We recently hosted a Dutch Oven Gathering at our family “Party Barn.” A Dutch Oven Gathering or a DOG is a cooking event where people bring cast iron Dutch ovens and cook over fire or charcoal. They can be competitions or just a group of people getting together to cook and have fun–or both, like our event. The Alameda County CattleWomen sponsored the event by providing cash for prizes and the charcoal.
My sister Nancy and I recently bought Dutch oven cooking tables and brought them to the gathering for their maiden voyages. I bought a Lodge brand Dutch oven cooking table and Nancy bought a Lewis and Clark brand. The tables sure worked great compared to the aluminum turkey tray I had been using!
The difference between the two brands is:
– The wind guard on the Lodge brand is about 6 or more inches above the top of the Dutch oven, therefore the wind doesn’t blow directly on the charcoal on the top of the oven. The Lewis and Clark brand wind guard is just a hair below the top of the oven therefore the wind may blow directly on the charcoal, which will make it burn faster.
– The Lodge brand has folding legs, the Lewis and Clark brand has legs that you connect and tighten a screw on.
– The Lodge brand has a handle to carry the table with. While cooking you can also hang your lid lifter, tongs, and other tools from the handle.
– The Lodge brand is heavier than the Lewis and Clark brand.
– The Lewis and Clark brand is much cheaper than the Lodge brand.
Lodge Brand Dutch Oven Table
Lewis and Clark Brand Dutch Oven Table
We sure had a great time at the DOG. All of the food turned out great. Some of the winning recipes included a pineapple upside down cake, Gravel Gerties biscuits and gravy, and blue cheese sliders. Below is the recipe for the blue cheese sliders.
Pineapple Upside Down Cake Made in a Dutch Oven
Uncooked Patties and Cooked and Assembled Blue Cheese Sliders
Blue Cheese Sliders
Blue Cheese Sliders
– Will make 36-48 sliders depending on size
Prepared by Linda Fields Stiehr
Ingredients
- 3 pounds ground beef (chuck beef was used)
- ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup diced sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
- 5 ounces bleu cheese
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- ½ tablespoon A-1 Sauce
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- ¼ tsp. hot pepper sauce
- Hamburger mini rolls
Directions
Mix all of the ingredients, except the rolls and chill meat mixture for two hours. Make small patties out of the meat. The patties should be small enough to fit into the mini hamburger rolls. Oil the bottom of a 12-inch Dutch oven with cooking oil. When the Dutch oven is heated, place the patties on a single layer to cook. Brown one side and flip, don’t keep flipping—they will dry out. Serve immediately.
These sliders don’t need to be made outside in a Dutch oven, but can also be made inside on the stove or on a grill.
~merry~