Baking in a Dutch Oven. — This is a cast-iron
pot with flaring sides and short legs, fitted with
a thick iron cover, the rim of which is turned
up to hold a layer of coals on top. If it were
not for its weight it would be the best oven for
outdoor use, since it not only bakes but cooks
the meat or pone in its own steam. The pots
BREADSTUFFS AND CEREALS. 105
made for fireless cookers can be used in a similar
way. ,
Place the Dutch oven and its lid separately on
the fire. Get the bottom moderately hot, and the
lid very hot (but not red, lest it warp). Grease
the bottom and sprinkle flour over it, put in the
bread or biscuits, set cover on, rake a thin layer of
coals out in front of the fire, stand oven on them,
and cover lid thickly with more live coals. Re-
plenish occasionally. Have a stout pot-hook to
lift lid with, so you can inspect progress of baking,
once or twice.
WHEAT BREAD AND BISCUITS.
When baking powder is used, the secret of good
bread is to handle the dough as little as possible.
After adding the water, mix as rapidly as you
can, not with the warm hands, but with a big
spoon or a wooden paddle. To knead such bread,
or roll it much, or even to mould biscuits by hand
instead of cutting them out, would surely make
your baking "sad." As soon as water touches
the flour, the baking powder begins to give off
gas. It is this gas, imprisoned in the dough, that
makes bread light. Squeezing or moulding presses,
this gas out. The heat of the hands turns such
dough into Tom Hood's "putty."
Biscuit Loaf. — This is a standard camp bread,
because it bakes quickly. It is good so long as it
is hot, but it dries out soon and will not keep.
For four men:
3 pints flour,
3 heaping teaspoonfuls baking powder,
1 heaping teaspoonful salt,
2 heaping tablespoonfuls cold grease,
1 scant pint cold water✪ Biscuit.
Amount of water varies according to quality of
106 CAMP COOKERY.
flour. Baking powders vary in strength; follow
directions on can.
Mix thoroughly, with big spoon or wooden pad-
dle, first the baking powder with the flour, and
then the salt. Rub into this the cold grease
(which may be lard, cold pork fat, drippings, or
bear's grease), until there are no lumps left and
no grease adhering to bottom of pan. This is a
little tedious, but don't shirk it. Then stir in the
water and work it with spoon until you have a
rather stiff dough. Have the pan greased. Turn
the loaf into it, and bake. Test center of loaf
with a sliver when you think it probably done.
When no dough adheres, remove bread. All hot
breads should be broken with the hands, never
cut.
To freshen any that is left over and dried out,
sprinkle a little water over it and heat through.
This can be done but once.
Page 51 · 2 recipe records on this page
Presented as published in 1910. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Baking in a Dutch Oven. — This is a cast-iron pot with flaring sides and short legs, fitted with a thick iron cover, the rim of which is turned up to hold a layer of coals on top. If it were not for its weight it would be the best oven for outdoor use, since it not only bakes but cooks the meat or pone in its own steam. The pots
made for fireless cookers can be used in a similar way. ,
Place the Dutch oven and its lid separately on the fire. Get the bottom moderately hot, and the lid very hot (but not red, lest it warp). Grease the bottom and sprinkle flour over it, put in the bread or biscuits, set cover on, rake a thin layer of coals out in front of the fire, stand oven on them, and cover lid thickly with more live coals. Replenish occasionally. Have a stout pot-hook to lift lid with, so you can inspect progress of baking, once or twice.
WHEAT BREAD AND BISCUITS.
When baking powder is used, the secret of good bread is to handle the dough as little as possible. After adding the water, mix as rapidly as you can, not with the warm hands, but with a big spoon or a wooden paddle. To knead such bread, or roll it much, or even to mould biscuits by hand instead of cutting them out, would surely make your baking "sad." As soon as water touches the flour, the baking powder begins to give off gas. It is this gas, imprisoned in the dough, that makes bread light. Squeezing or moulding presses, this gas out. The heat of the hands turns such dough into Tom Hood's "putty."
Biscuit Loaf. — This is a standard camp bread, because it bakes quickly. It is good so long as it is hot, but it dries out soon and will not keep. For four men:
3 pints flour,
3 heaping teaspoonfuls baking powder,
1 heaping teaspoonful salt,
2 heaping tablespoonfuls cold grease, 1 scant pint cold water.
Amount of water varies according to quality of
flour. Baking powders vary in strength; follow directions on can.
Mix thoroughly, with big spoon or wooden paddle, first the baking powder with the flour, and then the salt. Rub into this the cold grease (which may be lard, cold pork fat, drippings, or bear's grease), until there are no lumps left and no grease adhering to bottom of pan. This is a little tedious, but don't shirk it. Then stir in the water and work it with spoon until you have a rather stiff dough. Have the pan greased. Turn the loaf into it, and bake. Test center of loaf with a sliver when you think it probably done. When no dough adheres, remove bread. All hot breads should be broken with the hands, never cut.
To freshen any that is left over and dried out, sprinkle a little water over it and heat through. This can be done but once.
Records on this page
BiscuitBiscuit Loaf