a grate or propane burner.
Buying tips: Though skillets come in different diameters, consider buying a small skillet (5" to 8") for sautéing vegetables and a larger skillet (10" to 12") with a lid for all-purpose cooking. When purchasing larger skillets, look for an assist handle opposite the long handle to make lifting easier.
Pie iron: A hinged sandwich maker used primarily for cooking with a campfire.
Buying tips: Make sure the two halves of your pie iron can be separated for easy cleaning and seasoning. Pie irons come in circular and square shapes. Try purchasing one of each for a variety of recipes. If you often camp in large groups, you might want to consider a larger pie iron that can handle two pies or sandwiches at once.
The Enamel Enigma
Cast iron cookware without any sort of coating is known as bare cast iron, while cast iron that has then been coated with a layer of porcelain is known as enamel cast iron. If you are looking to add a cast iron piece to your kitchen collection, it’s important to know the pros and cons of each.
Bare Cast Iron
Pros:
▪ Durable
▪ Able to withstand high heat
▪ Even heating surface
▪ Nonstick surface
▪ Affordable
▪ Infuses food with a bit of iron
Cons:
▪ Requires regular seasoning and care to prevent rust
▪ Can retain strong food _avors
▪ Should not be used to prepare acidic foods/sauces
Enamel Cast Iron
Pros:
▪ Even heating surface
▪ No seasoning required
▪ Protective coating eliminates the chance of rust
▪ Won’t retain food flavors
▪ Can be used to prepare acidic foods/sauces
▪ Available in lots of colors
Cons:
▪ Enamel is not a nonstick surface
▪ High heat can damage or discolor the coating
▪ More expensive than bare cast iron
What does this mean for you? Give both bare and enamel cast iron a shot and see which you prefer. It’s likely you’ll enjoy using the bare cast iron for certain types of recipes and the enamel cast iron for others.
Note: For the recipes in this book, we recommend bare cast iron cookware.
Griddle: A large flat grilling surface, usually oblong or round, with a short vertical lip around the edges. Used for cooking on a stovetop (or occasionally, in an oven). Large griddles may straddle two burners if there is space between the griddle and the enameled stovetop, but limit the cooking time to avoid damage to the stovetop. Also used for cooking on a grate or propane burner (depending upon size).
Buying tips: Choose a size and shape that will hold the quantity of food you wish to cook at one time and one that fits on your cooking equipment. Look for a handle at both ends for easy lifting. Consider a reversible griddle with ridges on one side if you grill meat often (ridges hold meat above the heat and grease).
Cast iron accessories
If you find you’re using your cast iron cookware often, especially outdoors, you might appreciate these cast iron additions to help make your cooking safe and easy.
Charcoal chimney starter: Tool to light charcoal briquettes more quickly.
Lid lifter: Tool to remove a Dutch oven lid without dumping hot coals or ashes into the pot.
Long tongs: Tool to move hot coals safely.
Heavy-duty pot holders/leather gloves: To protect hands when handling hot cookware.
There is a variety of cast iron cookware available to create all types of meals and desserts.
Cooking Methods
Oven & Stovetop
Use the stovetop and/or oven of a standard gas or electric range and set temperatures as indicated in recipes. Cookware to use: skillets, griddles and kitchen-style Dutch ovens. If using a glass cooktop, follow the manufacturer’s directions and be sure the bottoms of the pans are perfectly flat and smooth. Lift the cookware to move it; do not slide or drop it. To use a camp-style Dutch oven in a standard kitchen oven, straddle its three legs over the rungs of the oven rack. Pull out rack and carefully lift the pot to move it.
Cast iron cookware can be used inside in the oven and on the stovetop, just as well as outside on the grill or over a campfire.
Grill & Campfire
On a campfire, burn wood or charcoal briquettes to produce heat (coals), or use a gas grill with a grate or burner. Control the cooking temperature by the number and placement of hot coals, the distance of a grate above the heat and the placement of the cookware. Add fresh hot coals as needed to maintain the cooking temperature until the food is done. Rotate the cookware every 10 to 15 minutes to avoid uneven cooking or burn spots. Cooking on a grate usually requires
