DUTCH OVEN COMPETITION MORMON FORT – March 2022

DUTCH OVEN COOKING COOK-OFF
March 26, 2022
Old Mormon Fort
Las Vegas, Nevada

Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort
State Historic Park
Dutch Oven Cook-Off Rules
Saturday, March 26, 2022
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 the Old Mormon Fort for entry form(s).

Completed Entry forms can be submitted one of three ways:
Email:
cfehner@parks.nv.gov
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

Loading

NEW DUTCH OVEN COOKING CLASS February 2022

February 19, 2022
Old Las Vegas Fort

500 East Washington Avenue
Las Vegas, NV 89101

Reserve your own spot in the up coming class.   Or contact the Old Mormon Fort if you have questions.  Sign up is open for the next scheduled Dutch Oven cooking class is scheduled for
February 19, 2022.

You can sign up now through the Eventbrite Website, the Friends of the Fort uses to collect payment and reserve your spot.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dutch-oven-cooking-class-tickets-210871581577

The class can prepare you to enter the Dutch Oven Cooking Competition at the Old Fort, hosted by Nevada State Parks on Saturday, March 26th, 2022. For more information on the competition, please email Carson at:

cfehner@parks.nv.gov

The Old Fort is located at 500 E. Washington Ave, in Las Vegas, NV

Article submitted by: Ruth Rauma, Friends of the Fort

 

Loading

DUTCH OVEN COOKING CLASS November 2021

Dutch Oven Cooking Class at the Old Mormon Fort
Nevada State Park – Las Vegas, Nevada

On a beautiful fall day in November 2021, at the Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort, the air smelled wonderful.  Of freshly baked bread, chili, pineapple cake, and cinnamon rolls.  Just a few of the Dutch Oven dishes being prepared at the Dutch Oven Cooking Class.  Presented by Russ and Susan Richins.

Russ and Susan Richins are owners of Rocking RR Chuck-wagon.

Friends of the Fort, a non-profit, is a group that supports the Old Mormon Fort The Fort is a Nevada State Park, located in Las Vegas.  Friends of the Fort hosted their first Dutch Oven Cooking class.

14 fortunate students got hands on coaching and experience, learning everything about Dutch Ovens and how to master the art of cooking in them.

Susan and Russ traveled from Phoenix, AZ, to present this full-day class. They have been cooking in Dutch Ovens for about 57 years and have been teaching classes for 20 years. Susan and Russ have participated in Dutch Oven competitions throughout Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Colorado, and won an Arizona State Championship.

The class was a full-day.  Students learn how to select Dutch Ovens, how to care for them, and how to cook and bake in them.  Along with how to regulate the heat, and various cooking methods.

Each student made a yeast and sourdough bread from scratch.  A main dish.  Also a  side dish or dessert.  Susan and Russ provided all of the cooking equipment and all of the ingredients for the recipes.  After the class, there was a pot luck for everyone to share and enjoy the dishes that were prepared.

We received much positive feedback about this class.  It was a great introduction to cast iron cooking for those with no experience.  It was also well  received by those that wanted to hone their skills.

Reserve your own spot in the up coming class, or come out to observe.  Watch for detailed info we will post in support.  Or contact the Old Mormon Fort.  The next scheduled cooking class is scheduled for February 2022.

You can also sign up now through the Eventbrite Website the Friends of the Fort uses to collecting payment.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dutch-oven-cooking-class-tickets-210871581577

The class can prepare you to enter the Dutch Oven Cooking Competition at the Old Fort, hosted by Nevada State Parks on Saturday, March 26th. For more information on the competition, please email Carson at

cfehner@parks.nv.gov

The Old Fort is located at 500 E. Washington Ave, in Las Vegas, NV

Article submitted by: Ruth Rauma, Friends of the Fort

 

 

Loading

CHARCOAL OUT THE EARS

A donation to TheDutchOvenCook.com today.  (A big Thank You to Ed McCormick of Las Vegas)

This came short notice….the way things like this often do.   In hindsight had I had more time to think about this, and known some of my contacts would not be as interested as I had hoped.  I may have passed.

The timing was good for me to do the pick-up.  It was an adventure none the less.

We shuttled broken and torn bags of charcoal, from the back of a semi-trailer for a good two hours.

