and broth from the browning beef to sauté the onions and garlic.
Step 7: Once the onions and garlic are to your liking, add the herbs to the pot and stir up everything very well. Level out the ingredients over the surface of the Dutch oven’s bottom.
Step 8: Add the two bags of peas and carrots and the cauliflower rice to the top of the ingredients already in the Dutch oven. Then add the sauce mixture. Let it sit for a bit and then stir everything up very well. Smooth out the ingredients.
Step 9: Return the lid to the pot and set your heat for a goal temperature of 350°F / 175°C. Place 8 briquettes under the Dutch oven and 16 briquettes on the lid. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
Step 10: After 15-20 minutes of bake-time, pull the lid from the pot and stir the ingredients to rotate them all about. Level off the ingredients. Return the lid to the pot and bake for another 15 minutes.
Step 11: After a total of 30-35 minutes of bake time, test the peas and carrots for doneness. If the peas and carrots are done, then move to step 12. If you are using mixed vegetables with green beans, use the green beans’ texture as a test of doneness.
Step 12: After leveling off the ingredients, add your toppings of tater tots and cheese. You can add the cheese before the tater tots (my favorite way). Or, you can add the cheese to the top of the tater tots. It’s up to you.
Step 13: After all the toppings are in place, return the lid to the pot and remove the bottom heat. Load that lid up with 24-30 hot briquettes and broil for about 10 minutes. Then take a peek. Keep broiling and checking until the cheese or the tots are toasted and cooked to your liking.
Note: If you are using a shallow or regular 12-inch camp cast iron Dutch oven, your broiling times will be different. With a shallow Dutch, remember: less is more. Less briquettes on the top will allow for more cooking time of the tater tots and let them toast slower. Too much heat will cause the tots to toast too fast with the centers likely not cooking through.
Summary
And the recipe is yours to try! Serve this with sour cream and your chopped onion chives.
This is one of my favorite meals to cook. It does seem ingredient-heavy…but then again…we’re creating a full meal here. Meat, vegetables, and beer. Yes. Beer. Beer is loaded with B Vitamins. Well, loaded compared to what? Na. We won’t get into that. But, I can say that there is more B6 in beer than a McDonald’s hamburger! (tongue-in-cheek).
“Beer has vitamins A, D, E, K and C, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin B12, biotin, magnesium, ion, sodium, zinc, selenium, chloride, silica, sodium, magnesium, copper and manganese.” (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10020662)
https://scot.us/tastes-of-scotland-cottage-pie/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_potato
https://blog.historicenvironment.scot/2017/12/scottish-food-history/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/But_and_ben
https://www.livestrong.com/article/263290-list-of-vitamins-in-beer/
https://www.eatthismuch.com/calories/mcdonalds-hamburger-5053
CHEERS!
You all keep on cooking in those cast iron beauties and enjoying those glasses of that fermented barley pop.
We’ll see you next time.
Website: https://beerandiron.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beerandiron
Twitter now called “X”: https://twitter.com/IronRecipes
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But-and-Ben Pie – Baked in a Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven
I love Cottage Pie and I love Shepherd’s Pie. And I so wanted to create a version of one of these recipes that I could prepare in the camp cast iron Dutch oven without having to either bring mashed potatoes out there with me or having to do all the steps necessary to have prepared mashed potatoes in camp.
Ingredients
Meat Ingredients
- 2 Pounds Ground Beef – one pound of a higher fat content.
- 1 Slice Thick Cut Smoky Bacon – Optional – Baton this bacon. 1-2 Tablespoons of oil to substitute.
Onion Ingredients
- 1 Onion – Chopped or Diced
- 3-5 Cloves Garlic Diced
Vegetables
- 2 12oz Bags of Peas and Carrots
- 1 10oz Bag of Cauliflower Rice
Sauce Mixture
- 1 1oz Package of Beef or Brown Gravy Powder Mix
- 12 ounces Beer – lager that is not too hoppy
- 3 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
- ⅓ Cup White Flower
- 2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
- 3 ounces Tomato Paste
Herb Mixture
- 1-2 Tablespoons Smoked Paprika
- 2 teaspoons Dry Rosemary
- 2 teaspoon Dry Thyme
- 2 teaspoon Pepper (to taste)
- 2 teaspoon Salt (to taste)
Toppings
- 2 Cups Shredded Cheese
- 28 Ounces Frozen Tater Tots – diced
On The Plate
- 1 Bunch Green Onion Chives – green parts
- 1 Dolup Sour Cream
Instructions
- Chop the onions, garlic, and chives. Baton cut your bacon and keep it at the ready.
- Mix the Herbs and Spices. Keep at the ready.
- Create the Sauce – Blend the sauce mixture with a whisk. Keep at the ready.
- Over a very high heat (24-30 briquettes or the equivalent), add the bacon batons and render the fat. If you are using oil instead of bacon, add a tablespoon or two of oil to the pot and let it heat up.
- Brown your beef but don’t cook it all the way. Just let it brown. Leave the juices and fat in the pot. Dab up any excess oil if your meats produce too much.
