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
Tag: recipe
But-and-Ben Pie 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.
Easy Dump-and-Bake Spanish Rice and Chicken Casserole Baked in a Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Easy Dump-and-Bake Spanish Rice and Chicken Casserole Baked in a Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Let me cover some of the details of this recipe. First of all, we are basically creating a rice casserole of sorts and not a soup. There are other options out there than Knoor Spanish Rice including Knorr Mexican Rice. I am using this name brand for simplicity, and I know it works well.
The first thing to consider is how much liquid to put in this dish so it’s not soupy. When I was in the trial-and-error stage of writing this recipe, I would drain many of the canned ingredients and I used more broth. The problems that were presented was a mushy or soupy dish and also the hassle of trying to drain stuff at the fireside. I wanted EASY! And I wanted DELCIOUS! And this is the recipe that works.
Word to the Wise
I mentioned that you could use other pre-packaged rice mixtures including Knorr’s Mexican Rice. WATCH THE LIQUID REQUIREMENTS!! Note that the Knorr Spanish rice calls for 2 cups of liquid per package where as the Knorr Mexican Rice calls for ONLY 1 ¾ cup of liquid. That’s 14 ounces of liquid (considering we’re using two packages) versus the 16 ounces of liquid for the Spanish Rice version.
Granted, there is no liquid measurements above that calls for 14, 16, 28, or 32 ounces. Much of the liquid that this recipe needs will come from the liquid in the beans, tomatoes, and olives.
Long story short: Watch the liquid requirements of the pre-packaged rice you have purchased and guesstimate how much you will need. Lean on more rather than less…but not too much more.
SALT!
Also: Pre-Packaged Taco Seasoning vs Beer & Iron’s Homemade Taco Seasoning
There’s salt in the brined chicken, the broth, beans, olives, and tomatoes. There is over 500mg of sodium per serving in the Knorr Spanish Rice. And, this is all okay. I’m also a registered nurse and know that watching the sodium is something we should do. For me, I will use pre-packaged taco seasoning in a pinch but I find the dish comes out a bit too salty. I prefer just to pre-prepare my own homemade taco seasoning AND LEAVE OUT THE SALT. You can find that recipe here:
https://beerandiron.com/homemade-taco-seasoning/
All you must do here (to be awesome) is to mix these ingredients together, store them in a small zipper bag, and dump them in when it’s time.
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
This is the same exact recipe I used in my taco seasoning, but I have omitted the salt.
To Pre-Tenderize and Brine the Chicken or Not?
I do. I don’t like those hard-to-chew chunks of chicken. Most of the time, I tenderize and brine the chicken breast and pack it to camp. Here is the link to how we tenderize and brine chicken:
Webpage: https://beerandiron.com/chicken-breast-tenderize-beer-brine-cook-perfectly-tender/
Video: https://youtu.be/wX_kYQ8nOrM
Briquettes
We will need about 25-30 briquettes for this dish to bake. At the end of the cook, we will be broiling the dish to toast the top of the casserole. By the time we get to the broiling stage, most of the briquettes will be burned down a bit. I usually fill my charcoal chimney full of briquettes to have the extras in the end for the final broil.
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.
Ingredients:
2 Packages of Knorr Spanish Rice
12-ounce Beer (lager that is not too hoppy)
12 ounces of Chicken Broth
15oz Can of Black Beans
15-16 Ounces Fire-Roasted Chopped or Diced Tomatoes
2.25oz Can of Sliced Black Olives
1-2 Bunches of Chopped Green Onions (the white parts)
2-3 Large Chicken Breasts
Package of Low-Sodium Taco Seasoning
OR
Beer & Iron’s Homemade Taco Seasoning without Salt
Toppings:
2 Cups of Shredded Cheese
Panko Crumbs
1 Diced Green Bell Pepper
1 Diced Red Bell Pepper
Green Onion Chives (the green parts)
Beer & Iron’s Homemade Taco Seasoning:
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
The original recipe calls for 1 1/2 teaspoon salt. I would leave this out of the seasoning to keep the dish from becoming too salty.
A note on the Green Onions: Use the “bulb” parts (or the white parts) of the onions in the recipe. Use the “tops” or the green chives as a garnish. If you’re wondering about the “middle,” I do to! Just use what you think is green as a garnish and what you think is white as an in-the-dish ingredient. You can’t mess this up; trust me.
A note on the Knorr Brand Spanish Rice. I have worked with this recipe to get the liquid down just right and Knorr Brand Spanish Rice works well with this recipe and the “liquid” ingredients. You can use what ever rice you would like and even just plain, old-fashion rice. But, unless you use Knorr Brand Spanish Rice, you will need to (NEED TO) modify the liquid amount.