Moving all the charcoal onto my (Tri-axle) dump trailer. Pallet after pallet of boxed up ripped bags.  Each pallet and cardboard container was wrapped in shipping shrink plastic. There was two layers of pallets so the cardboard containers on the bottom were crushed.  (Thank you John/ with Ed) for helping dig through all of that and for slinging lots of charcoal.

Somewhere about a quarter of the way into the semi-trailer the bee’s showed up.   I took three hits.  Two Benadryl later I was back in there.  I hate those little buggers.  They left stingers so they were some kind of bee and not yellow jackets.   We never did figure out were we stirred them up.  We thought maybe they were under the trailer?

What do you do with several thousand pounds of charcoal?  That was an initial eye ball estimate.  After unloading much of it in buckets and garbage cans later in the day, I believe it may have been in excess of 4000lbs.

What started out as a gifting idea to supply 3 state parks we attend Dutch Oven Cook Off events at, with free charcoal. Turned into they either didn’t want any. Or they only want a mere couple hundred pounds.

I needed to get the majority of this off the trailer before I drive a load up to Cathedral Gorge State Park. Too much weight, and they didn’t want the volume I have anyway.

The Old Mormon Fort SP in Las Vegas took as much as they wanted.  We had hoped double or triple of what they took.  LOL

We put the word out to our Dutch Oven friends, FB Market Place and Craigslist. Thankfully enough people showed up at my house to get this down to a manageable load.  I think 3000 lbs or so was off loaded.  We stopped at 6:30pm and put the trailer to bed.  Thanks to all that toted some away!

The remainder of the charcoal I am hauling up to Cathedral Gorge SP next week (165 mile on way).  Perhaps tent camp a night while I am there to give this adventure an ending bright spot.

Loading

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

 

Loading

BLACKLOCK FOUNDRY (Lodge)

Introducing the Blacklock line from Lodge.  As a cast iron lover, user, and collector, new products always interest us.   We like a wide variety.

We recently stumbled into the Blacklock line.  As we spoke of it to others  in our circle of Dutch Oven Cooking friends.  We quickly realized many are as uninformed as we were.

Numerous collector and daily use cookware pieces we have are Lodge. Vintage as well as more modern.  Old school plus pre-seasoned.

To our knowledge the new Lodge line of Blacklock is a premium more lightweight piece of cookware.  Best of all it comes triple seasoned!

History wise, Lodge was the first to introduce factory seasoned cookware. Starting that back in 2002.   Now they are offering a triple seasoned product.

We hope that somewhere down the road, we have the opportunity to test out a some of the Blacklock line.  Then provide you with a candid and honest TheDutchOvenCook review.

For now Please visit Blacklock on the Lodge website for more information.

Lodge images used with permission courtesy of Lodge
Consider all images on this page as well as this site as ©Copyright
Written permission is required for any use of images or text

Loading

RECIPE: EASY BAGELS


The “Everything” Bagel

RECIPE: EASY BAGELS

This is a no yeast, quick and easy recipe for bagels. We often do these in a Dutch Oven while camping. I can't take credit for the recipe since a friend [Kathleen LeBlanc] shared it, and the technique, with me while camping. She did not know where it originated either.
Servings 4 Bagels

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Cup Self Rising Flour Or 1 C regular flour + 2 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 Cup Non Fat Greek Yogurt Not Regular Yogurt
  • 1/2 tsp Salt (Regular Table) or 3/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 Large Egg White

Instructions
 

  • Preheat Oven to 375°F - Or Charcoal for 375° Spray oil a cookie sheet or Dutch Oven bottom. Parchment paper could be used too, but spray oil the paper too.
  • In bowl combing the self rising flour and salt. Whisk together
  • With a fork, spatula or hands, mix in the yogurt until combined and looks like crumbles.
  • On a floured board knead the dough a few times. Dough should be tacky, not sticky. (15 to 20) turns.
  • Divide into 4 equal balls. Roll each ball into 3/4-inch thick ropes and join the ends to form your bagel. Or make a ball and poke a hole with your finger then stretch/form your bagel
  • Top with egg white wash and sprinkle with the seasoning you prefer.
  • Bake on the top rack of your oven. Or in a Dutch Oven with top heat for 375°F based on you Dutch Oven size.

Notes

The "Apple Pie Bagel".  Canned Apple Pie Filling - Cinnamon - Salt - Butter

Loading