- Move the browning beef to one side of the Dutch oven. Use the oil and broth from the browning beef to sauté the onions and garlic.
- Once the onions and garlic are to your liking, add the herbs to the pot and stir up everything very well. Level out the ingredients over the surface of the Dutch oven’s bottom.
- Add the two bags of peas and carrots and the cauliflower rice to the top of the ingredients already in the Dutch oven. Then add the sauce mixture. Let it sit for a bit and then stir everything up very well. Smooth out the ingredients.
- Return the lid to the pot and set your heat for a goal temperature of 350°F / 175°C. Place 8 briquettes under the Dutch oven and 16 briquettes on the lid. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
- After 15-20 minutes of bake-time, pull the lid from the pot and stir the ingredients to rotate them all about. Level off the ingredients. Return the lid to the pot and bake for another 15 minutes.
- After a total of 30-35 minutes of bake time, test the peas and carrots for doneness. If the peas and carrots are done, then move to step 12. If you are using mixed vegetables with green beans, use the green beans’ texture as a test of doneness.
- After leveling off the ingredients, add your toppings of tater tots and cheese. You can add the cheese before the tater tots (my favorite way). Or, you can add the cheese to the top of the tater tots. It’s up to you.
- After all the toppings are in place, return the lid to the pot and remove the bottom heat. Load that lid up with 24-30 hot briquettes and broil for about 10 minutes. Then take a peek. Keep broiling and checking until the cheese or the tots are toasted and cooked to your liking.
- Once the top is toasted and the tater tots are soft and cooked, the dish is done. ENJOY!!
Notes
And the recipe is yours to try! Serve this with sour cream and your chopped onion chives.
This is one of my favorite meals to cook. It does seem ingredient-heavy…but then again…we’re creating a full meal here. Meat, vegetables, and beer. Yes. Beer. Beer is loaded with B Vitamins. Well, loaded compared to what? Na. We won’t get into that. But, I can say that there is more B6 in beer than a McDonald’s hamburger! (tongue-in-cheek).
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Easy Dump-and-Bake Spanish Rice and Chicken Casserole Baked in a Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Easy one-pot dinner meal with Pobalno Chilies, Ground Beef, and Cheese. A no-fail beauty in your 12-inch camp cast iron Dutch oven.
Chile Relleno Con Cerveza – Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven Casserole Version
Easy one-pot dinner meal with Pobalno Chilies, Ground Beef, and Cheese. A no-fail beauty in your 12-inch camp cast iron Dutch oven.
Sausage and Tots Easy Breakfast Casserole Recipe – Cooked in a Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Sausage and Tots Easy Breakfast Casserole Recipe – Baked in a Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Some folks like to get everything out and ready before they start the fire. Others like to get everything ready while the fire is heating up. It’s up to you. Me? I like to get everything out and ready before I light the fire. First, I don’t like racing the briquettes. That’s when I feel like the briquettes are hot and ready but my ingredients are not. Second, I kind of like to enjoy my coffee there while I watch the charcoal briquettes burn and heat up. On a colder morning, I enjoy a good warming-up in front of that charcoal chimney.
The Sausage: You don’t have to use a whole pound of sausage. And, you don’t have to use breakfast sausage; Italian sausage works good too. AND, you could use ground beef. AND! You could mix the different sausages and meats.
The Tater Tots: I have to be honest, I am not a big fan of using processed foods in my recipes. But, at the same time, I am a big fan of “easy.” Sometimes, “easy” ain’t so good. But, sometimes “easy” is VERY GOOD! This is one of those kinds of “easy.”
Frozen or thawed? The tots can be frozen when you put them in…but…it’ll take longer. Likewise, we really don’t want them to be completely thawed and at room temperature. Here’s the consideration: We have brought them to camp in our cooler or ice chest and they will have thawed some by the time we get there or by the time we are ready to use them. And, we pulled them out and opened the bag before we lit the fire. They will thaw a bit more. Yes, they will still be cold and hard. It’s okay. They will cook in that pot…no worries.
Another option would be to use about 2 pounds of baked potatoes that have been cooled and shredded up with a cheese shredder. If you go this route, you will need to consider the salt content. The dish may need a bit of salt added over those shredded potatoes when you add them to the top of the dish as the tater tot substitute.
Another tip if you are using shredded baked potato is to create a bit of a hash brown from the potatoes before adding them to the top of the recipe (see Step 17).
I suggest baking the potatoes the evening before and keeping the cooled potatoes in the ice chest or cooler. Or, baking the potatoes at home and packing them with you to camp. The skin? I would just leave it there on the potato. Mamma always said, “you eat that skin; that’s where all the vitamins are.” I don’t know about where the vitamins are but it’s A-OK to leave the skin on those baked potatoes and just shred them up.
A note about using baked potatoes: You will need to adjust for the salt…but…as always: Salt to taste. Here’s an article I have on the Salt-to-Taste copout (tongue in cheek): https://beerandiron.com/salt-to-taste.