This would not be hard to do a all. Once the dish has cooked for 30-minutes and before adding the toppings, all you have to do is a taste test for consistency. If the rice needs more liquid, then add more beer, broth, or even water.
Just…don’t add too much liquid initially if you are unsure. Liquid is like salt…it’s easer to add later rather than to balance after the fact.
Instructions
When you are ready to cook:
Step 1: Add your 2 Packages of Knoor Spanish Rice to the Dutch oven.
Step 2: Add 12 ounces of beer to the rice.
Step 3: Add 12 ounces of chicken broth or stock. I use the empty beer can/bottle to measure my broth. Just fill the empty 12-ounce can or bottle up and add the liquid to the pot. Don’t over-fill your beer-can / beer-bottle measuring.
Step 4: Add the fire-roasted tomatoes, black beans, and olives to the watery mixture. Don’t drain any of the ingredients. Add the chopped green onions. Add the taco seasoning. Mix well.
Step 5: Add the cut pieces of chicken to the pot.
The tenderized and brined chicken breast should be pat-dry. Cut the chicken up in bite-sized pieces and add to the watery mixture in the Dutch oven.
To make life easy at camp: Tenderize, Brine, and then Cut up your Chicken at home and pack the pre-prepared chicken to camp. All you’ll have to do is add the chicken to the pot. This will alleviate the need to cut up the chicken in camp and all that goes with that process.
If you decide not to pre-prepare your chicken, you could just use chicken straight from the grocery store’s package. I suggest using scissors to cut up the chicken over the pot if you go this route.
Try to get everything evened out as you add the chicken. You want the chicken to be evenly distributed. Make sure none of the ingredients are stuck to the sides of the pot and above the liquid line.
Step 6: Place the lid over the pot and start the bake.
We’re shooting for 350°F / 175°C. Place 7-8 briquettes on the bottom and 15-17 on the top.
Bake for 15 minutes and then turn the pot.
Bake for another 15 minutes and check. Most if not all the liquid should be absorbed. If you want, check the rice for doneness. If you feel it needs more time or liquid, add what you feel it needs and continue.
Chef Tip: During the bake is a good time to shred the cheese and dice the bell peppers.
Step 7: Once the rice is cooked, remove the lid and keep it nearby on a lid stand or another clean surface. Over the top of the entire dish, add the two cups of cheese. Then, top with a generous amount of Panko breadcrumbs. Sprinkle over the diced green and red bell peppers.
Step 8: Return the lid to the pot. Remove the bottom heat and place all the briquettes on the top of the Dutch oven. Really heat that lid up to toast the cheese, panko crumbs, and peppers.
This may take 5 minutes to 15 minutes or more. Keep an eagle eye out and make sure not to burn the recipe.
Summary
And, that’s it! It’s really easy. Start at home by tenderizing, brining, and packaging up your chicken. Measure out your homemade taco seasoning. Other than the chicken, there’s nothing that needs to be refrigerated on the way and at camp.
I enjoy this recipe with sour cream and a sliced avocado.
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
Easy Dump-and-Bake Spanish Rice and Chicken Casserole Baked in a Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Start at home by tenderizing, brining, and packaging up your chicken. Measure out your homemade taco seasoning. Other than the chicken, there’s nothing that needs to be refrigerated on the way and at camp. I enjoy this recipe with sour cream and a sliced avocado.
Ingredients
Main Dump-and-Bake Ingredients
- 2 Packages of Knorr Spanish Rice
- 12 ounce Beer – lager that is not too hoppy
- 12 ounces Chicken Broth
- 15 oz Can of Black Beans
- 15 Ounces Fire-Roasted Chopped or Diced Tomatoes
- 2.25 oz Sliced Black Olives
- 1-2 Bunches of Chopped Green Onions – white parts (the bulbs)
- 2 Large Chicken Breasts
- 1 Beer & Iron’s Homemade Taco Seasoning – or a Package of Low-Sodium Taco Seasoning
Beer & Iron’s Homemade Taco Seasoning (without the salt)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Toppings / Garnish
- 2 Cups Shredded Cheese
- Panko Crumbs – handful or two
- 1 Green Bell Pepper – diced
- 1 Red Bell Pepper – diced
- Green Onion Chives – green parts
Instructions
- Add your 2 Packages of Knoor Spanish Rice to the Dutch oven.
- Add 12 ounces of beer to the rice.
- Add 12 ounces of chicken broth or stock.
