Category: CAST IRON

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CATHEDRAL GORGE STATE PARK 2020 Dutch Oven Cook-off (Canceled)

This did not come as any surprise.

The Nevada State Parks “Cathedral Gorge Annual Dutch Oven Cook-off 2020” is canceled due to Covid.

This event is always held in September.  Those that have it on your schedule for 2020 need to remove it.  We just received  official confirmation back from a  Cathedral Gorge State Park spokesperson this morning.

We will be updating our various social media locations and websites.  Please spread the word to others you know may have had plans to attend, and not see this changes.

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Hollands Cast Iron

Just when we thought we had seen them all, another unknown is found.  We only say that with tongue in cheek because there seems to be an endless list of Cast Iron Manufacturers.  It is fascinating how many existed in the late 1800’s up until the mid 1900’s.

This Hollands #9 Pot was purchased at a garage sale.  Possible Circa 1890’s to Early 1900’s?  This one is in very good condition.  Valued at $100-$150.

For more info, photos, and the reason you need to test such finds for lead, click Link to full page on Hollands Manufacturing Co.

 

 

Hollands 9 Pot

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LASAGNA (8 inch Dutch Oven batch)

LASAGNA (8 inch Dutch Oven batch)

While this recipe was created for Zucchini, you can easily substitute with regular lasagna noodles. I pre-cook normal lasagna noodles, then proceed with the same recipe. Various cheeses can be mixed or matched based on your preference or availability. The quantity is ample for about 4-6 people. Serve with a salad and garlic toast.

Recipe and Photo: Courtesy R Beach
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 4 People
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Small Zucchini sliced thin lengthwise Or substitute with pre-cooked lasagna noodles – about (8) of the approximately 2×10 sized noodles. See Barilla brand n.397).
  • 1 lb Ground Turkey Could substitute with ground beef or ground chicken
  • 1 Tbs Dried Cilantro flakes
  • 3/4 Sweet Onion diced
  • 1/2 tsp Salt Adjust sauce to taste
  • 1/4 tsp Pepper Adjust to taste
  • 15 oz Fire roasted diced tomatoes (canned) drained
  • 15 oz Tomato Sauce
  • 1 Tblsp Garlic minced
  • 1 Tblsp Dried Italian Seasoning
  • 1 tsp Dried Marjoram
  • 3 cups Fresh Spinach leaves/Baby leaves Loosely Packed to measure
  • 8 leaves Fresh Basil chopped
  • 16 oz Cottage Cheese small curd or Ricotta Cheese
  • 8 oz Mozzarella Cheese Shredded

Method
 

  1. Slice Zucchini thin lengthwise. Lay out on paper towels while preparing other ingredients. This will absorb some of the liquid the zucchini would otherwise generate while baking.
  2. Saute: Ground Turkey, Dried Cilantro flakes, 3/4 Sweet Onion diced, plus Salt & Pepper to taste.
  3. In a separate bowl Whisk the following: Fire roasted diced tomatoes, Tomato Sauce, Garlic, Italian Seasoning, Marjoram, Salt & Pepper to taste.
  4. Coarsely Chop & Mix together: 3 cups Loosely packed chopped fresh spinach leaves, and the chopped basil leaves.
  5. Layer in a well greased 8 inch Dutch Oven
  6. A little Sauce mixture
  7. A layer of sliced zucchini/or noodles
  8. A layer of the Sauteed Meat mixture
  9. A layer of Small curd Cottage Cheese
  10. A layer of shredded Mozzarella Cheese
  11. A layer of the chopped Spinach and Basil
  12. Repeat the layers
  13. End by spreading any remaining sauce on top. Then some shredded Mozzarella Cheese.
  14. At this point the 8 inch Dutch Oven will be heaped slightly but will cook down as the spinach wilts. A 10 inch Dutch Oven will work too.
  15. In your kitchen, using zucchini, oven bake uncovered @ 375°F for 90 minutes (Uncovered to evaporate the liquid due to the water in the zucchini)

    Using zucchini in camp with Charcoal, bake 90 minutes covered. To get the evaporation required, when baking with charcoal slightly elevate the lid with spoon handles, (regular thin handled eating spoons) to make a slight gap….or some similar method.

    If using regular pre-cooked pasta noodles (Kitchen Oven) reduce the cook time. Bake covered 30 minutes, then uncovered an additional 30 minutes.

    If using regular pre-cooked pasta noodles (Camp Dutch Oven & Charcoal) Bake covered 60 minutes, and Do Not use any air gap technique between the pot & lid.
  16. Cook on something covered with foil since a full pot tends to ooze some of the ingredients until it cooks down a bit.

