Welcome to Lifestyle Cooking
Western Cooking Article
This is a selection made from among articles on Western Cooking. For a permanent link to this article, or to bookmark it for future reading, click here.
Dutch Oven Cooking
from: Karlie BestlerDutch ovens are used to make long, slow cooked dishes such as roasts, stews, and casseroles. There are two basic types of Dutch ovens. One type of Dutch ovens is for use over a campfire, and the other type of Dutch ovens can be used over a traditional stove or oven.
The camping version of a Dutch oven has three legs, a wire handle, and a slightly convex lid so that coals can rest on top and bottom for uniform heating like an oven. The camping version of Dutch ovens are made out of cast iron or aluminum.
Stove top Dutch ovens are flat on the bottom and have two handles. These Dutch ovens are made of bare or enameled cast iron, aluminum or ceramic.
Dutch oven cooking is best used for long, slow cooking like for roasts, stews and casseroles. However, over a campfire Dutch oven cooking can properly bake biscuits, breads, cakes, pies and pizzas. Dutch ovens can be stacked five or six high.
When Dutch oven cooking, it can be challenging to regulate the temperature especially over a campfire. A general rule to use is that individuals want the Dutch oven to be at about 350 degrees. One way to estimate that temperature is to take the size of the Dutch oven in inches and then double that to get the number of briquettes to use.
Briquettes should be placed in a circle no less than a half inch from the bottom of the oven. On top of the Dutch oven, briquettes should be placed in a checkerboard fashion. For soups and stews, place one third of the briquettes on top and two thirds on bottom. For breads, biscuits, and cakes, place two thirds of the briquettes on top and one third on the bottom. For meats and casseroles, split evenly briquettes on top and bottom. Be careful with heating. You can always add more, but once food is burned it is burned.
There are several tools that individuals need for Dutch oven cooking:
*The first is wooden spoons. Metal cooking utensils can scratch the protective coating and plastic ones will melt from the heat.
*Having camp or welders gloves will be beneficial to have.
*Charcoal starters make starting a fire easier because they do not require lighter fluid, just newspapers and a match.
*Long-handled tongs make moving the briquettes easier and safer.
*Lifters or hooks make lifting and handling the lid easier.
*A lid stand is handy to place lids on while istirring food.
*A whisk broom keeps ashes away from the food.
*A cooking table allows a Dutch oven to be off the ground.
*A dust cover protects the Dutch oven when it is not in use.
Cooking Online News
At Camp David, Obama calls Iranian nuclear program a 'grave concern' for US ... - Washington Post
 CTV.ca | At Camp David, Obama calls Iranian nuclear program a 'grave concern' for US ... Washington Post CAMP DAVID, Md. — President Obama on Saturday declared Iran's nuclear weapons ambitions a “grave concern” for world leaders, as the United States and its allies signaled they were prepared to follow through with tough new economic sanctions next month. Obama opens up Camp David for rustic VIP sleepover World Leaders at US Meeting Urge Growth, Not Austerity Obama Hosts World Leaders At G8 Summit |
Chinese Rights Activist Chen Guangcheng on Flight to US - BusinessWeek
 The Hindu | Chinese Rights Activist Chen Guangcheng on Flight to US BusinessWeek By Bloomberg News on May 19, 2012 Chinese human-rights activist Chen Guangcheng, whose case overshadowed high-level US-China talks earlier this month, left Beijing for the US with his wife and two children, headed for Newark, New Jersey. Dissident Leaves China For US Standoff over blind legal activist ends as China's Chen flies to US Chen Guangcheng comes to the US, but what about other dissidents? |
NATO head¿s Chicago goals: Afghanistan, missile defense - Chicago Tribune
 The Guardian | NATO head¿s Chicago goals: Afghanistan, missile defense Chicago Tribune NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen would like the Chicago summit to produce at least two key results: a roadmap for aiding a post-war Afghanistan and the official go-ahead for a missile defense shield for Europe. Rasmussen, the former prime ... Trio Planned to Attack Obama's Chicago HQ NATO summit demonstrations peaceful despite terrorism charges Three Accused of Chicago Terror Plot Before NATO Summit |
First tropical storm of the season forms - USA TODAY
 USA TODAY | First tropical storm of the season forms USA TODAY By Donna Leinwand Leger, USA TODAY The first tropical storm of hurricane season formed off the coast of South Carolina on Saturday afternoon, the National Hurricane Center said. AP This NOAA satellite image taken at 1:45 pm Saturday shows a mass of ... First tropical storm of the season, Alberto, forms off the coast of SC with 45 ... Season's 1st Atlantic tropical storm forms off S.Carolina First tropical storm of the season forms off SC |