Arkansas Canoe Club Forums

texasannie52, speaking for the group, you don't need references for this bunch of river runners.
However,
Hopefully you can join up on a river float and bring your DO along. Nothing much better than setting on a Buffalo River gravel bar waiting for the DO's to "make" supper. Well, maybe that cup of good coffee next morning and some left over cobbler helping you greet the morning.

Annie,

That sure sounds like some great paddling, many interesting streams! I too paddle a 12' Acadia for several of my trips each year :) Thanks for posting, and we'll look forward to seeing out on the river this coming year.


Best Regards
Jim

OK, Richard, here from memory is the first DO cake recipe I ever baked and it still remains one of the most requested on the floats I go on.

The secret to baking a cake is heat management. And, luck.

There are all sorts of formulas to follow but I think it all comes down to experience and conditions. DO cooking is a little bit engineering and a whole lot art. This procedure includes my opinion and every DO cooker I know has their own method and they all work.

For my GSI Hard Anodized 12 here is what I do.

Get the charcoals started, I use a chimney device and put in around 30 briquettes.

I seem to have the most luck with Duncan Hines moist cake mixes. There is a DH Pineapple Upside Down mix, yellow works as well. For me, this mix will work well up to and around 5,000 msl. It depends on what else you do to the prepared cake mixes, but above that you need to mix up your own cake mix. I recommend "Pie in the Sky" by Susan G.Purdy as a great place to learn how to handle hi altitude baking. Sometimes I will add in a jello vanilla instant pudding mix and an extra egg to the directions on the box. Mix the cake mix as per directions on the box. Except I will drain the pineapple and cherry juice and add water to the cup to reach the amount on the box directions. Bottom line, if the final mix looks good, it probably is.

Put the DO on low heat on your camp stove.

Spray the DO well with PAM. I am a big fan of PAM and use it liberally on all my DO's even cast iron.

Toss some real butter into the DO and melt on low - don't be stingy and do not burn.
Add in brown sugar - do not be stingy.
If I have it, a shot of dark Jamaican rum goes in for flavor.
Stir constantly to caramelize. This will not take long.
Arrange the pineapple rings on the DO bottom - I have used crushed pineapple when the pineapple rings were not available.
Put a cherry in the center of each pineapple slice and fill in the voids with left over pineapple and cherries.
Dump in a bunch of shelled pecans - if I have time I will half them otherwise the entire meat goes in.

Depending on how hot it is, how much wind, how cold or how I feel that day, I put more or less 8 briquettes in a circle about the size of the bottom circle of the DO. The safe way is to use a nice fire pan to cook on. The good thing about upside down cakes is you have all that liquid in the bottom and it is hard to burn the cake (but, it has happened). My opinion, heat goes from the sides of the DO to the center. That is the reason for the circle.

Put the DO on the circle with the DO top on with the bail standing upright.

I just ring the outside top lid with charcoals. If it is hot and no wind put a little space between the charcoals. If it is cold and windy have the briquettes touching. Again, heat travels to the center of the lid. My experience is you can have a lot of charcoals on the lid and still get by, put a lot on the bottom and your chance of burning the cake is higher than I am willing to take. Some folks use a checker board pattern - this has never worked well for me so I don't do checker boards for charcoal.

Time for the beverage of your choice.

Every 5 to ten minutes, depends on how I think the heat is working the DO, I like to turn the entire DO to the right half a turn more or less then turn the lid to the left a half turn more or less. Use vise grips, one of the simple pot lifters or get one of the expensive but well worth it squeeze ones that clamp on to the lid or bail like a dog bites on your ankle when you are out jogging. I like to do this to prevent hot spots on the DO. Some cast iron cooks do not turn, and it might not be necessary with cast iron. With aluminum DO's I think the turning is necessary unless it is your lucky day.

Do not mess with lifting the lid to look till you start smelling the good stuff cooking. The next step depends on how your ability to handle your beverage of choice and agility with hot objects is working and how much wind is blowing charcoal dust every where. Wait a bit then carefully lift the lid while one of your buds pokes a dull knife or twig into the cake at several spots. If it comes clean you are done - if it is not clean, carefully replace the lid and bake till you get a clean blade or twig. Most cakes in most conditions will bake in 30 minutes more or less.

When it is done, finish your drink and let the cake cool a bit. If you did things right and are lucky, the sides of the cake will pull away from the sides of the DO. If not, run a dull knife blade around the sides and hope the bottom did not stick. The best cake pan holder I have found is one of the cheap pizza pans from WalMart with aluminum foil covering same. Depending on the quantity consumed of your beverage of choice - you might want to have a bud perform the unveil.

