17 Tasty Dutch Oven Recipes

For the past few months on scoutlife.org, you guys have shown us some of your favorite camp recipes. And, boy, are we getting full from testing your work. Now we’ll return the favor. Here are some favorite Dutch oven recipes from our pals Tim and Christine Conners and their book, The Scout’s Dutch Oven Cookbook.

Not familiar with Dutch ovens? These sturdy iron pots with a thick, heavy lid not only can cook one-pot meals but can also act as a small oven for making biscuits, breakfast casseroles and fruit cobblers. Its thick build produces an even heat, ideal for slow simmering.

NO-FUSS PIZZA ROLL-UPS
Servings: 4–6
Preparation Time: 45 minutes
Challenge Level: Easy

What You’ll Need:

• 2 8-ounce containers refrigerated crescent-roll dough
• 1 5-ounce pouch Boboli Original pizza sauce
• 4 ounces (1 cup) shredded mozzarella cheese
• 3 ounces pepperoni, chopped
• 12-inch camp Dutch oven

What You’ll Do:
Preheat Dutch oven using 18 coals on the lid and 9 briquettes under the oven.
Unroll crescent dough from containers.
Divide pizza sauce, cheese and pepperoni among the crescents and roll up each like a jellyroll.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the crescent rolls become a golden brown.

BOY SCOUT CHICKEN
Servings: 6–8
Preparation Time: 1 1/2 hours
Challenge Level: Easy

What You’ll Need:

• 1 whole chicken, about 5 pounds, gutted, washed and cut up
• 1 16-ounce bottle barbeque sauce
• 12-inch camp Dutch oven

What You’ll Do:
Place chicken in Dutch oven.
Cover with BBQ sauce.
Bake for about 1 1/4 hours using 18 coals on the lid and 9 briquettes under the oven. Refresh coals as required.

CREW 2’S MAC AND CHEESE
Servings: 12–14
Preparation Time: 2 hours
Challenge Level: Easy

What You’ll Need:

• 2 pounds elbow macaroni
• 1/8 cup (1/4 standard stick) butter
• 1 16-ounce package Velveeta cheese, cubed
• 1 pound white American cheese, cubed
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
• 14-inch camp Dutch oven
• Large cook pot
• Heavy-duty aluminum foil

What You’ll Do:
In a large cook pot, boil pasta in six to eight quarts of water until tender, then drain and rinse.
Line the Dutch oven with foil, then liberally grease the lining with butter.
Dump about half of the pasta in the oven.
Distribute half of the Velveeta and American cheese cubes over the pasta.
Top the cheese with the remainder of the pasta, then cover the pasta with the remainder of the cheese.
Combine milk with mustard in a cup, then pour over cheese in the oven.
Bake for about 1 1/2 hours using 21 coals on the lid and 11 briquettes under the oven. Refresh coals as required.

COCONUT S’MORES PIE
Servings: 8–10
Preparation Time: 45 minutes
Challenge Level: Easy

What You’ll Need:

• 1/2 cup (1 standard stick) butter, softened
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1 cup mini marshmallows
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 standard-size ready-made graham piecrust (such as Keebler Ready Crust)
• 12-inch camp Dutch oven with trivet
• Medium-size mixing bowl

What You’ll Do:
Preheat Dutch oven using 17 coals on the lid and 8 briquettes under the oven.
Cream butter in a medium-size mixing bowl.
Add all remaining ingredients except the piecrust to bowl and mix thoroughly.
Pour batter mixture into piecrust.
Place pie pan on trivet in preheated Dutch oven and bake until top of pie becomes golden brown, about 30 to 40 minutes.

KYBO PUDDING
Servings: 12–14
Preparation Time: 1 hour
Challenge Level: Easy

What You’ll Need:

• 2 (16-ounce) packages mini cinnamon-sugar dusted cake donuts
• 2 (2.6-ounce) Hershey’s chocolate bars, broken into pieces
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 12 ounces maple syrup
• 3 cups whole milk
• 12-inch camp Dutch oven

What You’ll Do:
Fill bottom of Dutch oven with donuts.
Cover donuts with chocolate pieces and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Pour maple syrup and milk over all.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes using 17 coals on the lid and 8 briquettes under the oven.

