4 Easy Camp Dutch Oven Recipes

4 Easy Camp Dutch Oven Recipes

Are you looking for some easy camp dutch oven recipes for your next backyard or wilderness adventure?

Here we have compiled a selection of 4 easy and tasty recipes to get you started, for both the main course and dessert.

All these recipes are tried and tested and you can pick up all of the ingredients at your local grocery store.

If you need some dutch oven and guidance on how to use one, we have put together a comprehensive article here.

Regardless, let’s get into the recipes…

Dutch oven cowboy baked beans

Dutch oven cowboy baked beans from scratch

James
A classic, hearty recipe that's easy to cook and tastes delicious!
A lot of these ingredients are staples that you will probably have in your kitchen and the rest are easily purchased in your local store.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4

Equipment

  • Camp dutch oven
  • Wooden spoon
  • Chopping board x 2
  • Sharp knife

Ingredients
  

  • 1 large slug good quality vegetable or olive oil
  • 2 large onions
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 2 medium chillies
  • 1 pound bacon
  • 1 pound minced beef
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 can kidney beans
  • 1 can butter beans
  • 3 cans baked beans
  • 6 tbsp tomato puree
  • 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Light a suitable fire and let it die down to a good base of embers.
  • Place your dutch oven in the embers and wait for it to get up to cooking temperature.
  • Whilst the oven is getting up to temperature, finely chop your onions, chillies and peel and crush your garlic.
  • On a seperate board, chop your bacon into mouth size pieces.
  • Pour in the vegetable oil and heat until ready to fry on.
  • Add the onion, garlic and chillies and fry until softened.
  • Add the bacon and fry for around 1 minute until slightly coloured.
  • Add the minced beef and fry until both the bacon and beef are both nicely browned.
  • Now add the remaining ingredients (don't forget to drain the kidney and butter beans ) and stir thoroughly and cover with the lid.
  • Place a layer of embers on the lid and cook for around 30 minutes, replacing embers as necessary.
  • Once ready, remove lid and serve. Ideally with some fresh, buttered bread.

Notes

Although this recipe is intended for a camp dutch oven, on an outdoor open fire, there is no reason why you can’t use this recipe indoors, in your kitchen oven.
You will want the temperature at approx 350 degrees Fahrenheit / 180 degrees Celcius.
A camp dutch oven without legs would be perfect, or a Le Creuset pot.
Keyword authentic, best ever, with bacon
Campfire Dutch oven bread

Campfire dutch oven bread

James
This is a delicious, easy to make, dutch oven no-knead bread.
Just be careful not to burn it.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 5

Equipment

  • Camp dutch oven
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Wooden spoon

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups white flour
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
  • 1 & 1/2 cups water (room temperature)

Instructions
 

  • Using the large mixing bowl, mix the flour, yeast and salt together.
  • Make a well in the center and slowly pour in the water, mixing with a wooden spoon as you go.
  • Once mixed, cover the bowl with a tea towel and leave at room temperature to prove overnight.
  • When ready to cook, light a suitable fire and let it die down to a good base of embers.
  • Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a lightly floured work surface.
  • Shape dough into a ball.
  • Place your dutch oven in the embers and wait for it to get up to cooking temperature.
  • Carefully sprinkle some flour inside the oven and then place the dough inside.
  • Place the lid on and cover with a good layer of embers.
  • Bake for 30 minutes, checking the bread every so often.
  • After this 30 minutes, remove the lid and cook for a further 15-20 minutes.
  • Once brown, remove from the oven and let cool.
  • Serve while still warm, with plenty of butter.
Keyword authentic, dutch oven bread, easy
Campfire venison stew in Dutch oven

Campfire venison stew

A great tasty stew to warm to cockles.
You can substitute the venison for beef if required.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, European, Traditional

Ingredients
  

  • 1 slug vegetable or olive oil
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 2 pounds venison (cubed)
  • 4 green peppers
  • 1 onion
  • 2 large potatoes
  • 4 carrots
  • 1 can chopped tomatoes
  • 8 small shallots
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 tbsp whole peppercorns