First, set everything up and have it at the ready including your tools and utensils. It’s inevitable that you’ll be looking for the one thing when it’s time.
The Cast Iron
This recipe will do very well in a 12-inch regular (shallow) camp cast iron Dutch oven. A 10-inch may work but I’d suggest a deep 10-inch Dutch oven.
Supplies You May Need (Affiliate Links)
- Cutting Board and a Knife for the Meat; to keep the cut bacon pieces and to store the large sausage patty
- Cutting Board and a Knife for the Onions and to store the shredded cheese
- Cheese Shredder
- Wooden Spatula
- Wooden Wok Shovel or a Spoon (optional)
- Paper Towels
- Bowl and Fork to Scramble the Eggs with the Milk and Pepper
- Meat Chopper (optional)
- Fork to scramble the eggs
- Bowl for the eggs and milk
- Scissors (if you prefer to cut the onions and bacon without a cutting board and knife).
I didn’t include the list of in-camp Dutch oven supplies you’ll need for cooking in your camp cast iron Dutch ovens. The tools I listed her are recipe-specific. If you’d like me to list a full list here to include the Dutch oven-specific needs, let me know and I’ll start doing that from now on.
Ingredients:
4 Slices of Bacon
1 Pound / 450g of Breakfast Sausage
1-2 Bunches of Green Onions (chopped with the green chives separated from the white bulb bottoms)
2½ Cups of Grated Cheddar Cheese (divide out ½ -1 cup for the last steps).
2 Cups of Milk (any fat)
4 Large Eggs
½ teaspoon of Pepper
Salt to Taste
2 lbs. Tater Tots, Frozen
Instructions
Step 1: In a bowl, crack the four eggs, add the milk and pepper, and scramble very well.
Step 2: Open the Sausage and create a large flat patty-like shape, almost like a large disk of sausage.
Step 3: Cut the bacon perpendicular and into small strips. Just make a little pile of bacon pieces near the sausage.
Step 4: Cut the green onions. Start at the green, chive ends and make thin cuts all the way towards the transition area. When you reach the white bulb area, cut the white area and keep it separated from the green chives. Don’t over-think this step…a little more of green with white or white with green…it’s all good.
Step 5: Open the pack of tater-tots and have them nearby.
Right now, we have our egg mixture ready, the sausage is ready, and bacon is prepared, our green onions are chopped, and the tots are at the ready. Come on baby, light the fire!
Step 6: Set 24-30 or more charcoal briquettes to fire in the charcoal chimney.
Step 7: While the fire is heating, place your 12-Inch cast iron camp Dutch oven near the charcoal chimney to pre-heat / pre-warm.
Now, let’s cook!
Step 8: Once the briquettes are ready, place the 12-inch camp cast iron Dutch oven over 24-30 or more charcoal briquettes to heat up very hot.
Step 9: Add the bacon to the hot Dutch oven and cook until crispy. When the bacon is done, scoop the small pieces out, and set them aside (maybe on a paper towel to catch the excess oil). This is where you will find the wok shovel to be invaluable. Use the wooden spatula to scoop the bacon bits into the wok shovel and set them aside.
Step 10: Let the bacon fat in the hot 12-inch camp cast iron Dutch oven get very, very hot. Then add the large, patty-like shape of breakfast sausage to the hot pot. We want to brown and caramelize the sausage on one side and then the other BEFORE we break it up.
Add the sausage in one large chunk. Don’t (yet) mix or break up the sausage. Let the sausage sear and brown a bit on one side. Then, flip the large patty over and brown the other side. This WILL add a layer of flavor that does make a difference.
Step 11: Once the sausage has browned nicely, break up the sausage and cook thoroughly. There may be quite a bit of fat and oil produced during this process. That’s okay. If there is quite a bit of liquid fat in the pot, move the sausage to one side of the pot and use a few paper towels to soak up the excess grease.
Leave about 2-3 tablespoons of fat in the pot for sautéing. If you need more oil, add some butter or oil to the pot and let it heat.
Chef Tip: Most of the time when cooking in camp, the Dutch oven sits on slightly unlevel ground and things will “pool” to one side of the pot. PERFECT! Move the browned sausage to the “uphill” side of the pot and then let the fat drain “downhill.”
Chef Tip: That greasy paper towel makes for a great fire starter. Chunk it or save it for the next fire.
Step 12: Add the white bulb parts of the green onions to the pot and mix with the sausage. Sauté until the onions are soft and ready.
Step 13: Pull the pot from the fire so we can put our dish together without the fear of burning stuff.
Step 14: Spread the sausage and onions out evenly over the bottom of the Dutch oven.
Step 15: Add 1-2 cups of cheese to the top of the sausage. I usually don’t measure the cheese; I usually use a couple of handfuls of cheese and just make a nice layer there above the sausage. DO NOT mix or stir in the cheese with the sausage.
Step 16: Pour in the egg mixture and evenly over the cheese-covered sausage. Careful here and go slowly. Pouring the egg in too fast will “wash away” the ingredients that are already in the pot. Pour slow and in a circular motion. DO NOT stir the pot.