Notes

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HOMEMADE HAMBURGER & HOT DOG BUNS

HOMEMADE HAMBURGER & HOT DOG BUNS

This recipe can be used to make soft Hamburger or Hot Dog buns.
This is a Rick Beach personal recipe.
Print Recipe
Servings: 12 Buns
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/4 Cup Canned Coconut Milk (Regular Milk would work) Warm
  • 1 Raw Egg Room Temperature and beaten
  • 1/4 Cup White Sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons Melted butter
  • 3/4 teaspoon Salt
  • 2 teaspoons Yeast Rapid rise or regular both work
  • 1 teaspoon Vital Wheat Gluten (This is not Gluten Flour) - This creates light and fluffy buns
  • 3 3/4 Cups All purpose or Bread Flour Sifted

Method
 

  1. Warm the coconut milk to proper bread making temperature. (I test on the inside of my wrist as if warming for a baby - no thermometer required - not too hot). Whisk in the yeast and sugar and set aside for 10-15 minutes and let it bloom (When ready it will appear as a bit of foam or thick material on the surface ). If it doesn't bloom your yeast is bad or your liquid to cold or too hot.
  2. In another bowl combine (dry whisk) the flour, Vital Wheat Gluten, and salt. Then set aside.
  3. Whisk the room temperature egg with the melted but cooled butter (If the butter is too hot it will cook the egg as added). Once the egg and butter are combined, whisk in the Coconut Milk, sugar, yeast mixture.
  4. At this point the Flour mixture can be added to the liquid mixture using any traditional bread making techniques, or continued using a Bread Machine custom set to "Dough" only. Whatever method is used it must satisfy mixing, kneading, and the first rise of the dough.
  5. Punch the dough down and turn out on a floured board. Cut in 12 equal sized pieces for 12 Hamburger buns.

    You can form Hamburger Buns with rounds, and Hot Dog buns with a longer shape.
  6. Form your buns, coat with oil or spray oil, and lay out almost touching each other.

    I personally use a greased 4 inch deep stainless steel Steamer tray for this. The high sides help make sides on the buns where not touching other buns.

    The 4 inch deep tray is placed in a 6 inch deep stainless steel Steamer tray that contains a couple inches of hot tap water. A stainless steal Steamer tray lids goes on top. This is placed on the warm stove, This becomes the 2nd rise proofing chamber. But any successful method you use to allow the dough to rise will work. Let this 2nd rise go 45-60 minutes or until your buns look doubled in size.
  7. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place the buns in the oven and bake for at least 9 minutes. Take a peek at 9 minutes without letting all the heat escape. They should just be beginning to brown. Often they will not at this point. Check every 2 minutes until they just begin to brown. Then remove from the oven. Remove from the pan and place on a wire rack to begin cooling. DO NOT OVER BAKE or the buns will not be soft.
  8. While still very warn use a piece of buttered wax paper (old butter wrap works great) and lightly butter all surfaces of the bun to create a soft surface. Once cooled, bag and twist tie to avoid having the buns dry out.

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BREAD – OLD FASHIONED WHITE BREAD (Coconut Milk)

BREAD - OLD FASHIONED WHITE BREAD (Coconut Milk)

Recipe and photo by: Rick Beach
The taste of this bread is that of old fashioned white bread. There is no coconut taste in the finished bread. Organic Blue Agave is used since it is a low Hypoglycemic organic sweetener. A Dutch Oven cooking friend of mine (Kathleen LeBlanc) got me into using Agave syrup. I am so glad she did. I often bake this in a Dutch Oven. Free form loaves could be used. Or small loaf pans. Use a large, tall, Dutch Oven and coals for 375°. I prefer to use one standard bread loaf pan. I place a wire rack in the Dutch Oven to elevate the loaf pan slightly. This recipe can be used for Loaves of Bread, English Muffins, Pizza and more.
Print Recipe
Servings: 1 Large Loaf
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 4 Cups All-purpose flour An additional 1/2 Cup may be required to adjust
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 13.5 oz Unsweetened Coconut Milk
  • 2 teaspoons Rapid rise yeast Mix into flour - Do not mix your yeast into the liquid with the salt
  • 4 Tablespoons Agave Liquid Syrup Sweetener Warmed/Room Temperature
  • 2 Tablespoons Butter Melted
  • 1 Egg raw whisked Use a room temperature egg

