When the cast iron pot was first patented in the early 18th century, its design was markedly different from what you might see at a modern day camp site. Early Dutch ovens resembled cauldrons in that they were very deep and lacked legs. This design would hardly hold up to campfire use, which became common in the American colonies. Over time, legs were added to keep the oven perched above hot coals; cast iron pots became shallower to allow for quick boiling.

Today’s modern cast iron Dutch ovens require a bit of modification before use in the wilderness. It’s important to scour the inside of the pot with soap and warm water in order to remove the wax coating. Following this cleaning, cover the inside surface with vegetable oil. Heat the oven to allow the oil to bond with the metal. This process effectively protects a Dutch oven from rust.

Learning how to cook is not that difficult. There are so many dishes that even non-cooking experts can easily create. For instance, with easy hamburger recipes, you can prepare food for yourself and your friends in no time at all. Here’s one basic recipe:

1. Wash hands and remove rings before touching any food. Prepare your cast iron flat grill and spatula.
2. Put ½ pound ground meat in a bowl; add a few shakes of salt and pepper and some chopped onion.
3. Mix the meat and spices thoroughly using your hands then make a ball with enough meat to make the size of patty you want
4. Toss the meat from one hand to the other a few times to get the air out then squeeze the meat and form into a patty. Repeat until you finish all the meat in the bowl.
5. Set aside the patties on a flat, clean surface. Heat your pan by turning on the stove to medium heat,
6. Put a small amount of oil, butter or margarine in the pan, heat for a minute then put one or two patties in.
7. Let cook for about 5 minutes, then flip them over using the spatula. To check if the burger is cooked, poke it with a fork then press down on the meat. The liquid should come out clear, not reddish.
8. Prepare lettuce and tomatoes on buns. Place one burger on each piece of bread and enjoy them with catsup, mustard or mayo.

Baking a cake can be a tremendously rewarding experience. Creating a delicious desert gives you a special sense of accomplishment, and you’ll also bask in the glow of compliments friends and family are sure to offer. But before you start taking victory laps, you’ll need to make sure that you select the proper baking pan for a given recipe. Remember the general rule that a “pan” refers to a metal receptacle and a “dish” is typically made of glass.

It’s also crucial that your baking pan is the right size for the recipe. Otherwise you might end up with an overflowing desert. If your dish is too small to accommodate a recipe, don’t despair. You can pare down the ingredients and the cooking time, ending up with fewer servings but just as fulfilling of an experience. Some recipes will call for greasing your pan, but this might not be necessary if you have a cast iron loaf pan.

Here is a delicious recipe for excellent banana nut muffins-enjoy:

~2 eggs
~2 ripe bananas (mashed)
~1 cup of buttermilk
~1 stick of butter (softened)
~2 cups of flour
~½ cup of chopped pecans
~1 cup of granulated sugar
~1 teaspoon of vanilla
~1 teaspoon of salt
~1 teaspoon of baking powder
~½ teaspoon of baking soda

Preheat the oven to 400 F and prepare your cast iron muffin pan.

Beat together butter and sugar, then add eggs and beat thoroughly, then beat in bananas until the mixture is smooth.

Mix together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda, and then stir the flour mixture and buttermilk into the egg mixture.

Stir in the chopped pecans and vanilla.

Spoon batter into the muffin pan, filling each tin about 2/3 full.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

When it comes to kitchen appliances, there are some that are great to have for all kinds of cooking, and others that are more or less situational. A Panini grill, for example, is great for people who like Panini sandwiches, but for people who crave a Panini just once in a while, it doesn’t make much sense to spend money on a Panini grill. However, other items like hot plates, a cast iron griddle, and rice cookers are useful for a wide range of dishes and can be used for several meals.

Hot plates are great for keeping food warm when it’s fresh out of the oven, and can also be used to cook on the side when the stove top is occupied. Griddles are ideal for all kinds of breakfast foods, and can also be used to cook hamburgers, pork chops, and even stir fry. While a rice cooker might seem like it has a singular purpose, most rice cookers can also function well as steamers for cooking fresh vegetables and even freezer vegetables. In addition, there are so many dishes that require rice, a rice cooker is overall great to have around the kitchen.

When people are cooking in the outdoors, they’re looking for recipes and cookware that are both effective and easy to use. That’s why cast iron is such a popular choice among avid campers. With a natural non-stick surface, it means that you won’t have to haul in additional butter, lard, fat, or oil.

Another reason people enjoy Old Mountain cast iron cookware on their various camping trips is because cast iron is so incredibly durable. While other pans run the risk of warping at high temperatures, this is not usually the case with cast iron. So you don’t have to worry about grilling those hot dogs over an intense campfire. Your cast iron pots and pans are sure to take it!

Here’s a delicious and simple recipe for a Southwest inspired egg omelet. In addition to the ingredients, you’ll need a hot surface, one of your cast iron pans, and a spatula.

Ingredients:

3 large eggs
½ cup grated pepper jack cheese
1 chopped jalapeno

Directions:

Crack your three eggs and place them in the nonstick cookware pan, then mix them around a bit.  Turn your hot surface to medium-high heat, and place the pan on top.  In about 2-3 minutes, the eggs should start to become hardened on the bottom.  This is when you will want to place the grated cheese and chopped jalapeno on one side of the egg.  Wait another minute, and then flip one half of the egg onto the other, creating the omelet.  Quick and easy, and a great way to kick off your day!

Newlyweds need so many supplies to get their lives started. They need a place to live, furniture, bedding and cookware. Without these items newlyweds might very well prefer to stay in their parents houses indefinitely. A crowded house doesn’t work for anyone. So why not use the wedding as an excuse to shower the newlyweds in your life with the gifts they need to start theirs?

Cookware is so important. Many couples want high-quality cookware that will last for years. Despite all of the newfangled materials that cookware is currently available in, pre seasoned cast iron cookware has stood the test of time. Cast iron is so durable that it is often passed down to future generations, meaning that your wedding gift could turn into a family heirloom.

Everybody enjoys a delicious dessert every now and then. There’s no reason to cut desserts out of the menu just because you’re camping. There are many easy dessert recipes that can be made using your cast iron cookware cookware right at your camp site. Surprise your fellow campers with dinner followed by a yummy dessert. Here’s a great recipe for Apple Tort to try:

Ingredients:
~ 1 ½ lbs apples
~ ½ cup butter
~ 1 cup sugar
~ 1 tsp. cinnamon
~ 2 premade piecrusts (9-inch size)

Equipment:
~ Dutch oven
~ Frying pan
~ Paring knife

Instructions:
Peel, core and slice apples, add them to a hot skillet with butter and sugar until apples start to caramelize, add cinnamon. Dish the apples into a 15″ foil-lined Dutch oven. Place both pie crusts overlapping over the top of the apples covering as much of the apples as possible. Place the Dutch oven on top of 12 live briquettes, adding 18 live briquettes on top for about 30-45 minutes, or until pie crust is golden brown. Dump onto plate, slice and serve.

The best part of camping is when everyone gathers around the fire and eats whatever is served. Meals are usually made up of canned goods eaten straight from the can; not exactly a meal to look forward to. When my family goes into the wilderness for a few days, we always bring some cookware-especially the cast iron skillet-to prepare some quality meals.

With camping cookware, campers can enjoy a delicious meal outdoors. The cookware is made especially for the outdoors and is convenient and light enough to carry in a backpack. Camping cookware can make a meal cooked over a campfire taste like it was home made.