Step 17: Add the tater tots to the top of everything. Use your hand. If you pour in the tater tots from the bag, the weight of the tots will “push” the ingredients aside. Use your hand and add a few at a time. “Sprinkle” them on the top. Some will sink; that’s okay. DO NOT mix in the tater tots. Just let them sit on the top.
If you are using shredded baked potatoes, grab a handful at a time and cover the mixture with the shredded potatoes. Then, decide if you’d like some salt. If so, sprinkle a bit on the top of the potatoes.
Step 18: Return the lid to the pot. From the pile of briquettes we have already, transfer 16-18 hot charcoal briquettes evenly on the lid.
Step 19: Set 8-10 hot charcoal briquettes in a circle about the size of the diameter of the bottom of the Dutch oven and set the Dutch oven over these 8-10 briquettes.
Step 20: Turn the pot in 10-15 minutes. Rotate the lid in one direction 1/3 of a turn. And then, turn the whole pot 1/3 of a turn in the other direction. Do this 2-3 times.
Step 21: After 30 minutes, use a fork to sneak out a tot. Give it a taste test. Is it done? Does it need more time? Are the eggs done? You may need to bake for another 15 minutes.
Step 22: When the tots are fully warmed and the egg is fully cooked, remove the pot from the fire. Remove the lid and set aside on a lid stand. Place the remaining bits of cheese on the top (1/2 – 1 Cup), sprinkle the cut green onion chives over the top, and evenly spread out the bacon bits we cooked earlier. Put the lid back on the pot.
Step 23: Place all the hot briquettes you have on the top of the lid of the Dutch oven (remove all heat from the bottom of the Dutch oven). If you have a few extra, you can add them as well. We are now BROILING the ingredients to really toast the tots and cheese. Let the cheese melt and toast for about 5-10 minutes. Check after 5 minutes to make sure you don’t burn it.
Step 24: Once the cheese is melted and the dish is ready, it’s time for breakfast!!
I use a wooden spoon or a wok shovel to cut and scoop out from the pot and directly into the bowl. ENJOY!
Summary
And the recipe is now yours!
This is a crowd-pleaser for sure. You’ll likely feed 4-6 people with this one.
Creating this recipe at home in a home Dutch oven is very doable as well. If you do bake this recipe at home and in your home’s oven, leave the lid off the Dutch oven while you bake.
CHEERS!
You all keep on cooking in those cast iron beauties and enjoying those glasses of that fermented barley pop.
We’ll see you next time.
Website: https://beerandiron.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beerandiron
Twitter now called “X”: https://twitter.com/IronRecipes
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ironrecipes/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/beerandironrecipes/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3jcMjHBuZ7C0x2TnssetrG
Sausage and Tots Easy Breakfast Casserole
A layered breakfast casserole that is very easy to prepare in camp and bake in your 12-inch Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Equipment
- Cutting Board for the Meat
- Cutting Board for the Onions
- Cheese Shredder
- Wooden Spatula
- Wooden Wok Shovel or a Spoon (optional)
- Paper Towels
- Bowl – to Scramble the Eggs with the Milk and Pepper
- Meat Chopper (optional) (optional)
- Fork to scramble the eggs – to scramble the eggs
- Scissors – if you prefer to cut the onions and bacon without a cutting board and knife
Ingredients
- 4 Slices Bacon
- 1 Pound Breakfast Sausage
- 1-2 Bunches of Green Onions – chopped with the green chives separated from the white bulb bottoms
- 2½ Cups Grated Cheddar Cheese – divide out ½ -1 cup for the last steps.
- 2 Cups Milk – any fat percentage
- 4 Large Eggs
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- Salt to Taste
- 2 lbs. Tater Tots – Frozen
Instructions
- In a bowl, crack the four eggs, add the milk and pepper, and scramble very well.
- Open the Sausage and create a large flat patty-like shape, almost like a large disk of sausage.
- Cut the bacon perpendicular and into small strips.
- Cut the green onions. Keep the “green” chive parts and the “white” bulb parts separate.
- Set 24-30 or more charcoal briquettes to fire in the charcoal chimney.
- Once the briquettes are ready, place the 12-inch camp cast iron Dutch oven over 24-30 or more charcoal briquettes to heat up very hot.
- Add the bacon to the hot Dutch oven and cook until crispy. When the bacon is done, scoop the small pieces out, and set them aside.
- Add the large, patty-like shape of breakfast sausage to the hot pot. Brown and caramelize the sausage on one side and then the other BEFORE breaking it up. Once the sausage has browned nicely, break up the sausage and cook thoroughly.
- Remove the excess oil from the pot and leave about 2-3 tablespoons of fat in the pot for sautéing the onions. If you need more oil, add some butter or oil to the pot and let it heat.
- Add the bulb parts (white parts) of the green onions to the pot and mix with the sausage. Sauté until the onions are soft and ready.