Method
 

  1. SET BREAD MACHINE to "Quick", "Dough" Start so pre-heat is going.
  2. PLACE Mixed Flour and Salt in bread machine
  3. COMBINE in a separate bowl the combine the Warm Coconut Milk, warm Agave, and yeast. Whisk and allow to "grow" 5 to 15 minutes.
  4. COMBINE in yet another separate bowl whisk the warm raw egg,
  5. COMBINE the Milk/Yeast mixture to the whisked Egg mixture Slowly whisk in the melted butter (make sure butter is not hot) then whisk to combine all the liquids.
  6. POUR combined liquid mixture into bread machine with the flour/salt mixture. Let the bread machine starting running through Quick, Dough, cycle (Mix & First Rise 45 Minutes) This is normally a manual override setting on most bread machines.ADD the salt. Monitor the initial mixing stage until the dough just begins to clump together and form a ball. Then sprinkle the salt over the dough and allow the mixing to proceed.
  7. PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees F. Grease Bread Pans. The warmed stove top will become your warm place 45 minutes later to raise your dough the second time. The bread machine will provide the raise the first time. ( If you are using a mixer/dough hook or hand method to create your dough, both raises will need to occur on the stove top or other warm place)
  8. TURN DOUGH OUT (dough that has raised one time) on floured surface and roll out into a 12X8 inch rectangle. Roll as a jelly roll 8 inches wide. Pinch seam, tuck ends under and pinch seams, coat with light coat of oil, and place in greased bread pan, seam side down.
  9. COVER Dough AND let RAISE, on warm stove 30-45 minutes.
  10. BAKE at 375 for 25-30 minutes (Until golden Brown and sounds somewhat hollow when tapped.
  11. Remove from pan and rub all surfaces with butter for a softer crust. Cover with towel until cooled
  12. -----------------------------------------------------------
  13. Note: Liquids should be warm not hot. Rather than getting all technical and breaking out the thermometers. Test on inside of wrist as you would baby bottle milk. Proper temperature aids in the dough rising quickly. Overly hot will kill the yeast. Cold temperatures, and the yeast will not rise. On both Raise cycles the dough should double in volume. Your flour and other ingredients should all be at least room temperature. Make sure to oil the dough, and oil your rising bowl, or container. Cover and raise dough in a warm draft free location.
  14. We use a bread machine to speed mixing the dough and the first rise. The benefit of a bread machine is consistent results. When baking multiple loaves you can keep producing a ready batch every 45 minutes, ready for the second rise in your bread pan.
  15. This dough can be made using any traditional method including the old fashioned by hand method, or a mixer with a dough hook. By hand, the more you knead, the better the bread. Many people that get poor results when baking bread fail at the temperature, and or not enough kneading. Other yeast killers are combining your yeast and salt in the liquids. The salt will kill the yeast. Mix your yeast with warm liquids and allow it to "grow". Combined ingredients as recipe indicates. With any tried and tested recipe you might be following pay particular attention to how and when the salt is added.
  16. Rising works best in a warm moist environment. I use (2) stainless steamer trays. The 6 inch deep, half size steamer tray 10x12 inch. Or full size if doing English muffins or multiple loaves. In the bottom tray, add a 1/2 inch of very hot tap water. A wire rack placed in that hot water (Rack should be slightly above the water level). Then place the bread pan with the oiled dough in it, on top of the rack. The second stainless tray placed inverted as a domed cover. This is placed on the top of the warm stove with the oven preheating. This warm, moist environment raises your dough quickly, usually in 30 minutes so. Standard size loaves have plenty of room to raise.
  17. Full size steamer tray shown with English Muffins being raised.
  18. Top inverted tray is removed to photograph the bottom
  19. There is wire rack under the muffins that is foiled covered for this English muffin technique
  20. Trays and properly sized racks are available at restaurant supply places
  21. Other options are foil type trays, Dutch Oven with a trivet inside, then set in the sun, etc. I have also used an ice chest with hot water and pans to lift the loaf pans above the water...no ice 🙂 Anything you have around the house that can trap the warmth and moisture. Also before starting the "raise" process, remember to coat the dough with vegetable oil or olive oil. Spray Pam works great and is easy to apply with no waste.
  22. After removing the baked bread from the oven, and still hot, rub all surfaces with butter for a soft crust.
  23. This dough is an excellent choice for making thick or thin pizza.
  24. Note: Dough can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge. See the link below for more details.
  25. No...this bread does not taste like coconut.

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WARMING SHELF

Vintage pieces of Cast Iron are fascinating in many ways.   Especially the ones you have never seen.  Or initially have no clue as to what their originally intended purpose was.