THREE FIRES MAPLE CREAM CHEESE FRENCH TOAST
Servings: 10–12
Preparation Time: 1 hour
Challenge Level: Easy

What You’ll Need:

• 1 dozen eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 cup maple syrup plus extra for topping
• 1 loaf French bread, coarsely cubed
• 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, cubed
• 14-inch camp Dutch oven
• Large mixing bowl

What You’ll Do:
In a large mixing bowl, blend together the eggs, milk and 1 cup maple syrup.
Arrange half of the bread cubes on the bottom of Dutch oven.
Evenly pour about one-third of the egg mixture over the bread cubes.
Layer the cubes of cream cheese over the bread.
Place the remaining half of the bread cubes over the cheese.
Pour the remaining egg mixture over the bread.
Using 21 coals on the lid and 11 briquettes under the oven, bake for 45 minutes, refreshing coals as required.
Serve with maple syrup to taste.

SCHOELLKOPF BUFFALO PIZZA
Servings: 4–6
Preparation Time: 1 hour
Challenge Level: Easy

What You’ll Need:

• 1 (11-ounce) container refrigerated Pillsbury Thin Pizza Crust
• 1 pound frozen precooked breaded chicken fingers
• 1/2 cup (1 standard stick) butter, melted
• 4 tablespoons hot sauce
• 1/2 cup blue cheese salad dressing
• 1/3 cup grated provolone cheese
• 12-inch camp Dutch oven
• Medium-size mixing bowl
• Heavy-duty aluminum foil

What You’ll Do:
Line Dutch oven with aluminum foil, then grease the foil.
Unroll pizza dough into the oven. Fold the edges of the dough under to fully fit inside the oven and to create a thicker edge to the crust.
Chop chicken fingers into bite-sized pieces.
In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine melted butter with the hot sauce.
Add chicken pieces to the sauce mixture and thoroughly coat.
Pour coated chicken and sauce into oven and spread evenly over the dough.
Pour blue cheese dressing over chicken pieces and cover all with provolone cheese.
Bake for 30 minutes using 19 coals on the lid and 10 briquettes under the oven, until bottom of crust is brown and cheese is melted.

TRIAL-BY-FIRE BARBECUE
Servings: 6–8
Preparation Time: 2 hours
Challenge Level: Moderate

What You’ll Need:

• 1 cup Dr Pepper
• 2 cups Heinz ketchup
• 1/4 cup Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup A.1. Steak Sauce
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
• 6–8 country-style pork ribs
• 12-inch camp Dutch oven
• Medium-size cook pot

What You’ll Do:
Add all ingredients except ribs to a medium-size cook pot and stir well.
Bring the sauce to a slow boil over medium flame. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove pot from the flame and set aside.
Preheat oven over 25 coals.
Brown the meat in preheated Dutch oven. The meat does not need to be thoroughly cooked in this step.
Pour sauce over the meat in the Dutch oven.
Cook for 1 1/2 hours using 15 coals on the lid and 10 briquettes under the oven. Refresh coals as required. When the ribs are ready to serve, they will be fallin’ off the bone.

DUTCH OVEN POPCORN
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Challenge Level: Moderate

What You’ll Need:

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup popcorn kernels
• Salt and softened butter to taste
• 12-inch camp Dutch oven
• Large serving bowl

What You’ll Do:
Coat bottom of Dutch oven with oil, then warm over 25 coals.
Cover bottom of oven with popcorn kernels. Replace lid.
Cook the corn, rotating oven a quarter-turn per minute to avoid hot spots.
Remove oven from coals once corn popping begins to slow. Don’t wait too long on this step; otherwise, popcorn will burn.
Carefully pour popcorn into a large serving bowl.
Add softened butter to the warm popcorn, if desired, then salt or season to taste.