- Spread the sausage and onions out evenly over the bottom of the Dutch oven and layer 1-2 cups of cheese to the top of the sausage.
- Pour in the egg mixture and evenly over the cheese-covered sausage. Pour slow and in a circular motion. DO NOT stir the pot.
- Add the tater tots to the top of everything. Use your hand and add a few at a time. Just layer them on the top.
- Return the lid to the pot and place 16-18 hot charcoal briquettes evenly on the lid. Then, set the Dutch oven over a circle of 8-10 hot charcoal briquettes under the Dutch oven and set the Dutch oven over these 8-10 briquettes.
- Turn the pot in 10-15 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, use a fork to sample a tater tot for a doneness-taste-test. You may need to bake for another 15 minutes.
- When the tots are fully warmed and the egg is fully cooked, remove the lid and place the remaining cheese on the top (1/2 – 1 Cup), sprinkle the cut green onion chives over the top, and evenly spread out the bacon bits. Put the lid back on the pot.
- Place all the hot briquettes you have on the top of the lid of the Dutch oven to broil the ingredients (remove all heat from the bottom of the Dutch oven). Let the cheese melt and toast for about 5-10 minutes. Check after 5 minutes to make sure you don’t burn it.
Notes
The Sausage: You don’t have to use a whole pound of sausage. And, you don’t have to use breakfast sausage; Italian sausage works good too. AND, you could use ground beef. AND! You could mix the different sausages and meats.
The Tater Tots: I have to be honest, I am not a big fan of using processed foods in my recipes. But, at the same time, I am a big fan of “easy.” Sometimes, “easy” ain’t so good. But, sometimes “easy” is VERY GOOD! This is one of those kinds of “easy.”
Frozen or thawed? The tots can be frozen when you put them in…but…it’ll take longer. Likewise, we really don’t want them to be completely thawed and at room temperature. Here’s the consideration: We have brough them to camp in our cooler or ice chest and they will have thawed some by the time we get there or by the time we are ready to use them. And, we pulled them out and opened the bag before we lit the fire. They will thaw a bit more. Yes, they will still be cold and hard. It’s okay. They will cook in that pot…no worries.
Another option would be to use about 2 pounds of baked potatoes that have been cooled and shredded up with a cheese shredder. If you go this route, you will need to consider the salt content. The dish may need a bit of salt added over those shredded potatoes when you add them to the top of the dish as the tater tot substitute.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Beer Berry Cobbler Recipe – Cooked in a Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Cobblery, fluffy, berry-ey, buttery, and lemony. Yes lemony. You’ll love the lemon liveliness of this Beer Berry Bake Recipe in a Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven.
Chicken Marbella Recipe – Cooked in a Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Easiest pack-up-and-go recipes. A deep, dark chicken recipe with prunes, capers, and olives in a nice beer marinade.
Slumgullion Recipe – Pure Comfort Food Cooked in a Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven Slumgullion Recipe
Also known as American Goulash or American Chop Suey
Y’all, this one is an easy one. We’re going to sauté, sear, and bake a meal of pure comfort food in our 12-inch Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven. We’ve been known to spoon out this meal and we’ve been known to just gather around that pot and eat that awesomeness straight out of that cast iron.
My son and I go on long bicycle rides in the great wild yonder. This is one of those recipes that I do enjoy making on the trail…YES, I do pack a cast iron Dutch oven with me on a bicycle from time to time. His goal is to explore and face the challenge…mine was to explore…and to take care of a few cats in their cradles. We’ve done trails in a day of 40 miles that were harder than our days of bicycling 100 miles. At the end of the trail, he’d be hungry, hungry, hungry! Toting that heavy pot on my bicycle along with all the ingredients was a struggle for sure but the reward is always worth the wait…rather the weight.
It’s a good thing I bring such fine fixings for a hungered young-un after those many miles on that bicycle. Having no food at the end of the trail would cause him to start wondering, “What would my old man taste like all Chop Suey-ed up in that pot?”
This recipe works well for the day trip or the overnight-er. I will keep the cheese, frozen peas and carrots, and the frozen corn stored together in one cooler/ice chest with the beer I plan to enjoy at camp. And either package up and keep the beef and bacon in doubled-up zipper bags in that same cooler. Or I’ll keep the meat in a separate cooler.
Ground beef does not really need any preparation. The bacon does. I don’t bring a separate cutting board or knife to camp just for the bacon. I will use a pair of scissors that we keep for meat preparation. And, while the pot is heating up, I will just cut little slivers of bacon into the pot.
The bacon is essentially my cooking oil for this recipe. I will first render the fat from the bacon and then sauté the onions and garlic in that fat followed by the ground beef. Oil or butter are good substitutes for bacon grease.
The Cast Iron
I am presenting this recipe in my 12-Inch Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven. All you have to do is cut the recipe in half if you are cooking in a 10-Inch Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven. As Lodge Dutch Ovens go, they create two sizes of the 12-Inch (affiliate links):
- The 6-Quart Regular or Shallow Dutch Oven (https://amzn.to/3l2Bq0l)
- The 8-Quart Deep Dutch Oven (https://amzn.to/32bMEGZ).