At first glance you often try to associate its function with something modern day.

This particular item had me instantly thinking of a wall mounted fold down pot shelf.   Other than the fold down, and shelf, I was decades away from its actual function.

Have you seen one of these before?  Did you actually know what it is?  If not, you may be interested in knowing more?

Follow over to our more in depth article, including more photos at Cast Iron Warming Shelf.

Image courtesy of Mary Morris
All Images on this site are to be considered ©Copyright by their owners

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OLD MORMON FORT Dutch Oven Cook-Off 2020

Las Vegas Nevada

March 28th, 2020

Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort

State Historic Park

Dutch Oven Cook-Off Rules

Saturday, March 28, 2020

ELIGIBILITY:   The contest is open to individuals or group cook/teams.  Anyone under the age of 16 entering individually must have a parent or guardian’s signature. 

ENTRY FEE:  $5 per team, cash only.  Fee waived with pre-registration. Participants are allowed unlimited dishes.  The entry fee will be used to help fund future cook-offs, demonstrations, and other interpretive park programs. Participants have until the start of the competition to enter.

PROCEDURE:  Entries fall under one of the three categories:

  • Main Course
  • Side Dish
  • Dessert

Entrants are responsible for providing all food items and supplies required for preparation of the entry.  Entrants are also responsible for cleanup of their immediate area after cooking.  Charcoal will not be provided. Participants may set up their own hot water stations if desired.

 All individuals and teams participating will be required to display a sign (no larger than 8-1/2” by 11”) that states the name of their dish.  If the dish is especially spicy or contains foods that many people are allergic to (such as peanuts) that information should also be included on the sign. 

All cooking must be done in a Dutch oven and everything must be cooked on-site (i.e. no pre-cooked items or ingredients may be used).  Participants are responsible for keeping refrigerated items cool prior to serving or mixing into the recipe. 

For public health reasons, pets will not be allowed in the cooking area during the cook-off.  Only those involved in preparing dishes will be allowed in the cooking area.  Participants must follow proper sanitary procedures when handling food and cleaning cutting boards, mixing bowls, and any other utensils used during the preparation of the dish.  Tasting of dishes (for adjusting of seasonings) should be done only with a disposable spoon.

SCHEDULE:   The event schedule will be as follows:

8:00am: Park opens, participants may enter and begin setting up.

12:30pm: Tasting and voting begins

1:00 – 1:30pm: Winners will be announced

4:30pm: Park closes.

AWARDS PROCESS: Awards will be given to the top three dishes in each of the three categories.  Award winners will be decided by a panel of three judges. Each category will also have a popular vote winner. Event attendees will have one vote to cast per dish category. 

While this is a competition, everyone’s goal should be to have fun and learn some new recipes and techniques!

Contact us using one of the following, to obtain an Entry Form. Entry forms may be submitted one of three ways:

Email: 

cfehner@parks.nv.gov

OldFort@parks.nv.vom

Mail:

Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park

500 E Washington Ave

Las Vegas, NV 89101

In Person at:

Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park

500 E Washington Ave

Las Vegas, NV 89101



Website  Old  Las Vegas Mormon Fort

 

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Zucchini Bread

Zucchini Bread

A personal recipe of Rick Beach. These can be made in small loaf pans in your Dutch Oven. Or in your home Kitchen Oven in a regular sized bread loaf pan.
Print Recipe
Servings: 6 3x5 mini Loaf pans
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 3 Large Eggs
  • 1 Cup Canola Oil
  • 2 Cup Granulated Sugar
  • 2 Cup Zucchini Grated
  • 3 Cups Flour (all purpose)
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1/4 tsp Baking Powser
  • 3 tsp Cinnamon (ground)
  • 1 Cup Raisins
  • 1 Cup Chopped Nuts or Chocolate Chips Optional

Method
 

  1. Preheat Heat Oven to 350°F
  2. Blend Oil, Sugar, & Eggs in a bowl, then stir in grated Zucchini.
  3. In a second bowl mix the dry ingredients (not the Raisins or Nuts).
  4. Slowly add the mixed dry ingredients to the wet ingredients blending until uniformly mixed.
  5. Stir in the Raisins and optional chocolate chips or nuts.
  6. Fill loaf pan about 3/4 full with batter. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes depending on size of loaf pans. Using the clean toothpick/Knife test to check for doneness. Do not over bake and dry out.
  7. (6) 3x5 Mini Loaf pans = 40 minutes. Standard Loaf pan = 60 minutes

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