Columnist Barb Henderson: Time to get cookin’ after holidays

Barb Henderson

Friday, Jan. 3, 2003 | 9:18 a.m.

Barb Henderson is an outdoors enthusiast, freelance writer and producer/host of outdoors radio television programming. Her column appears Friday in the Sun.

The ol' magnificent Dutch oven just might be older than dirt because these fantastic cooking pots sure have been around forever.

Throughout time pioneers, mountain men, sheepherders and miners have all cooked up hearty meals utilizing this marvelous cooking utensil.

Envision the ovens hanging off the side of horse-drawn wagons, while wagon trains carried frontiersman across the west.

Perhaps it's just my imagination, but doesn't food always taste better when you're eating outdoors?

Could be why you'll find more than one Dutch oven being used in hunting and fishing camps.

These unique remarkable Dutch ovens do it all they're used for roasting, stewing, steaming, simmering, baking, boiling and frying.

They come in an assortment of sizes, ranging anywhere from 5 inches up to about 22 inches.

Their heavy lids sit snugly on the top and with a variety of different sizes it makes stack-cooking a breeze.

Stack-cooking is accomplished when the experienced camp-cook starts with a larger pot on bottom and stacks other ovens on top of one another, ending up with the smallest one cooking on the top.

Cooking a main dish, vegetables and dessert is as easy as one, two, three --Dutch ovens that is.

Speaking of desserts, you might want to cook up a Dutch oven cobbler-- they make a delightful camp treat.

If you're just getting into this unique technique of cooking, educate yourself about the Dutch Oven before using. It is extremely important to understand proper cooking procedures, safe handling and how to properly care for your Dutch Oven.

Purchase Dutch Oven books, research information at a local library, attend a Dutch Oven Society of Nevada meeting on the third Thursday of each month at the Clark County Sunrise Community Center located at 2240 Linn Lane at 7 p.m. and/or take a Dutch oven class through the Clark County Parks and Community Services by calling 455-8200.

With proper care these ol' Dutch ovens could last for generations.

Next time you're gathering up your gear to go camping, don't forget to throw in that ol' Dutch oven.

A quick reminder: Fire restrictions often change throughout the year. Be sure to check with the appropriate agency for any/all fire restrictions that might be in effect within the campground area where you'll be setting up camp where you might be doing any type of camp cooking.

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