Lodge also creates two sizes of their 10-Inch Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven:
- The 4-Quart Regular or Shallow Dutch Oven (https://amzn.to/2YmviWY)
- The 5-Quart Deep Dutch Oven (https://amzn.to/3gkyMiT)
At first assumption, one may think that there’s not much difference in volume between the 6-quart and the 5-quart…trust me…there is. Don’t underestimate how much more the 8-quart can hold over the 5-quart or the 6-quart.
Following this recipe, you should be A-OK with the common 12-inch, 6-quart regular or shallow Dutch oven. When you are stirring the ingredients, some may end up falling out of the pot, but this is nothing to worry about.
The 12-inch, 8-quart deep Dutch oven will give you plenty of room to work in.
Supplies You May Need (Affiliate Links)
There are many times where I just pack along all the ingredients, I need to prepare a meal and prep those ingredients right out there in camp. Then, there are times where I pre-prepare the ingredients at home. We’re doing it all in camp on this cook.
Before leaving for camp, I always go over an ingredients list and my supply list:
- Dutch Oven
- Lid Lifter
- Lid Stand
- Charcoal Chimney
- Leather/Insulated Grilling Gloves or Welding Gloves
- Longer Metal Tongs for Manipulating the Hot Briquettes
- Ash Shovel (Good for Scooping Hot Coals if Cooking in a Wood Fire)
- Charcoal Briquettes
- Lighter Fluid or Other to Aid in Getting the Fire Going
- “Clicker” (Long, Wand Lighter)
- Metal Tray, Baking Pan, or Other Metal Surface to Cook From (Optional)
- Cooking thermometers
- Can opener
- Straw Hand Brush (I use straw. It may burn (low risk) but it will not melt like plastic).
- Metal Bucket for Extinguishing Briquettes (and Old Dog Water Bowl is A-OK).
- Receptacle for Water (Washing, Extinguishing, Emergency)
- Fire Extinguisher
- Paper Towels
- Cooking Utensils
- Scraper for Cleaning Out
- Wash pan
- Recipes and Ingredients
- Cutting Board(s)
- Knife or Knives
- Plates or Cast Iron Fajita Skillets for Serving
- Serving Spoons, Forks, and Knives
- Wooden Spatula for Stirring and Scraping (Bring Two)
- Serving Spoon
- Left-Overs Containers
- Prep Table
- Garbage Receptacle
- Stool to Sit On
- Cooking Table
- Wind Shield
For this Recipe Specifically:
- Scissors for the Bacon
- Cheese Shredder
- Surface to Shred the Cheese
- Knife
- Cutting Board
Chef Tip: Pack 2-pounds of ground beef in a zipper bag. I suggest double-bagging the meat…just in case.
The first thing I do when I am cooking outdoors is set out everything I will need and have it “at the ready” for when I need it. Also, I will prepare all of my ingredients before I start cooking so I am not shuffling or struggling when the time comes. I want this to be easy, easy, easy. And, I want to be able to cook even with a beer “on board.”
We will start by frying and then baking this recipe. We have a 12-inch cast iron Dutch oven and will need about 24-30 briquettes and you’d be okay setting 40 to fire. Twenty-four is our magic number. But, we’re going to heat 30-40 briquettes. There’s a reason for this…stay tuned.
Ingredients:
Meat:
Bacon Fat from 2-4 Slices of Bacon or couple of Tablespoons of Oil.
2 Pounds of Leaner Ground Beef (we’re not going to drain our beef; what fat goes in, stays in).
Fresh:
1 Large Onion – Chopped
2-6 Cloves Garlic all Smashed and Minced
1 Large Chopped Up Green Bell Pepper (I Don’t Half This in my 10”)
12 Ounces of Fresh Sliced Mushrooms
Frozen:
12 Ounces Frozen Whole Kernel Corn (Optional)
12 Ounces Frozen Peas and Carrots
Canned:
2 Cans Cup Sliced Olives (Two 2.25 Ounce Cans)
2 Cans of Condensed Tomato Soup (Two 10.5 Ounce Cans)
Other:
2 12-ounce beers (Broth as a Substitute for All or Some of the Beer)
12-16 Ounces of Pasta (Shells or Elbow Noodles)
Seasonings:
2 Tablespoons Paprika
2 teaspoons Salt
And, For LAST:
1-3 Cups Grated Cheddar Cheese (Or Your Favorite)
Instructions
My online instructions usually go deep into the weeds to make sure all the small details are covered. The printable recipe below is more of a simple guide to help you create this recipe and works as a reminder to guide your memory in creating this recipe.
Step 1: Chop your onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Keep the onion and garlic together. Keep the bell pepper apart from the onion and garlic. I do this before I start my fire. It’s amazing how many times I have felt “rushed” seeing those briquettes red hot and ready and I am still cutting and chopping.
Step 2: Set 30-40 charcoal briquettes to fire in the charcoal chimney. I keep my cast iron Dutch oven nearby to “preheat” the oven before I put the real heat under it.