Instructions
 

  • Light a suitable fire and let it die down to a good base of embers.
  • Place your Dutch oven in the embers and wait for it to get up to cooking temperature.
  • Whilst the oven is getting up to temperature, peel and crush the garlic, chop your peppers, onions, and carrots.
  • Peel and cube potatoes. Peel shallots.
  • Pour in the vegetable oil and heat until ready to fry on.
  • Add garlic and onion. Fry until softened.
  • Add venison and brown.
  • Add remaining ingredients in order.
  • Stir thoroughly.
  • Place the lid on and cover with a good layer of embers.
  • Cook for 45 – 60 mins, checking periodically.
  • Remove lid – serve – enjoy!

Notes

Although this recipe is intended for a camp dutch oven, on an outdoor open fire, there is no reason why you can’t use this recipe indoors – in your kitchen.
You can fry the ingredients on the hob and then transfer to the main oven for the rest of the cooking process.
You will want the temperature at approx 350 degrees Fahrenheit / 180 degrees Celcius.
A camp dutch oven without legs would be perfect, or a Le Creuset pot.
Keyword Hunters, Venison
Camping dutch oven peach cobbler recipe

Camping dutch oven peach cobbler recipe

A delicious and easy dessert to make over the campfire.
The simple ingredients also make it an easy one to do.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, European
Servings 8

Equipment

  • 1 Camping ducth oven
  • 1 Wooden spoon
  • 1 Slicing implement

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 cups self-raising flour
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 cans sliced peaches, in syrup

Instructions
 

  • Light a suitable fire and let it die down to a good base of embers.
  • Add the sugar and flour into the oven and mix together.
  • Pour both cans of peaches on top, and very lightly stir together with the sugar and flour mix. You still want some un-floured peaches showing on top.
  • Sprinkle the cinnamon evenly over the top.
  • Put the lid on the oven and place in the embers.
  • Cover the lid with a good layer of embers.
  • Cook for around 40 minutes, replacing embers as necessary.
  • Remove lid and serve the peach cobbler with cream or evaporated milk.

Notes

Although this recipe is intended for a camp dutch oven, on an outdoor open fire, there is no reason why you can’t use this recipe indoors – in your kitchen.
 
You will want the temperature at approx 350 degrees Fahrenheit / 180 degrees Celcius.
 
A camp dutch oven without legs would be perfect, or a Le Creuset pot.
Keyword Campfire, Cast iron, Cowboy, Peaches, Vegan

And now for some entertainment…


Camp Dutch oven recipe cookbooks

For a few more recipe ideas, why not try some of the highly-rated books below.

The Camp Dutch Oven Cookbook

The Camp Dutch Oven Cookbook
The Camp Dutch Oven Cookbook – Robin Donovan

A nicely illustrated camp dutch oven specific recipe book, which keeps things simple by using only 5 main ingredients per recipe.

There is also a good amount of advice at the front, including oven maintenance and recipe preparation.

Links: USA | UK | CAN

101 Things To Do With A Dutch Oven

101 Things To Do With A Dutch Oven
101 Things To Do With A Dutch Oven – Vernon Winterton

There is plenty in here to keep you busy and develop your knowledge.

Links: USA | UK | CAN

Summary

We hope you decide to get out there and try our 4 easy camp dutch oven recipes.

They are all relatively simple to do and you will no doubt have a lot of fun while cooking them.

As mentioned above, we would recommend you have a look through our dutch oven cooking article, which goes into the history as well as more practical matters, such as how many coals you should use and how you should care for and season your oven.

You can find that here.

What can you make in a dutch oven while camping?

The great thing about dutch ovens is they are extremely versatile and the more experienced you become with one, the more confident you will be as a cook and the world really is your oyster (in cooking terms).

You can bake, boil, fry steam in a dutch oven, so you really are covered for most types of camp cooking.

How do you bake in a camp oven?

If we are talking about baking things such as breads and desserts, then we have two recipes here and this gives you a simple process to follow.

You can also see our charcoal guide here for more precise cooking.