- Add the fire-roasted tomatoes, black beans, and olives to the watery mixture. Don’t drain any of the ingredients. Add the chopped green onions. Add the taco seasoning. Mix well.
- Add the cut pieces of chicken to the pot. – Tenderize, Brine, and then Cut up your Chicken at home and pack the pre-prepared chicken to camp.
- Try to get everything evened out as you add the chicken. You want the chicken to be evenly distributed. Make sure none of the ingredients are stuck to the sides of the pot and above the liquid line.
- Place the lid over the pot and start the bake.
- We’re shooting for 350°F / 175°C. Place 7-8 briquettes on the bottom and 15-17 on the top.
- Bake for 15 minutes and then turn the pot.
- Bake for another 15 minutes and check. Most if not all the liquid should be absorbed. If you want, check the rice for doneness. If you feel it needs more time or liquid, add what you feel it needs and continue.
- Once the rice is cooked, remove the lid and keep it nearby on a lid stand or another clean surface. Over the top of the entire dish, add the two cups of cheese. Top with a generous amount of Panko breadcrumbs. Sprinkle over the diced green and red bell peppers.
- Return the lid to the pot. Remove the bottom heat and place all the briquettes on the top of the Dutch oven. Really heat that lid up to toast the cheese, panko crumbs, and peppers.
- This may take 5 minutes to 15 minutes or more. Keep an eagle eye out and make sure not to burn the recipe.
- Once the top is toasted and the bell peppers are soft and cooked, the dish is done. ENJOY!!
Notes
First of all, we are basically creating a rice casserole of sorts and not a soup. There are other options out there than Knoor Spanish Rice including Knorr Mexican Rice. I am using this name brand for simplicity, and I know it works well.
The first thing to consider is how much liquid to put in this dish so it’s not soupy. When I was in the trial-and-error stage of writing this recipe, I would drain many of the canned ingredients and I used more broth. The problems that were presented was a mushy or soupy dish and also the hassle of trying to drain stuff at the fireside. I wanted EASY! And I wanted DELCIOUS! And this is the recipe that works.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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
Easy one-pot breakfast casserole recipe cooked in a camp cast iron Dutch oven.
Beer Berry Cobbler Recipe – Cooked in a Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Beer Berry Cobbler Recipe in a Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven
This is likely one of the easiest recipes you’ll prepare in your camp cast iron Dutch oven. It may be easy, easy, easy…but it’s delicious, delicious, delicious. It’s great in the summer with some vanilla ice cream. And it’s good in the winter too. Hey…you want to know what’s great about this recipe in the winter? If you have snow at camp, make some snow ice cream for this dessert.
This recipe will work great with most any fruit. Blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, and even peaches, apples, pears, and the like. I’ve even created this with fine-chopped rhubarb. I’ll present the recipe by using blackberries. But, I am sure you are already thinking of fruit you’ll be trying.
You can use either use fresh fruit or frozen fruit: but…you’ll need to let the frozen fruit thaw before you use it in this recipe. And, that’s okay. I usually buy the frozen fruit and use it in the ice chest or cooler as “ice” to keep other things cool like milk, butter, and the like. Like the ice in the ice chest or cooler, it’ll thaw fine and dandy.
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)
If you pre-prepare this recipe at home, you will only pack a mixing bowl, stirring spatula, and a 1-cup measuring cup with you to camp. All in all, you will need:
- Microplane (Zester/Grater) (https://amzn.to/3J1ff7I)
- Measuring Spoons: 1 Teaspoon and 1 Tablespoon
- Measuring Cups: ½ Cup, ¼ Cup, and 1 Cup
- Mixing Bowl large enough for 2 cups of flour and 2 cups of milk
- Mixing Spatula
- Two 1-Gallon Zipper Bags
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:
I am going to present this recipe with three ingredients groups:
- Wet Ingredients
- Dry Ingredients
- Ingredients You Will Pack to Camp
Though things like milk are considered “wet” and sugar is considered “dry,” keeping certain ingredients separate until ready to cook is important despite their “state of matter” (you Chemistry Geeks will get that).
A note on the beer choice:
First, here’s a link to the beer I used in the video from Bombastic Brewery: https://www.bombasticbrewing.com/
You may not be able to find this specific beer in your area. I’ve included some links to Bombastic’s site to give you an idea of the beer I like to use in this recipe.
Going with a darker, sweeter porter or stout is my preference. A citrusy beer or sour will work A-OK too but you’d need to consider the amount of lemon zest you will add. And, as always, a nice and light lager will work great. As a matter of fact, we will only be using ¼ cup of beer; you could just add the first ¼ cup of whatever beer you will be enjoying as you create this recipe.
