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.
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:
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.
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
Actual competition cooking is on Saturday September 16, 2017
A group of us camper/Dutch Oven cooks have been attending this event for years. The rangers at this State Park make this the best cooking competition we have ever competed in. Aside from the awesome prizes the rangers solicit from supporting businesses, they just make this plain fun.
This is not IDOS sanctioned and the rules are lax. Just plain old fun! Be prepared to come up against a lot of very good cooks. The competition is tough!
Be prepared to arrive early and to stay until after dark.
Even if you don’t participate in cooking. The whole day can be taken up hiking early in the morning, then wandering around watching the cooks prepare the food. Judging and serving food to the public, is early evening.
Buy your raffles tickets and take a chance on winning prizes and supporting a great event.
Many of us start arriving Thursday and Friday to also spend a few days camping. Sites are first come first served. Though the rangers have always made room for everyone even if it means “dry camping” off the edge of the pavement near the picnic area.
This time of year expect warm days and cool nights. The Milky-way will blanket you in the sky above. The coyote’s will sing you to sleep at night.
This is “Chuck Box V.2” for me. My current upgrade, from previous Stanley “Fat Max” tool boxes that I used for several years. My latest upgraded version uses these Rigid Brand Stackable and Wheeled tool totes, shown in this article..
Ever since covered wagons, I would imagine the Chuck Box has been a common term. Before that, I am sure migrating people had a simpler and smaller means of transporting some of their precious spice items. Those items that were not easily obtained foraging natures surrounding supplies.
If you have camped many years you have probably changed out your own method of carrying your own staples. Having your items with you, rather than being dependent on an inconvenient source to purchase (forage) your own items while camping. I say this is version 2 for me, but that is version 2 in a recent sense. In reality I have tried numerous configurations over a lifetime of camping. All common containers many people use, such as Tupperware or plastic shoe boxes.
My current method is “Rigid” totes. I hope people viewing the blog take the time to forward us photos of your own “tried and true” method. We want to add them to this article. So tell us a little about yours and about yourself. Or what you think of ours?
Ours does not have the “coolness ” factor of a handcrafted wood Chuck Box, but they are highly functional. The boxes have been along on multi-day trips, Dutch Oven Cooking events, and regular campground camping. We have ours loaded so we are not wanting of anything.
We use 3 Stack-able and Wheeled totes made by Rigid. Finding ours at Home Depot for about $130. They seal well against rain, have latches to slow down critters, carrying handles, and side handles that also serve to latch all 3 together as one unit.
The totes are often left on the picnic table at all times (unless in bear country) and they have never had the critters get in them. They also sit out, getting rained on at times. When we return home from camping, the used items are replenished. Everything is kept inside the house so the ingredients are always fresh and ready to go for the next trip.
Dry Ingredients such as flour, pancake mix, etc is rotated when we replenish. We dump the unused portion out on foil. Refill the used portion from new supply in the house, then dump the older ingredient now on the foil, back in on top to fill our camp container.
The top box is all spices and several small containers of Crisco. This box is equipped as well as my home kitchen.
The middle box is the dry ingredient box. Larger containers of things like Flour, Sugar, and Coffee. In in their own larger screw lid containers. There is also extra room for cookbooks and bags of backup items. A couple containers do double duty.
The largest box, on the bottom is also wheeled and has a telescoping handle to assist in wheeling all three boxes as a single unit. This bottom box is my catch all for small cutting boards, utensils, knives, and silverware.
Here is a list of items in my three boxes. I cook with large groups and can cook or bake anything with what I carry. Adjust your items to suit your needs.
Top Box
(8) 1/4 Cup containers of Crisco
Spray oil
Salt
Pepper
Cilantro Flakes
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Italian Seasoning
Paprika
Corn Starch
Baking Soda
Baking Powder
Nutmeg
Cinnamon
Ginger ground/powder
Nutmeg ground/powder
Clove ground/powder
Burger Seasoning
Chili Powder
Cumin Powder
Vanilla Extract
Sage
Dry Milk
Cayenne Pepper
Bay Leaves
Vegetable Oil
Dry Yeast
This is “Chuck Box V.2” for me. My current upgrade, from previous Stanley “Fat Max” tool boxes that I used for several years. My latest upgraded version uses these Rigid Brand Stackable and Wheeled tool totes, shown in this article..