I like to have two of the insulated DO gloves on. Remove the DO lid to a safe place. Place the cake plate on top of the opened DO or on the cook table. The rest is up to you. Figure out a way to flip the DO over on top of the cake plate and then get the plate to the table without burning your self or some one else and dropping the cake.

Stand back, enjoy the beautiful cake for a few seconds. Then join your buds to consume the cake.

It is super easy, lots of fun and most anyone can do this cake.

Now, you know most (but not all) of my DO cake baking technique!

Good baking and happy eating on your next float.

Richard, you arrange the next Buffalo Float and me and Bob Stout will provide the campfire dessert! Add in Roger and the crew is guaranteed to eat good and laugh even more!

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas and the New Year is Happy and filled with good float trips for all of us.

texasannie52 wrote:Am a member of the Alamo City Rivermen from San Antonio, TX and if you need references, can provide those.

References. To hang with us. Now I don't care who you are, that's funny!


P.S. - I'll bring lunch.
Hey, wait, what am I doing here on a cooking thread?

How about this recipe?

Chicken/Cheese Enchiladas
2 Deli Baked Chickens, deboned and cut into pieces
4 c. Monterey Jack, shredded
2 c. Cheddar, shredded
2 medium onions, chopped
1 c. Sour cream or plain yogurt
1 c. chopped green bell pepper
3-15 oz. Cans tomato sauce
4 T. Chopped fresh parsley
1/2 t. Dried oregano
18 flour tortillas
3 T. Chili powder
3/4 t. Ground cumin
1/2 t. Pepper
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Grease DO. Mix Monterey Jack, one C. Cheddar cheese, chicekn, 1/2 onion (chopped), sour cream, parsley and pepper. Spoon about 1/3-1/2 C. mixture onto each tortilla around filling and face seam side down. Mix remaining ingredients except cheese. Pour over enchiladas. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake until hot and bubbly, about 30 min.. Serve about 18.

This one is easy to do and feeds a bunch. Serve up with extra chips and salsa.

Or this one?

East Texas Chicken
3-5 strips of bacon
1-2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1-2 Tbsp. Butter
6 boneless chicken breasts
1-C. flour seasoned with salt, black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder
1 C. chopped onion
1 C. chopped bell pepper (mixed green, yellow & red)
½ C. finely chopped celery
1 Tbsp. Minced garlic
2-6 oz. Cans lump crab meat with juice
2-6 oz. Jars artichokes harts, quartered
1-16 oz. can chicken stock (as needed)
½ C. heavy cream

Preheat Dutch Oven with 12-18 briquettes under the bottom. Render bacon then remove meat and set aside. Add to the drippings, olive oil and butter. Season chicken breasts to taste with seasonings. Dust breasts in seasoned flour and shake off excess. Brown chicken breasts skin side down first. Turn and cook other side until brown. Remove beasts and rain excess oil from the Dutch Oven. Sauté’ onion, bell peppers, celery and garlic until onion is clear. Add chicken back to Dutch Oven, top with crabmeat, drained artichokes, rendered bacon. Season to taste with salt, pepper, oregano and add cream. Place lid on Dutch Oven and add 10-12 briquettes to lid. Check briquettes under the bottom you need 8-10 minutes to simmer. Simmer until done and sauce is thickened, approximately 30 to 40 minutes. Add chicken stock as needed for liquid throughout cooking. Garnish at serving with chopped parsley and /or crab claws.

Serve with rice cooked in separate DO following directions of 1 cup rice to 2 cups water which served 4 people. Adjust to number of folks eating.

Desserts:


The extra sauce from this is good in your coffee...

Hood River Fresh Apple Cake
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter
2 eggs
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
4 cups chopped cooking apples
1 cup chopped nuts

Sauce:
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup unsalted butter
½ cup whipping cream
½ teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup rum or burbon or good quality whiskey

cream together sugar, butter, and eggs. Sift in dry ingredients and add to mixture. Add chopped apples and nuts. Bake in greased 12" pan for 45 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Mix all sauce ingredients together and cook over the dutch oven in a small pot until back of spoon is covered or in soft boil candy stage. Add about 1/2 cup burbon, whiskey or rum to cooking at end. May use 1 tablesppon rum flavoring instead.

Dutch Oven Apple Crisp
Filling:
3 ½ c sliced apples (about 6 Granny Smith)
¾ c sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
½ cup water
¾ c apple juice
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp nutmeg

Crust:
1 c rolled oats
1 c all-purpose flour
1 c packed brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ cup butter, melted

For Filling:
Combine all ingredients except apples, mix. Add apples and mix to bottom of Dutch oven.