BIG SKY JAMBALAYA
Servings: 8-10
Preparation Time: 1 1/4 hours
Challenge Level: Easy

What You’ll Need:

• 1 pound boneless chicken, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup (1/2 standard stick) butter
• 1 pound kielbasa sausage, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 medium green pepper, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 2 (10-ounce) cans Ro*Tel tomatoes, diced
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can chicken broth
• 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled
• 2 cups minute rice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 12-inch camp Dutch oven

What You’ll Do:
Preheat Dutch oven over 25 coals.
Cook chicken in melted butter until no trace of pink remains.
Add sausage, green pepper, onion and celery. Cook until vegetables are just tender.
Mix in tomatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a full boil, refreshing coals as needed.
Add shrimp and cook an additional 5 minutes.
Stir in rice and salt.
Cover. Remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

MEXICAN LASAGNA
Servings: 14–16
Preparation Time: 1 1/4 hours
Challenge Level: Easy

What You’ll Need:

• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
• 2 (1-ounce) packages taco seasoning mix
• 2 (15-ounce) cans pinto, kidney or black beans, drained
• 2 (26-ounce) cans spaghetti sauce
• 1 dozen corn tortillas
• 1 1/2 pounds shredded cheese
• 12-inch camp Dutch oven
• Large mixing bowl

What You’ll Do:
Pre-heat Dutch oven over 25 coals.
Brown ground beef in the oven, then transfer meat to a large mixing bowl. Remove oven from heat.
To the beef, add the taco seasoning mix, beans and spaghetti sauce. Mix.
Spread about one-third of the beef-sauce mixture on the bottom of the oven.
Top mixture with four of the tortillas, covering as much of the surface of the beef-sauce as possible.
Spread another one-third of the beef-sauce on the tortillas, then distribute about one-third of the shredded cheese across the top.
Continue layering with another four tortillas, the remainder of the beef-sauce mix, and another one-third of the cheese.
Finish with a final layer of four tortillas covered with the remainder of the cheese.
Bake for about 30 minutes using 17 coals on the lid and 8 briquettes under the oven, until heated through. Refresh coals if required.

SCOUTMASTER’S LASAGNA
Servings: 18–20
Preparation Time: 1 3/4 hours
Challenge Level: Moderate

What You’ll Need:

• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 (26-ounce) jars spaghetti sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning blend
• 2 (15-ounce) tubs ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1 (16-ounce) box lasagna noodles, uncooked
• 1 1/2 pounds (6 cups) mozzarella cheese
• 14-inch camp Dutch oven
• Large mixing bowl
• Medium-size mixing bowl
• Heavy-duty aluminum foil

What You’ll Do:
Preheat Dutch oven over 32 coals.
Brown beef, garlic and onion in oven, then transfer to a large bowl. Remove oven from heat.
Add spaghetti sauce, salt, black pepper and Italian seasoning blend to the beef-onion mix and stir well.
Mix ricotta cheese and eggs in a medium-size bowl and set aside.
Carefully line hot oven with aluminum foil.
Spread about one-third of the beef mixture on the bottom of the oven. Next, add a layer of about one-third of the noodles followed by about one-third of the ricotta-egg mixture and one-third of the mozzarella cheese.
Repeat this order two more times until all ingredients are layered, ending with a layer of mozzarella cheese.
Cook for about 45 minutes using 21 coals on the lid and 11 briquettes under the oven, until noodles are thoroughly cooked. Refresh coals as required.

DEN LEADER’S GERMAN POTATO SALAD
Servings: 6–8
Preparation Time: 1 1/4 hours
Challenge Level: Easy

What You’ll Need:

• 4–6 strips precooked bacon, chopped
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup
• 3/4 cup water (or a soup can about half-full)
• 3 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 (30-ounce) bag frozen shredded hash browns, thawed
• 12-inch camp Dutch oven
• Small mixing bowl

What You’ll Do:
In a small bowl, combine bacon, onion, soup, water, vinegar, sugar, salt and black pepper.
Distribute hash browns in the bottom of Dutch oven.
Pour soup mixture over potatoes.
Bake for about one hour using 18 coals on the lid and 9 briquettes under the oven. Refresh coals as required.

TEXAS BEANS
Servings: 14–16
Preparation Time: 1 1/2 hours
Challenge Level: Easy

What You’ll Need:

• 1 pound bacon, diced
• 6 to 8 large onions, cut into rings
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon powdered mustard
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1 (15 1/4-ounce) can lima beans, drained
• 2 (16-ounce) cans kidney beans, drained
• 2 (28-ounce) cans pork and beans
• 12-inch camp Dutch oven

What You’ll Do:
Preheat Dutch oven over 25 coals.
Fry bacon in oven.
Add onion rings and cook until onions are translucent.
Add garlic powder, powdered mustard, vinegar and brown sugar. Stir.
Cook for 20 minutes, then stir in the beans.
Cover and bake for about 30 minutes using 17 coals on the lid and 8 briquettes under the oven. Refresh coals as required.

