Outdoor Cooking – Pit, Dutch Oven, Campfire, Reflector Oven, etc.

Outdoor Cooking with a Reflector Oven

Priesthood Purposes
Develop talents by learning and demonstrating outdoor cooking skills.

Strengthen families by inviting family members to participate in this activity.

Activate young men of quorum age by involving them in the activity and giving them specific assignments.

Young Women Areas of Focus
Recreation and the world of nature-
by learning camping skills.

Homemaking arts-
by practicing outdoor cooking.

Personal and social refinement-
by developing proper relationships with others.

People who can help
Advisers
Parents
Youth
Camping specialists
Recreation specialists

Things needed
Handbook on camping skills
One or more reflector ovens
Food (Meatloaf, casseroles, biscuits, pie, and cake all cook well in a reflector oven.)
Wood and matches (Reflector ovens require a lot of wood.)

How to do it
1. Build a fire with flames about as high as the reflector oven. Coals will not work.

2. Place the reflector oven about 6 inches (15cm) to 1 foot (30cm) from the fire. You can vary the heat by moving the oven.

3. Put your meal in the reflector oven. Cooking time varies, but is generally about the same as that in a kitchen oven. You can cook many things, including meatloaf, casserole, cakes, biscuits, and so forth.

Outdoor Cooking over Coals

Priesthood Purposes
Develop talents by learning and demonstrating outdoor cooking skills.

Strengthen families by inviting family members to participate in this activity.

Activate young men of quorum age by involving them in the activity and giving them specific assignments.

Young Women Areas of Focus
Recreation and the world of nature-
by learning camping skills.

Homemaking arts-
by practicing outdoor cooking.

Personal and social refinement-
by developing proper relationships with others.

People who can help
Advisers
Parents
Youth
Experienced campers

Things needed
Several pots and frying pans
Food
Wood and matches

How to do it
1. Build a fire and let it burn down to coals.

2. Rub dish soap on the outside of your pots and pans. (This will make them easier to clean later.)

3. Place pans directly on coals or over low flames.

4. Prepare food in a manner similar to cooking on a kitchen stove.

5. Toast may be made by placing individual slices of bread over flameless coals. When one side is browned, turn it and brown the other side.

6. Foods like toast and pancakes can be placed in separate covered pans to keep warm while the other food is being prepared.

Outdoor Cooking with a Dutch Oven

Priesthood Purposes
Develop talents by learning and demonstrating outdoor cooking skills.

Strengthen families by inviting family members to participate in this activity.

Activate young men of quorum age by involving them in the activity and giving them specific assignments.

Young Women Areas of Focus
Recreation and the world of nature-
by learning camping skills.

Homemaking arts-
by practicing outdoor cooking.

Personal and social refinement-
by developing proper relationships with others.

People who can help
Advisers
Parents
Youth
Camping specialists

Things needed
One or more dutch ovens (Two or three different sizes can give more variety to your meals.)
Food (Meat, bread, and pie all cook well in a dutch oven.)
Wood and matches for a fire

How to do it
1. Build a fire and let it burn until you have a good bed of coals.

2. Preheat the dutch oven over the coals. (Cast iron dutch ovens cook slowly and evenly; aluminum dutch ovens cook much faster.)

3. Cook your meal using the following directions:

Pot Roast
a. Melt shortening or suet and sear a pot roast on all sides. Season the roast and add one cup (.235 liters) of hot water.
b. Put the lid on the dutch oven and place it on hot coals. Put hot coals on the lid and cook the roast about 21/2 hours.
c. About one hour before the roast is done, add one peeled potato, carrot, and onion per camper.

Baked Apples
a. Wash and core a large apple for each camper. Fill the core hole with sugar and cinnamon.
b. Put the apples on a greased metal plate and add 1/2 cup (.1175 liters) water to the plate.
c. Place the plate on three small rocks inside the dutch oven. Cover, place on the coals, place coals on the lid, and cook for 30 minutes.

Biscuits
a. Preheat oven.
b. Cut biscuits about 1/2 inch (12.5 mm) thick and place on the bottom of the ungreased dutch oven. (Leave a space between biscuits.)
c. Place on coals and place coals on top of the oven. Cook for 10-15 minutes.

Stew
a. Preheat oven.
b. Add 1/2 inch (12.5 mm) water to bottom of oven.
c. Cut up and add assorted vegetables and meats.
d. Add seasoning.
e. Cook until done.

Peach Cobbler
a. Preheat oven.
b. Put in a can of sliced peaches.
c. Place biscuits or Bisquick dough on top.
d. Cook until done.

Outdoor Cooking with Aluminum Foil

Priesthood Purposes
Develop talents by learning and demonstrating outdoor cooking skills.

Strengthen families by inviting family members to participate in this activity.

Activate young men of quorum age by involving them in the activity and giving them specific assignments.

Young Women Areas of Focus
Recreation and the world of nature-
by learning camping skills.

Homemaking arts-
by practicing outdoor cooking.

Personal and social refinement-
by developing proper relationships with others.

People who can help
Advisers
Parents
Youth
Camping specialists

Things needed
Aluminum foil
Food (meat, vegetables, apples, sugar, and cinnamon)
Wood and matches for the fire

How to do it
1. Build a fire and let it burn until there is a good bed of hot coals.

2. Place a thin piece of meat and sliced vegetables on a piece of tin foil and season the food. Wrap and tightly seal the package by folding over the edges several times.

3. Bury the package in the coals and cook for 15-20 minutes. (Do not cook it in the open flames and do not make holes in the package.)

4. While the main course is cooking, prepare dessert. Remove a piece of the stem end of the apple. Remove as much of the core as possible. Fill the apple with sugar and cinnamon and replace the stem end piece of the apple.

5. Wrap the apple in foil and place it upright in the coals. Cook it about five minutes.

Pit Cooking

Priesthood Purposes
Develop talents by learning and demonstrating outdoor cooking skills.

Strengthen families by inviting family members to participate in this activity.

Activate young men of quorum age by involving them in the activity and giving them specific assignments.

Young Women Areas of Focus
Recreation and the world of nature-
by learning camping skills.

Homemaking arts-
by practicing outdoor cooking.

Personal and social refinement-
by developing proper relationships with others.

People who can help
Advisers
Parents
Camping specialists

Things needed
Wood and matches
Tinder and kindling
Ax or saw
Cooking utensils
Food

How to do it
1. Dig a pit deep enough to bury your cooking pot.

2. Line the pit with rocks, clay, or wet shrubs.

3. Build a criss-cross fire over the pit.

4. Let the fire burn until the pit is three-fourths filled with coals.

5. Remove half of the coals.

6. Place the dutch oven full of food in the pit or the coals.

7. Place the remaining coals around the pot.

8. Cover the pot and the coals with dirt.

9. Let the food cook several hours.

MORE CAMPING RECIPES
Reynolds Kichen’s alumininum foil (packet) dinners – tons of yummy recipes

Scoutorama’s list of Dutch Oven and Camping recipes – includes Breakfast In A Paper Bag

The Mac Scouter has a list of several recipes, including jerky making and chili

From “The Activity Book”, Camping, pp 157-171. available from Church Distribution for $6.00.