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Going Dutch
Go Dutch for tender game and easy-cookin' camp meals.
By Cheri Eby--Author of Cooking on Location
Dutch ovens are available in a variety of sizes and materials. Some are constructed entirely of glass while others are made from Corningware and stainless steel. However, many people prefer using a traditional cast iron oven. It's strong, heavy and retains and distributes heat much better than the other styles. The cast iron Dutch oven is ideal for long, slow cooking, which can be essential when preparing many types of dishes using wild game and fowl.
There are two styles of cast iron Dutch ovens today: flat-bottomed with a slightly rounded top for use on the stove top and in the conventional oven; and three-legged, flat-topped ovens for use in the outdoors with charcoal or coals from a campfire. The flat top is designed to hold coals and can also be inverted to be used as a griddle.
Most Dutch oven recipes that are prepared indoors can easily be adapted to outdoor cooking methods. Also, some recipes are quite versatile, allowing for ingredient substitutions that enable you to take advantage of whatever game meat is in camp. With your Dutch oven and some standard home or camp staples, you can easily whip up a tasty meal.
1-2 lbs. game meat--can be small venison steaks or pieces duck, grouse, rabbit, etc.
1/2 c. wild rice
1 3/4 c. white rice
1 14 1/2-oz. can of beef broth
1 10 3/4-oz. can of cream of mushroom soup
1 c. celery, chopped
1/2 c. yellow onion, chopped
1/4 c. carrots, chopped
1/4 c. parsnips or rutabagas, chopped
In a Dutch oven, combine wild rice and can of beef broth. Bring ingredients to a boil, lower heat to simmer, cover and cook approximately 35 to 40 minutes until rice is tender. Remove rice and any liquid from the Dutch oven and place into a bowl. Add a small amount of cooking oil to the Dutch oven and brown four small steaks or a couple of pounds of dismembered pieces of rabbit, duck or grouse. Quail can be browned whole. Mix in chopped celery, onion, carrots and parsnips. Add in the cooked wild rice, can cream of mushroom soup and uncooked white rice. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and bake in oven at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until the meat is done and all the liquids are absorbed. This dish can also be prepared on top of the stove by cooking on a medium-low heat. Check every so often to stir and add liquid if needed.
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