your eyes open for the camping hacks scattered throughout this book. Each contains a little bit of wisdom you can use to make your outdoors experience even more enjoyable and memorable.
References to the use of cast iron cookware (also known as the “black pot”) have been noted in the Old Testament of the Bible.
Today, cast iron cookware is being rediscovered as something that produces mouthwatering foods and is durable enough to be passed down through generations of cooks. These old standbys are onetime purchases with cooking surfaces that get better with age and regular use. Although the Griswold and Wagner foundries are no longer open, they remain well-known names among cast iron enthusiasts and collectors, and other companies, such as Lodge Manufacturing Company, continue to produce outstanding cast iron cookware today.
Some things have changed about Dutch ovens and other cast iron cookware, but they still make excellent cooking tools. It really thrills me to see so many people attending classes and demonstrations about Dutch ovens and cast iron cookware. Cast iron cookware is a lifetime investment and, if cared for, will be a family heirloom you can keep for generations. Make it your way of cooking today and carry on the old traditions.
Try your favorite recipe by warming your Dutch oven and lightly oiling it. Put your food in, heat the oven to 350 degrees, and wait for the smell—it will tell you when it’s done. Like my Grandma said, “Kissin’ wears out, but cookin’ don’t.” Cook with love—it’s the only ingredient missing.
— Colleen Sloan,
author of Log Cabin Dutch Oven
About Colleen Sloan
Colleen Sloan grew up on a farm in Utah, where she learned the basics of Dutch oven and camp cooking from her family. Recognizing that this traditional method of cooking was something worth preserving, Sloan has made an effort to bring Dutch oven and cast iron cooking to as many people as possible.
For nearly two decades, Sloan has been introducing others to the delicious taste of food prepared with cast iron cookware. Driving across the country, she gives demonstrations and teaches classes about Dutch oven and camp cooking techniques. She eventually self-published her first cookbook, which features traditional recipes from her grandmother. The venture was largely successful, and several more cookbooks have followed.
To support her cast iron cooking craze, Sloan has a collection of more than 150 cast iron pieces, and that number is always growing. The set includes such standout pieces as a bean pot predating the Revolutionary War.
Today, cast iron products and cooking methods are climbing back into popularity, capturing the interest of people across the country. Sloan is incredibly excited to see this rising interest in the cooking methods she has been using her entire life.
The molten cast iron was poured by hand into sand molds.
The cookware shown here is ready to be distributed to customers.
CAST IRON:
BACK TO THE BASICS
The rediscovery of cast iron cookware begins with learning about cast iron and how to care for it. If you’re a new cast iron enthusiast, start here to learn everything you need to know about different cast iron products, how to care for them and how to cook with them. When you’ve got the basics down, dive into the recipes for some delicious meals that are sure to go on your favorites list. You’ll find everything from quick and easy recipes that come together in minutes to hearty, from-scratch dishes. And be sure to keep an eye out for the handy sidebars and vintage spotlights that feature some great info about cast iron cookware.
Cast iron cookware is available bare and covered with an enamel coating. While the recipes in this book focus on the use of bare cast iron cookware, you might find you are attracted to the look of enamelware. See here for some helpful information about the difference between bare and enamel cast iron.
Characteristics of Cast Iron Cookware
It’s versatile. Made from a single piece of metal, it can go directly from stovetop to oven and be used with campfires and grills. It will handle any style of cooking that you need—you can sauté, roast, bake and more. You can brown food in a skillet and then transfer it directly into a hot oven to finish cooking. That’s one-pot cooking at its best!
It’s heavy. This means your cast iron pots and pans will maintain an even cooking temperature once heated. This also means your cast iron cookware is durable, and it only gets better with age. A well-maintained cast iron piece can last for generations! Because it is heavy, look for sturdy handles on both sides to make handling easier, and use both hands to lift and move pans.
It can handle high temperatures. You’re going to get great results with cast iron cookware. Food will brown nicely and crusts will be crisp. The pots retain heat, so you can serve meals right out of your cookware without any concern that it will go cold. Do remember to use good pot holders and trivets, though!
It’s inexpensive, green cooking. It’s not very difficult to manufacture cast iron cookware, so compared to other top-of-the line pots and pans, it’s relatively inexpensive. If the price tag is still making you hesitate, keep in mind that if cared for, your cookware will last for years—and probably beyond—and won’t have to be replaced any time soon. If you don’t want to buy new, shop at second-hand stores or estate sales for used cookware.
It’s natural, nonstick cooking. Unlike other nonstick cookware, there are no artificial chemical coatings to be concerned about with cast iron. And if you keep your cast iron pots and pans well seasoned, you will have a natural, nonstick surface—all of the benefits of nonstick cooking without any synthetic materials, just the natural oils you use to season the cookware.
It can add an important nutrient to your food. When you cook with cast iron, a bit of iron leaches from the pan into the food being prepared, bumping up the iron content for your body to absorb. So just by cooking your food, you are making sure your body is well nourished—no extra vegetables or vitamins required! (Acidic foods, like tomato sauces, pull out more iron from the pans, so limit the cooking time of these foods to 30 minutes or less to avoid any metallic taste.)
How Did the Dutch Oven Get Its Name?
Dutch ovens and other cast iron cookware were distributed throughout America by salesmen with wagons. When a salesman or trader was seen coming with his pots clanging on the side hangers of his wagon, people would say, “Here comes the Dutchman with his ovens.”
