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Anything that can be fried, stewed, boiled, baked, steamed or poached can be cooked in a Dutch oven. That includes bread, rolls, pies, pizza, roasts and meatloaf. No wonder Dutch ovens have long been a favorite of camp cooks.

A Dutch oven may be made of cast iron or aluminum. It is a pot with a flat bottom, three legs, and a lid with a flange around the outside of it which helps to hold the coals while cooking. If there is no flange, a wok ring can be used to keep coals on the top. The Dutch oven is designed to heat evenly.

The most popular Dutch oven is made of cast iron; however, many "packers" will use the aluminum oven because it is lightweight. For this project I refer to the cast iron Dutch oven. When shopping for a new Dutch oven, remember that not all ovens are the same. There are ovens ranging in size from 8 inches to 22 inches in diameter. There are also regular and deep depths available.

Most families start out with a 12 or 14-inch diameter regular oven and then add ovens to meet their particular needs. Make sure the lid fits well. The lid is very important during cooking because it should seal to cook the food properly. Make sure to keep the correct lid with its oven base. Always use a lid that fits well.

Check the walls of the oven. The walls of the oven should be the same thickness all the way around. Check the oven surface. The surface of the Dutch oven should be an even gray color and should not show too many signs of grinding where the manufacturer has had to fix imperfections. Dutch ovens are available pre-seasoned or unseasoned. If an unseasoned oven is purchased, you should season before it is used the first time.

Learn how to select, care for, use and stay safe around a Dutch oven. The OSU Extension staff will be conducting a Dutch Oven Cooking School for 4-H members on May 19, at the Cherokee County Community Building. Those interested in learning more about Dutch Oven Cooking can contact the Extension Office to learn how to enroll in 4-H, which is an organization for youth between the ages of 9-19 and/or 8 and in the third grade. Youth will prepare several recipes in Dutch ovens and get to try out all those recipes next Thursday evening.

For more information or to schedule an educational program locally about financial management, nutrition, health and wellness, parenting education, contact Heather Winn, at the OSU Cooperative Extension Service in Cherokee County by phone at 918-456-6163 or e-mail at heather.winn@okstate.edu.

Heather Winn is family and consumer sciences educator for the OSU Cooperative Extension Service in Cherokee County.

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