12/26/08

Cooking in the Wind



By Keith Fisher

I’ve been nursing a cold and forgot it was Friday, so I’m a bit late posting. I got a little sleep and dreamed I was cooking in Dutch ovens. It was summer and we were having a heat wave. The charcoal was so hot I wondered if I would sweat to death.

Then I woke up and looked out the window. Snow was piled up on the swamp cooler and icicles were hanging off the roof what a refreshing change. I was reminded of a cook off held on the fourth of July.

I love living in a place that has dramatic changing seasons.

Heres a Dutch oven tip for today:

If while you are cooking there is a serious wind to deal with, there are many options available.

The table, windscreen . . . many commercial tables come with a three-sided windscreen. They have tabs that fit over the lip on the table they block most of the wind.

For those who don’t have a commercial table, you can use a piece of aluminum roof flashing. Just wrap it around the pot, clamp it to itself with a paper clip.


I saw a cute idea of taking old license plates, stand them on end, connect them with wire and stand them up in a circle around the pot.


You can also close your cooking space in. A word of warning, however, charcoal fumes can kill you. Ventilation is important and the heat will melt a tarp.


Whatever method you use, you might still need to adjust your heat, there are a few tricks that with a little practice will help you. Pile extra coals on the windward side of the lid and under the pot. The wind will carry the heat over the oven. Whatever you do, remember it should be fun.



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12/22/08

The Weather Outside is Frightful. So?



By Keith Fisher

Since LDS Neighborhood usually posts on Thursday, I would imagine you are reading this on Christmas Day. I hope you heard the Whos of Whoville singing their welcome if not, here is a part.

Fah who for-aze!
Dah who dor-aze!
Welcome, welcome Christmas Day.

So how did you make out for Christmas? Are you knee deep in new cast iron? I hope so. I hope you are able to have the kind of Christmas you want. I pray you are able to give to those in greater need and you will find the Joy that comes from the season. May God Bless you and yours through the coming year.

Now get out there. Shovel the snow away, and cook Christmas dinner. Jackie Poulter of Provo, Utah made the recipe below at Klondike Cook off 2004.

Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful. The charcoal is burning bright. Let us cook, let us cook.

GREEK HAMBURGER STEAKS

14 INCH DUTCH OVEN
400 DEGREES
20 COALS TOP/14 COALS BOTTOM

2 - POUNDS GROUND BEEF
3 - LARGE EGGS
1 - TEASPOON SALT
2 - TABLESPOONS OREGANO
1 - TABLESPOON BLACK PEPPER
1-2 CUPS FLOUR

MIX TOGETHER BEEF, EGGS, AND SPICES. SHAPE INTO LARGE SIZE PATTIES.
DREDGE IN FLOUR COATING LIGHTLY.
BAKE AT 400 DEGREES UNTIL DONE.
SERVE WITH GRAVY.

GRAVY
10 INCH DUTCH OVEN
12-16 COALS BOTTOM HEAT

4 - TABLE SPOONS BUTTER
1/2 CUP FLOUR
1/2 TEASPOON BLACK PEPPER
3 TABLESPOONS BEEF SOUP BASE
4 - 6 CUPS MILK

MELT BUTTER IN DUTCH OVEN, STIR IN FLOUR, AND PEPPER TO MAKE A PASTE. ADD 4 CUPS MILK, AND SOUP BASE SLOWLY STIRING CONSTANTLY.
COOK UNTIL THICK, ADD MORE MILK IF NEEDED.


PS Congrats to Nichole for winning the Chuck Wagon Dinner Bell.

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