Step 3: I make sure my onions, garlic, peppers, and beef are ready to go. Get the bacon ready and the scissors handy. That way I can just clip off bits of the bacon to the hot pot and render my fat for sautéing. Oil will work A-OK instead of bacon!
Step 4: Once the briquettes are ready, place 24-30 (or more) briquettes under and around your 12-inch cast iron Dutch oven and preheat that dude to a wicked hot temperature.
Step 5: Hang the bacon over the pot and start snipping off pieces with the scissors and render the fat before adding and then sautéing the onions and garlic. You can use a tablespoon or two of oil instead of bacon if you prefer.
Step 6: Once your cooking oil/fat is ready, sauté the Onions and the Garlic for a few moments; just get them started but not all the way to doneness. Then move them to the sides of the pot to create an opening in the bottom of the pot to receive the ground beef.
Step 7: Take the ground beef and leave it “together” in the pot; don’t break it apart. We want that ground beef to sear and brown like a large hamburger patty. Let it brown on one side and then turn it over to sear the other side. Once you get a good sear, then break the beef up and finish browning all the ground beef.
Step 8: Now toss in the bell pepper and let them start cooking a bit. The steam will rise and the aroma will start to get the attention of others nearby. Cook for just a bit and let the peppers soften just so; they’ll finish cooking as we bake this dish.
Step 9: Pull the Dutch oven from the fire. Add all the ingredients except for the cheese; leave the cheese for the last and at the end of the cook. Stir it all up together (except the cheese).
Step 10: Return the lid to the pot. Set the fire up for baking. For the 12-inch cast iron Dutch oven, we need 24 briquettes. Place 8 briquettes under the Dutch oven in a circle around the diameter of the bottom of the oven. Set the remaining 16 briquettes on the top.
For the 10-inch cast iron Dutch oven, we need 20 briquettes. Place 8 briquettes under the Dutch oven in a circle around the diameter of the bottom of the oven. Set the remaining 12 briquettes on the top.
Chef tip: Briquette counting is really only a guide as to heating the camp cast iron Dutch oven. Use your good guess as to how many briquettes you need. There are so many factors that play into how large your briquettes are by the time you are at this point in any of your cooks.
- How long did they sit in the charcoal chimney as you prepared the ingredients?
- How long did steps 1-10 take?
- How windy was it? How windy is it?
- Did you let the dish boil too hard? The Slumgullion should only simmer and not at a rolling boil. You’ll lose too much moisture to steam.
Step 11: After 15-20 minutes, remove the lid to the lid stand. Stir all the ingredients. Pay attention to the pasta. Make sure to mix everything very well.
The pot should NOT be at a full rolling boil. It should only be simmering with those 8 briquettes under the pot.
Check the pasta. The pasta will be the tell-tale. The texture of the pasta will “tell you” 1) how much time the dish has to cook and 2) do you need to add any liquid to the pot. You will be the “judge” as to the time left and determine if you have enough liquid for the pasta to fully cook.
Focus on the pasta to know if your recipe has finished cooking.
If you feel the pasta needs more liquid and needs more time, then let it cook longer. Stir the pot first after 15-20 minutes. The next stir should occur in about 10-15 mintues. And the third stir should take place after another 10-15 minutes. My expectation is that the Slumgullion is done by the third stirring.
If the pasta is not done, ask yourself:
- Does it need more liquid? If so, add some.
- Does it need to cook longer?
It may not need liquid but may need to cook longer. If it needs more liquid, it usually needs to cook longer. At this point, you will stir about every 5-7 minutes. The Slumgullion is thick and if the bottom dries too much, it’ll start sticking and burning.
First Stir: 15-20 minutes
Second Stir: 10-15 minutes
Third Stir: 10-15 minutes
If it still needs more time:
All Other Stirs: 5-7 Minutes
We want perfectly cooked pasta and we want a nice, thick Slumgullion.
Chances are you’ll find that this recipe will cook just fine without having to add any liquid. Still, each time I prepare it, I make sure I check the pasta before I add the cheese at the end of the cook.
If your Slumgullion ends up a bit soupier than you were shooting for, I am going to be first to tell you that it’ll eat just fine and dandy. You’ll see…rather…you’ll taste. And, make note of this for the next time.
Step 12: Once the pasta is fully cooked, remove the pot from the bottom heat. Remove the lid and sprinkle the cheese over the top of the Slumgullion. Then, return the lid to the pot and move ALL OF THE HEAT TO THE TOP OF THE DUTCH OVEN. Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and starting to “sink” down into the Slumgullion.
Summary
You’ll feed about 6-8 folks from this pot of Slumgullion.
I am being VERY lean in my 6-8 servings though; my son and I ate the Slumgullion from that WHOLE 10” pot (and left NONE for breakfast).
My method of presenting recipes is to be very detailed on the web page articles. I also want to make sure I cover the challenges I encountered while writing these recipes; there’s no need for you to reinvent the wheel, yeah?