LITTLE JIMMYCAMPER’S STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE
Servings: 10–12
Preparation Time: 1 1/4 hours
Challenge Level: Easy

What You’ll Need:

• 2 cups mini marshmallows
• 6 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
• 1 (3-ounce) package strawberry gelatin mix
• 1 (18 1/2-ounce) package Pillsbury yellow cake mix
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup oil
• 3 eggs
• Whipped cream (optional)
• 12-inch camp Dutch oven
• Small mixing bowl
• Large mixing bowl

What You’ll Do:
Spread marshmallows evenly over bottom of greased Dutch oven.
In a small bowl, combine strawberries and gelatin mix. Set aside.
In a large bowl, blend the cake mix with the water, oil and eggs.
Pour cake batter evenly over the marshmallows, then spoon the strawberry mixture over the batter.
Bake for 45 to 55 minutes using 17 coals on the lid and 8 briquettes under the oven, until the top is a golden brown. Refresh coals as necessary.
Top with optional whipped cream and serve.

ROUNDTABLE MANGO CHEESECAKE
Servings: 18–20
Preparation Time: 1 1/4 hour
Challenge Level: Moderate

What You’ll Need:
CRUST:

• 2/3 package (2 sealed packets, about 10 ounces) graham crackers, crushed
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 standard stick) butter, melted

FILLING:

• 3 (8-ounce) packages reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon key lime juice (from about 2 key limes)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup mango puree
• 1 1/2 cups fresh thinly sliced mango
• 1 (7-ounce) can whipped cream (optional)
• 12-inch camp Dutch oven
• Medium-size mixing bowl
• Large mixing bowl
• Heavy-duty aluminum foil
• Hand mixer

What You’ll Do:
To prepare crust, combine crushed graham crackers, brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and the melted butter in a medium-size bowl. Mix until the butter is absorbed and the crumbs are uniformly moist.
Line Dutch oven with heavy-duty aluminum foil, and evenly press crumb mixture into bottom and up sides of oven to form crust.
Add all filling ingredients to a large mixing bowl and blend using a hand mixer. Pour filling over crust in Dutch oven.
Using 16 coals on the lid and 7 briquettes under the oven, bake for about 45 minutes, until top of cheesecake begins to brown. When it is finished baking, the cake should still have a small wobbly area in the center. Do not overcook.
Remove Dutch oven from coals and top cheesecake with mango slices. Serve warm with optional whipped cream topping.

ROCKY ROAD FREEDOM FUDGE
Servings: 64 1-inch-square pieces (about 2 1/2 pounds of fudge)
Preparation Time: 2 3/4 hours
Challenge Level: Moderate

What You’ll Need:

• 1 quart water
• 1 pound semisweet baking chocolate squares, chopped
• 2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate squares, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips, divided
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup mini marshmallows
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• 12-inch camp Dutch oven
• 8-inch by 8-inch cake pan
• Medium-size metal mixing bowl
• Heavy-duty aluminum foil
• Rubber spatula

What You’ll Do:
Over 25 coals, heat about one quart of water in the Dutch oven to simmering. Reduce coal count if boil becomes vigorous.
While the water heats, line the cake pan with aluminum foil, then grease the foil.
In a medium-size metal bowl, combine the baking chocolates, baking soda, salt and half of the semisweet chocolate chips.
Slowly add the sweetened condensed milk and the vanilla extract, stirring everything together.
Place the metal bowl in the Dutch oven and stir the ingredients using a rubber spatula until the chocolate is melted. Note that the oven is serving as a “double-boiler” here. The metal bowl should “float” in the hot water while the chocolate melts.
Remove bowl from the Dutch oven and continue stirring for an additional minute.
Add mini marshmallows, chopped pecans and remaining chocolate chips to the bowl. Stir briefly.
Pour fudge into the cake pan and evenly spread with the spatula.
Lightly score the top of the fudge into squares about 1 inch on a side.
Place cake pan on ice in a cooler and chill for about 2 hours or until the fudge is firm.
Remove fudge from the pan and peel foil from the sides and bottom. Cut fudge into 1-inch squares.