Dutch Oven Cooking
When we are at our cottage, we enjoy baking outdoors in our 10” cast iron Dutch oven. The Dutch oven is on legs, allowing coals to be placed underneath it, and the lid is flat with a lip around it so that hot coals can be placed on top.
The following recipe for Dutch oven zucchini bread requires a temperature of 350 degrees. To achieve that, we place 15 hot coals on the top of the lid, and 7 hot coals evenly spaced under the pot. On a colder day, we add another briquette or so.
Heavy pot holders and long handled tongs are helpful for handling the pot. We place ours on a flat cast iron griddle, but a flat rock works just as well.
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Dutch Oven Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups zucchini shredded
- 1 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 2/3 cup melted butter plus butter to grease pan
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 4 eggs
- 3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts
Instructions
- Preheat a cast iron Dutch oven with legs by placing 15 hot coals on the top of the lid, and 7 hot coals evenly spaced under the pot to bring the Dutch oven to 350°F. On a colder day, add another briquette or so.
- Grease the bottom of the Dutch oven with softened butter.
- Mix zucchini, coconut sugar, melted butter, vanilla and eggs in a large bowl.
- Stir in remaining ingredients and pour into preheated Dutch oven.
- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool for 10 minutes. Loosen bread by running a knife along the sides. Place a dish on top of the Dutch oven and turn upside down. The cake will now be on the plate.
- Cool before slicing.
Thank you for visiting Learning And Yearning. May "the LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace." Num 6:24-26
Deborah Hamby says
You never cease to inspire me!
susanv says
The feeling is mutual!
Agi's Farmhouse Kitchen says
Wow, this is inspiring! I enjoyed reading your posts on the cottage life too. We have a camp in Maine so I know a little what it’s like, although we do have plumbing and running water(can’t drink it though) Was wondering how you keep the temperature at an even 350?
susanv says
Thanks! Well, I’ve never actually taken the temperature. It always turns out just right and so I assume it’s working. I suppose you would have to be more careful if the recipe really required an exact temperature.
Megan @ restoring the roost says
Wow this is such a cool idea…what a great way to cook outdoors!
susanv says
Thanks, Megan. I’ve only made cakes in it, but stews and soups would be great as well. Then you use more coals on the bottom and less on top.
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Panhandler says
Love your great idea for cast Iron base.
What size cast iron is it and what is correct name to search for o e?
Don’t know if this is still active link but figured I’d try.
Thx….
Susan Vinskofski says
Hi! We use a cast iron griddle: https://amzn.to/3NTOVNb.
lawn service tampa says
An outstanding share! I have just forwarded this onto a coworker who was doing a little homework
on this. And he in fact bought me dinner because I found it for
him… lol. So allow me to reword this…. Thank YOU for the meal!!
But yeah, thanks for spending time to talk about this issue
here on your site.
kristy @ gastronomical sovereignty says
i want a cabin with a dutch oven! haha – this is beautiful. i’m so adding it to my pinboards 🙂
today is the Wednesday Fresh Foods Blog Hop – I was hoping, if you feel up for it, that you’d link up this fabulous post (and any future fabulous, seasonal and/or real food posts) with us 🙂 Everyone is welcome so feel free to stop by. take care! xo, kristy
susanv says
Thanks for the invite; consider it done!
kristy @ gastronomical sovereignty says
this kind of cooking really does signal a path to smaller living. simpler living. now all we need to do is figure out how to make this work beyond the cottage. could you imagine if everyone started cooking like this on a daily basis? our entire economy would shift! that might take the joy out of it whilst camping, but anything that brings camping into a more daily occurrence is alright with me 😉
thank you for taking the time to share with us at The Wednesday Fresh Foods Blog Hop – we hope to see you again this week with more incredible posts! xo, kristy
susanv says
Hi Kristy! I’ve never really looked deeply into how charcoal is made and if that is a good use of resources for everyday. I suppose we could learn to make our own, or just use a wood fire.
Jacqueline @ deeprootsathome.com says
Dear SusanV,
I am blown away that I found your blog. This has been a desire of mine for many years to learn to cook like this. Also, the recipe with sprouted flour sounds truly wonderful. BTW, I’d love to know if you make your own flour or if you have found a source for organic and sprouted. We just installed a wood cook stove in a summer kitchen we built. I have so much to learn and so little time until the children have their own families.
I will be bold and ask if you would consider linking up at ‘EOA’ Wednesday and supply the readers with your helpful posts. I’d love there to be more preparedness and old-timey understanding out there.
Thank you!
susanv says
Hi Jacqueline, I am honored that you requested my participation in your link up and I’m happy to do so. I especially like to use the Dutch oven when we have company with children. They really seem to enjoy watching the process. For the bread, I use Shiloh Farms organic sprouted wheat flour. It is expensive, but it is just my husband and I at home now and we don’t use a lot so I don’t mind. Making your own is a savings but also time consuming. I think I would go with sourdough instead if I didn’t have access to the high quality flour. By the way, I’ve tried one other brand that was less expensive (I don’t remember the name) and when I baked yeast bread it just did not rise as nicely as the Shiloh Farms brand. Thanks for visiting and for the invitation. I’ll be stopping by.
Buttons says
Wow I have one of those dutch ovens with feet from my Great Grandma I never knew you could do this with it. Thank you this looks wonderful and delicious. B
susanv says
We made a pineapple upside down cake in it yesterday – so yummy!
Sandra at Thistle Cove Farm says
While camping, friends use this method all the time. I’ve got a dutch oven but have never used it out of doors; bet the food taste fabulous!
Visiting via Rural Thursday Blog Hop.
susanv says
Camping as a teen is where I learned this as well. I’ve only made cakes/breads, but they are definitely delicious!
grills says
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muleyboy559 says
We use our while up deer hunting. We make all kinds of stews, soups and desserts with them. We had people we didn’t even know come into our camp when we made a blueberry cobbler in one and 6 quarts of homemade ice cream one night…endless possibilities with a dutch oven! Thanks for this post cause zucchini bread is my favorite and it never crossed my mind to make it in the DO.
Christina Tom says
So happy to see another believer embracing organic gardening and natural living! They are so compatible and just part of being a good steward of God’s creation. Thank you for your beautiful blog and great information!
Susan Vinskofski says
Thank you so much for your kind words of encouragement!!!