My suggestion is to read through the recipe here and be prepared for the challenges you may encounter. Planning, packing, driving, setting up, and cooking meals takes a lot of time. The groceries? They cost a lot of money. The only thing that makes it all worth it is the delicious meal we camp cast iron Dutch oven chefs create and all the happy faces sitting around that cooking fire. Cleaning up takes a long time too and is so much easier with full bellies from a delicious pot of food cooked in the great big wide world.
You all keep on cooking in those cast iron beauties and enjoying those glasses of that fermented barley pop.
We’ll see you next time.
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Slumgullion Recipe in a Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Also known as American Goulash or American Chop SueyThis one is an easy one. We’re going to sauté, sear, and bake a meal of pure comfort food in our 12-inch Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven. We’ve been known to spoon out this meal and we’ve been known to just gather around that pot and eat that awesomeness straight out of that cast iron.
Equipment
- 12-Inch Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven 8-Quart Deep Dutch Oven
- Scissors for the Bacon
- Cheese Shredder
- Surface to Shred the Cheese
- Knife
- Cutting Board
Ingredients
- 2-4 Slices of Bacon: or a couple of Tablespoons of Oil
- 2 Pounds Leaner Ground Beef
- 1 Onion – Chopped
- 2-6 Cloves Garlic – Minced
- 1-2 Green Bell Pepper – Chopped
- 1 Package of Fresh Sliced Mushrooms
- 12 Ounces Frozen Whole Kernel Corn – Optional (will offer a sweetness to the meal)
- 12 Ounces Frozen Peas and Carrots
- 2 Cans Sliced Olives – 2.25 Ounce Cans
- 2 Cans of Condensed Tomato Soup – Two 10.5 Ounce Cans
- 12-16 Ounces Pasta – Elbow Noodles or Shells
- 24 Ounces Beer – Broth as a Substitute for All or Some of the Beer
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- 2 Tablespoons Smoked Paprika or Regular Paprika
- 1-3 Cups Grated Cheddar Cheese – Or Your Favorite
Instructions
- Chop your onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Keep the onion and garlic together. Keep the bell pepper apart from the onion and garlic.
- Set 30-40 charcoal briquettes to fire in the charcoal chimney. I keep my cast iron Dutch oven nearby to “preheat” the oven before I put the real heat under it.
- Once the briquettes are ready, place 24-30 briquettes under your 12-inch cast iron Dutch oven and heat to a hot temperature.
- Cut the bacon up with the scissors and right into the hot Dutch Oven. Render the fat.
- Sauté the Onions and the Garlic for a few moments; just get them started but not all the way to doneness. Then move them to the sides of the pot to create an opening in the bottom of the pot to receive the ground beef.
- Add the ground beef; don’t break it apart. We want that ground beef to sear and brown like a large hamburger patty.
- Once the beef is browned, add the Bell Pepper and let them start cooking a bit.
- Once the bell peppers have been cooking a bit, pull the Dutch oven from the fire. Add all the ingredients except for the cheese. Stir it all up together (except the cheese).
- Return the lid to the pot. Set the fire up for baking. For the 12-inch cast iron Dutch oven, we need 24 briquettes. Place 8 briquettes under the Dutch oven in a circle around the diameter of the bottom of the oven. Set the remaining 16 briquettes on the top.
- After 15-20 minutes, stir all the ingredients well and make sure the pasta is being rotated. The pot should not be at a full rolling boil. It should only be simmering.
- After another 10-15 minutes, stir everything in the pot. Check the pasta. The pasta will be the tell-tale. The texture of the pasta will “tell you” 1) how much time the dish has to cook and 2) do you need to add any liquid to the pot. You will be the “judge” as to the time left and determine if you have enough liquid for the pasta to fully cook.
- If you feel the pasta needs more liquid and needs more time, then let it cook longer. Stir everything in the pot every 5-7 minutes (more frequently now that the dish thickened up).
- Once the pasta is fully cooked, remove the pot from the bottom heat. Remove the lid and sprinkle the cheese over top of the Slumgullion. Then, return the lid to the pot and move ALL OF THE HEAT TO THE TOP OF THE DUTCH OVEN. Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and starting to “sink” down into the Slumgullion Ingredients.
Notes
Focus on the pasta to know if your recipe has finished cooking.
If you feel the pasta needs more liquid and needs more time, then let it cook longer. It’s a balance. We want perfectly cooked pasta and we want a nice, thick Slumgullion.
Chances are you’ll find that this recipe of mine will cook just fine without having to add any liquid. Still, each time I prepare it, I make sure I check the pasta before I add the cheese at the end of the cook.
If your Slumgullion ends up a bit soupier than you were shooting for, I am going to be first to tell you that it’ll eat just fine and dandy. You’ll see…rather…you’ll taste. And, make note of this for the next time.
CHEERS!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Chipped Cast Iron – What Is My Cast Iron Worth…TO ME?
The story of my 16-Inch Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven. What is my cast iron worth? Some of you may ask that question about some of your cookware.
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