A note on the lemon zest:
Zest is the outer colored part of the peel of citrus fruit and is used as flavoring. There’s a lot of lemony lemon in that lemon peel. I add much more than my suggested 1-2 teaspoons. I love the lemon flavor of this recipe when I add that much zest. My suggestion is to start out with only 1-2 teaspoons of lemon zest and see how you like it. Zest is like salt; more is not always better but that depends on the person enjoying the meal. It’s very subjective.
You will not need a microplane or a zester for this recipe. You could use the small side of a cheese grater or just peel the lemon and chop the peel very, very fine. My suggestion is to add a microplane or zester to your kitchen’s utensils. They are quite inexpensive, and you will find that it’s also pretty handy-dandy. Here’s a link:
We’ll start with two one-gallon zipper bags or two separate containers. In one bag, we will add all our dry ingredients. In the other, we will add our wet ingredients.
The Wet Ingredients:
- 4 Cups of Berries (Fresh or Frozen)
- ½ Cup of Sugar
- ¼ Cup of Beer
- 1-2 Teaspoons of Lemon Zest
The Dry Ingredients:
- 2 Cups of White Flour
- 1 ½ Cups of Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon of Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon of Salt
The Ingredients You Will Pack to Camp:
- 2 Cups of Milk
- 8 Tablespoons of Butter
Instructions
Steps to Create the Cobbler
My suggestion is to pre-prepare your ingredients and have them ready when it’s time to bake. It’s almost like having a homemade cake-in-a-box that is ready to go for easy baking in camp. The entire recipe can be prepared and created in camp if you like. I am going to present the recipe in two parts:
- Pre-Prepared Ingredients
- Ready to Bake
Pre-Prepare Your Ingredients
Step 1: Set out a 1-gallon zipper bag or other container and add all of the wet ingredients; mix thoroughly. Store in the ice chest, cooler, or refrigerator until ready to bake.
Chef’s Tip: Keep the zipper bag of wet ingredients either double-bagged or stored in a second container to reduce the risk of leakage or spillage in the ice chest or cooler.
Step 2: Set out a 1-gallon zipper bag or other container and add all of the dry ingredients; mix thoroughly. Store this until you are ready to bake.
Step 3: Pack the milk and butter in the ice chest or cooler until you are ready to bake.
Chef’s Tip: I just bring an unopened container of milk with me to camp. Two cups of milk is all we will need but having milk in camp is pretty okie-dokie come sun rise or even used as an ingredient to soups or stews.
Ready to Bake Steps
Step 4: Set 24-30 charcoal briquettes to fire. Let them heat until they are hot and ready.
Step 5: Set a 12-inch camp cast iron Dutch oven over 24-30 hot-and-ready charcoal briquettes.
Step 6: Add the stick of butter to the Dutch oven. We need this to be fry-ready. Careful!! DON’T BURN THE BUTTER.
Chef’s Tip: If you burn the butter…no worries. You brought an extra stick, right? Pull the Dutch oven from the fire and wipe out the burned butter. If you use some paper towels, these butter-soaked paper towels make great fire starter.
Step 7: As soon as you put the butter in the Dutch oven, mix the dry ingredients with 2 cups of milk. Use a mixing bowl to stir them together very well. This is our cobbler batter.
Step 8: Once the butter is hot and fry-ready, pour the batter into the Dutch oven and over the butter. It’ll be bubbling around the edges.
Chef’s Tip: Very hot and melted butter is the key here! That batter will start cooking as soon as it hits the butter. We want the batter to cook on the butter and not on the cast iron (in a manner of speaking). This is how we keep it from sticking.
Step 9: Once the batter is in the Dutch oven, add the wet ingredients to the top of the batter. DO NOT MIX the wet ingredients in with the batter; just evenly add, drop, or spread the berry mixture to the top of the batter.
Step 10: Return the lid to the Dutch oven and remove the Dutch oven from the hot charcoal briquettes. Add 16 hot briquettes to the top of the Dutch oven and set the Dutch oven over 8 hot briquettes. (24 total briquettes: 16 on the lid and 8 under the oven).
Step 11: Let this bake for 10-minutes. Then, turn the Dutch oven: Turn the lid 1/3rd turn in one direction and the whole pot 1/3rd of a turn in the other direction.
Step 12: Let this bake for another 10-minutes (20-minutes) total. Visually check the cobbler. We want our cobbler to be baked and “dry” but not “dry.” Cobblers have fruit; some bubbling is expected. The key here is to make sure the batter is baked. It should be spongy.
