By: Frank Medicine Wolf Springer
Yep, old dogs, not everyone wants or needs a puppy to be happy. And recently I received an “old dog” of cooking ware…and I’m giddy as a kid watching the neighbor lady undress…okay…too far? Alright then, if I started off with the words “Dutch Oven”, teenagers would laugh and the rest of you would just jump to the next article, right? Truth is, Dutch Oven cooking is and can be as varied and exceptional as a five star French chef cooking your evening meal at hunt camp. True, AND IT JUST GOT BETTER.
Dutch Oven cooking is about as old as a rock. I have 8 Dutch ovens that I’ve used for 40 years and like a rock, there is an incredible durability factor to this cook wear but if you don’t know how to use them they just lay there and you and your family and friends lose out on some great eating. Just like a rock, you can let it lay, or if you toss a rock, you can hold off a barking dog, drive a buck out of the brush, and if you’re accurate: make dinner…stoned rabbit—not San Francisco stoned rabbit…too much herb required there. What I’m hissing through my teeth here is, don’t’ pass by something just because it has been around for a very long time and don’t think something old can not be improved. Like the one I’m about ready to tell you about.
CampMaid just posted me their “Full Combo” Dutch oven set. They have been very innovative in solving some of the problems that have existed in the active use of these cast iron pots for hundreds of years and they have figured a way to store all of these improvements inside the oven and in a compact two-handle bag.
The CampMaid Dutch Oven is the traditional dished top, three leg design that American patriot Paul Revere is credited with improving from the old round ‘chuck it into the fire’ pots that had been around for more than 200 years before he got his hands on one. The three legs were added to hold the pot above the coals and the dished top holds additional coals from a fire, or modern charcoal Bar-b-Que briquets; making this a true ‘oven’ baking utensil. Comes with a wire bail to lift the pot as well.
CampMaid produces a finely finished product with a smooth interior that easily takes the ‘seasoning oil’ making this ‘non-stick’ cook wear that cleans up in a snap. Quality manufacturing is how the term ‘Dutch’ ended up attached to these pots when an Englishman went to the Netherlands and hijacked their better methods of producing the original cast iron pots. From then on, ‘Dutch’ came to mean a higher quality style oven pot. CampMaid has taken Quality to a whole new level.
You might think that a pot is a pot, and more or less that is true except for the CampMaid accessories that makes this Dutch Oven a pleasure to cook with. Lifting the lid while cooking and having a clean place to put it has always been a problem…always. There are a variety of lid lifters but that is all they would do. Then you had to figure out a place to set the lid down that would not bring dirt or sand back into your meal when you replaced it…CampMaid came up with two different ways that changed all of this.
Easy to get your briquettes fired up with this fold-up charcoal chimney.
The first is a Kick Stand lid lifter that has an attachable handle that makes it easier to use. When cooking with the oven on the ground the lid lifter is a basic tri-pod design which holds the lid perpendicular OFF he ground when you remove it from the pot. The second item is a multi-use tri-pod stand that folds out and a spring handle which lifts the lid off the oven if ground cooking, or can be used to hold the entire oven 16 inches off the ground for easier cooking. The unique clam-shell coal pan used with this unit allows the coals to be adjusted up or down for more controlled cooking. And- with this system you can grab the lid and use it as a frying pan, put the oven upside down on the lid and cook pizza, bread and biscuits or use the grill attachment that comes along with this kit and Bar-b-Que burgers and brats!
For hundreds of years coals from a fire were shoveled under and on top of Dutch ovens for cooking. Modern bar-b-Que briquettes have simplified the process and with as few as 9 briquettes below and 11 on the lid- you can cook an entire meal. And CampMaid has simplified the process of lighting these briquettes with its fold up Charcoal Chimney. Fold it out, fill with briquettes- either place a wad of paper under it, put a couple chips of fat wood in with the briquettes or use charcoal starter…light and in a matter of minutes glowing red hot coals are ready to cook your meal. And it folds flat for storage.
In fact…all of these CampMaid accessories fold flat and store in their Dutch oven and in the carry bag…a completely brilliant system for cooking.
Versatility is now here in the CampMaid Full Combo. Versatility in Dutch Oven cooking speaks for itself— Boil, deep fry, steam, fry, bake, bar-b-que— meat, veggies, soufflés, bread, biscuits, pizza, roasts, stews pies, deserts—breakfast, lunch, dinner…it never ends. And it all comes in a 13-inch bag! 
For those who need a more visual description of this system; simply go to You tube and search for CampMaid and select the “Introducing CampMaid- Camp Oven Solutions” for a great 3 minute video that will clear up any foggy thoughts on this system.
Let’s eat!
Here’s a quick recipe for a fool proof Paul Revere Breakfast— sear sausage on the bottom of the oven…then add a 3-inch layer of hash-brown shredded potatoes, crack a dozen eggs over the potatoes, and top with a thick layer of cheese—put the lid on— 11 briquettes below and 13 briquettes on the lid and sit back with your coffee… about 35 minutes later you’ll eat a wonderful meal…try it.
For more please go to: CampMaid and Frank Medicine Wolf Springer
