One of the oldest and most popular types of preparing food outdoors, Dutch oven cooking is probably the most versatile of all. And since summer weather calls for out-of-the-kitchen Dutch oven cooking, get ready to give your taste buds a vacation from bland and boring summer fare.

The Dutch oven, a heavy flat-bottomed cast-iron or aluminum kettle with lid and handles, holds heat evenly for long periods of time, which makes it ideal for frying and deep-fat frying, baking, roasting, braising and stewing.

Types of Dutch Ovens & How to Use Them

 There are two types of Dutch ovens — outdoor and indoor. The outdoor oven has three legs, which hold the oven above hot coals and allow air to circulate below it. It has a relatively flat lid with a raised lip so that coals can also be placed on top. The legless outdoor oven can rest on a flat stove or in an oven. Its lid is round with no raised edges. It can be easily converted to an outdoor Dutch oven by supporting it on coals on three rocks or bricks.

To allow the flat rimless lid to hold coals, make a foil ring a little smaller than the circumference.

Dutch oven cooking is for the novice as well as the expert cook. So hang your oven over an open-flame fire, bury it underground, or place it directly in coals and try this easy, delicious recipe. 

Elegant Dutch Oven Chicken

   10-inch Dutch oven and blender
   1/4 cup butter
   1 teaspoon salt
   1/2 teaspoon pepper
   1 clove garlic, peeled and cut into pieces
   3 large onions, sliced into rings
   5 chicken breasts
   paprika (for garnish) 

Melt butter in the bottom of Dutch oven. Add salt, pepper, garlic and the onion rings. Place chicken breasts on top. Cover the Dutch oven and bake with medium to medium low heat for about 1 hour. Remove the chicken and puree the onion and butter mixture. Replace the chicken in the sauce and sprinkle with paprika. Serves 5.