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Dutch Oven Cooking Tips
Start charcoal 10 to 15 minutes before starting to cook.
Most briquettes have a useful cooking time of about an hour. If your recipe needs more time, be sure and have additional briquettes ready.
Allow for longer cooking time in cold weather, especially if it's windy. You will find that briquettes will not hold their heat as long in poor weather conditions.
When baking try not to lift the lid to check on the progress. Wait the allotted time, then look. Every time you lift the lid, you will need to add about 10 minutes to your cooking time. Wait for the smell!
To fry or boil, put briquettes underneath a Dutch Oven. To roast or bake, use the 3 plus or minus rule. Take the oven diameter and add three to the top, and subtract 3 from the bottom. For example, when using a 12” oven, put 15 on top and 9 on the bottom for approximately 325 degrees.
When putting briquettes on top of a Dutch Oven place them in a circle around the outside edge.
If you have several ovens going at once, it may be a good idea to stack them on top of each other to save coals. Put the longer cooking ovens on the bottom, and the ones that need to be checked more often on the top. This method of cooking requires practice.
Start with fewer coals and work up. It’s better to feed your guests a little late, than to burn their dinner!
While waiting for bread to rise, place four charcoal on top of the oven you have the bread or rolls in.
Garnishing Tips
Garnish should be placed around, and on the food that you cook to make it look as good as it tastes. Here are some simple suggestions to help garnish your cast iron cuisine.
Green Onions work well as a rosette or chopped. They go great with meat and fish and can be used whole. They are also good on potato dishes and soups.
Parsley or watercress may be used around beef, fish and poultry dishes. Use chopped or whole.
Lemon, lime and orange slices are always nice. Use as wedges, or grated rind to help enhance fish, poultry, punch and desserts.
Paprika enhances the flavor and look of eggs, poultry, fish and cream soups. Just sprinkle a little over the top.
Radishes are always a good standby and work well sliced, or in a rosette form with meats and soups.
Other garnishes include carrots, lettuce, celery leaves, olives, cabbage leaves, boiled eggs, cheese, capers, peppermint leaves, cherry tomatoes, fruits, and candles. Use your imagination.
Coconut can be colored and toasted for a nice accent.
Chocolate shaved or grated is a nice touch on anything with chocolate inside.
Candied apples are great for pork dishes, and maraschino cherries work well with desserts.
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