For Crisp topping:
Combine oats, flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter and stir until mixed. Spread crisp topping on apple filling to cover.

Cook on low heat for 20-30 minutes or until apples reach desired consistency.

Razzle Dazzle Berry Cobbler
3 tbsp margarine or cooking oil
One package frozen fruit - blueberry works well mixed with one teaspoon corn starch or flour, 1/4 cup sugar
1 package white cake mix
1 12-oz can sprite
1 large 14-oz can whipped cream

Grease the oven, bottom and sides of a 10” Dutch oven. Spread frozen fruit evenly on the bottom. Sprinkle the cake mix - just the mix, you should not mix up the cake mix according to the package directions - in an even coating on top of the pie filing. Now pour the sprite evenly over the cake mix. Mix it lightly into the cake mix.

Place the oven on the briquettes with the usual five below and 20 or so on the lid. Baking time is 30 to 40 minutes. Check at about 20 minutes to see if the bottom is burning; if so, remove the underneath coals. Check again every ten minutes. Done when cake is brown and it passes the sharp/clean knife test. Serve hot with whipped cream on top.

Wow, texasannie52 - all your recipes look good to me.

I have a zillion Chicken Breast recipes, but not your East Texas version. Maybe a bit of Louisiana spice cooking mixed into that East Texas cooking'?

I put this one in my must cook list next rafting season.

thanks

dave

Genuine Australian Camel Stew
NOTE: Recipe requires a very very large Dutch Oven. Receipe recommended for entertaining V.I.P's in Camp.
3 Medium sized Camels

1 ton salt
500 bushels Potatoes
1 ton pepper

200 bushels carrots
3000 sprigs parsley
2 small rabbits
1000 gallons of brown gravy.

Cut camels into bite sized pieces, cube vegetables. Place meat into pan and cover with 1000 gallons of brown gravy. Simmer slowly for 4 weeks.
Garnish with Parsley, Should serve 3800 people. If more are expected add 2 rabbits.

And after that I'd better be nice, so here is a link to some very good dutch oven recipes from the Arkansas Dutch Oven Society:

Genuine Australian Camel Stew
NOTE: Recipe requires a very very large Dutch Oven. Receipe recommended for entertaining V.I.P's in Camp.
3 Medium sized Camels

1 ton salt
500 bushels Potatoes
1 ton pepper

200 bushels carrots
3000 sprigs parsley
2 small rabbits
1000 gallons of brown gravy.

Cut camels into bite sized pieces, cube vegetables. Place meat into pan and cover with 1000 gallons of brown gravy. Simmer slowly for 4 weeks.
Garnish with Parsley, Should serve 3800 people. If more are expected add 2 rabbits.

Hey Richard,

Maybe you can get Bob Stout to give a few tips on cooking pork chops. That man has cooked some of the best eating pork chops ever in my opinion.

This summer I turned my dutch oven into a smoker with pretty good success according to those whom I fed.
I found a small metal "smoking" box at Wal-Mart about 1.5 inches deep, 7 inches in length and 4 inches wide..more or less.
After having soaked mesquite chips in water (although you can use apple juice, etc) overnight, I wrapped them in AL foil and pitched them into the coals. When the mesquite chip foil bundles began to smoke, I placed them in the box and sat the box down in the bottom of my DO. I had fashioned a small grill which fit neatly in the DO hovering about one inch above the box. Note,it really helps to lightly oil the grill to prevent sticking.
Atop the grill, I placed two butcher cut rib-eyes which I had seared over open flame. I then adjusted the lid to allow a wee bit of air in...just enough to keep it smoldering. I let them smoke for about an hour just guessing at what would have been cooking time. I could have used a meat thermometer...if I had had one. I kept about 6 coals going under the DO and maybe 4 on top. Somehow or another, they came out incrediblly delicious. I slathered the tops with melted butter and blue cheese. I thought the boys were going to go into a feeding frenzy they way they devoured them. I was afraid to stand too close for fear they would have mistaken my arm for ribeye. That's how I know when things taste good
It needs a little tweaking but definitely has potiential.

Very sad that the ACC cookbook never took off. What a bunch of great cooks

texasannie52 wrote:Genuine Australian Camel Stew
NOTE: Recipe requires a very very large Dutch Oven. Receipe recommended for entertaining V.I.P's in Camp.
3 Medium sized Camels

Cuddin find camels at walmart??? and I never knew they were from Australia?? live and learn.

Lookin forward to trying a couple of these.