Chef’s Tip: This is a forgiving recipe. A little under-done or a little over-done…it’s going to be delicious.
Step 13: If you feel the cobbler needs more time, return the lid to the pot and give the pot another turn. Wait five minutes and check again. Do this every five minutes until the cobbler is done.
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
Beer Berry Cobbler Recipe in a Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven
This recipe will work great with most any fruit. Blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, and even peaches, apples, pears, and the like. I’ve even created this with fine-chopped rhubarb. I’ll present the recipe by using blackberries. You can use either use fresh fruit or frozen fruit: but…you’ll need to let the frozen fruit thaw before you use it in this recipe. Though things like milk are considered “wet” and sugar is considered “dry,” keeping certain ingredients separate until ready to cook is important.If you pre-prepare this recipe at home, you will only pack a mixing bowl, stirring spatula, and a 1-cup measuring cup with you to camp.
Equipment
- 1 Microplane (Zester/Grater)
- 2 Measuring Spoons: 1 Teaspoon and 1 Tablespoon
- 3 Measuring Cups ½ Cup, ¼ Cup, and 1 Cup
- 1 Mixing Bowl large enough for 2 cups of flour and 2 cups of milk
- 1 Mixing Spatula
- 2 Gallon Zipper Bags
Ingredients
The Wet Ingredients
- 4 Cups Blackberries Fresh or Frozen
- ½ Cup Sugar
- ¼ Cup Beer
- 1-2 Teaspoons Lemon Zest
The Dry Ingredients
- 2 Cups White Flour
- 1 ½ Cups Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Pack To Camp Ingredients
- 2 Cups Milk
- 8 Tablespoons Butter
Instructions
Pre-Prepare at Home
- Set out a 1-gallon zipper bag or other container and add all of the wet ingredients; mix thoroughly. Store in the ice chest, cooler, or refrigerator until ready to bake.
- Set out a 1-gallon zipper bag or other container and add all of the dry ingredients; mix thoroughly. Store this until you are ready to bake.
- Pack the milk and butter in the ice chest or cooler until you are ready to bake.
In-Camp Bake Steps
- Set 24-30 charcoal briquettes to fire. Let them heat until they are hot and ready.
- Set a 12-inch camp cast iron Dutch oven over 24-30 hot-and-ready charcoal briquettes.
- Add the stick of butter to the Dutch oven. We need this to be fry-ready. Careful!! DON’T BURN THE BUTTER.
- As soon as you put the butter in the Dutch oven, mix the dry ingredients with 2 cups of milk. Use a mixing bowl to stir them together very well. This is our cobbler batter.
- Once the butter is hot and fry-ready, pour the batter into the Dutch oven and over the butter. It’ll be bubbling around the edges.
- Once the batter is in the Dutch oven, add the wet ingredients to the top of the batter. DO NOT MIX the wet ingredients in with the batter; just evenly add, drop, or spread the berry mixture to the top of the batter.
- Return the lid to the Dutch oven and remove the Dutch oven from the hot charcoal briquettes. Add 16 hot briquettes to the top of the Dutch oven and set the Dutch oven over 8 hot briquettes. (24 total briquettes: 16 on the lid and 8 under the oven).
- Let this bake for 10-minutes. Then, turn the Dutch oven: Turn the lid 1/3rd turn in one direction and the whole pot 1/3rd of a turn in the other direction.
- Let this bake for another 10-minutes (20-minutes) total. Visually check the cobbler.
- If you feel the cobbler needs more time, return the lid to the pot and give the pot another turn. Wait five minutes and check again. Do this every five minutes until the cobbler is done.
Notes
Once the cobber is baked, remove all of the briquettes from the top of the Dutch oven and from under the Dutch oven. Enjoy this dessert over ice cream or whipped cream.
This is likely one of the easiest recipes you’ll prepare in your camp cast iron Dutch oven. It may be easy, easy, easy…but it’s delicious, delicious, delicious. It’s great in the summer with some vanilla ice cream. And it’s good in the winter too. Hey…you want to know what’s great about this recipe in the winter? If you have snow at camp, make some snow ice cream for this dessert.
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!
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!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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.
Tenderize, Beer-Brine, and Cook the Easiest and Best Tasting Chicken Breast
How to Tenderize, Beer-Brine, and Cook the Perfect Chicken Breast 3-Part Complete Guide
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!
Easy Beer Bread Rolls – Bread Baked in a Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven Recipe
And easy 6-Ingredient Bread Recipe that will help learn how bread bakes in a camp cast iron Dutch oven. Easy to bake in the home oven as well.
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