REVIEW: Dutch Oven & Cast Iron Cooking

It's time to pull out, dust off and reuse that cast iron skillet that grandma once lovingly used in her kitchen as dutch oven and cast ironing cooking is being rediscovered.  Today we take non-stick pans for granted yet their introduction saw cast iron cookware being pushed to the back of kitchen cupboards. Nevertheless the advantages of cast iron cookware are once again being praised.

Dutch Cooking & Cast Iron Cooking by Peg Couch brings this method of cooking to those of us who may not of considered it's merits. This form of cooking is not only versatile - you can basically take the pan direct from stove top to oven, but it's durable and green - certainly an item to pass from generation to generation. It's also a natural, non-stick method of cooking. While cast iron cookware requires care and seasoning, it's thoroughly outlined alongside it's history before we get into the huge variety of exciting and delicious recipes. More so, many of these recipes are written to be made in bulk with many offering 8 to 10 servings. Directions are offered for all recipes for stove/oven or fire cooking making it a handy go to cookbook for camping trips and it's food that you'll want to share! 

While the mouthwatering photo inserts might grab your attention alone, you'll find over 70 everyday favorites, from Zippy Scrambled Eggs to mouthwatering Swiss Crabmeat Bake all organised by meal times. Recipes call for simple, everyday ingredients - again great if your out camping.

With weekly trips to estate sales we have a couple of cast iron skillets but I've never known just what or just how to use this vintage cookware. So, putting this cookbook and my skillet to the test I decided to try out the One-Pan Brownies to keep us company on our forthcoming road-trip.

To say these brownies were a hit with the husband would be an understatement and they are certainly my favorite batch I've ever made. The recipe itself was straight forward but detailed enough to cook from. Not having to line or prepare a tin was a big advantage alongside melting, stirring and baking everything in the same skillet was a welcomed plus! The brownies themselves were lovely and moist although very rich in their denseness. Melting the chocolate and butter together creates a wonderfully smooth batter and it's nice to have a brownie recipe without nuts for a change.

So if like me you have a piece of cast iron cookware just dying to be used in your kitchen or you've been using one for a while, Dutch Oven & Cast Iron Cooking would be an ideal fit to add to your cookbook collection. However, unless I'm cooking in bulk to then freeze, some of the serving sizes are a little on the large size for just the two of us but I can certainly see it's merits for taking camping and eating with friends. But this cookbook has found a place on my shelf all the same most notably for the pie and cake recipes - I mean who wouldn't want to try baking a nutty hot fudge cake or a berry crumble?!

Have you ever tried cast iron cookware?

Dutch Oven & Cast Iron Cooking by Peg Couch from Fox Chapel Publishing is released on November 1st, 2013. ISBN: 978-1-56523-817-6 Retail Price $14.99.
Disclosure - Fox Chapel Publishing provided this book to me free of charge for review purposes, all opinions and images are my own.