A picture that comes to mind when one thinks of the old west is cowboys lying out on the open range under the stars.
The men huddle around an open fire watching a kettle, which holds dinner.
The kettle was most likely a Dutch oven, a thick-walled bowl made from cast iron with feet on its bottom, a handle, and some even with a riveted top for removing the hot lid.
Dutch ovens were a mainstay of wagon trains heading west and chuck wagons driving cattle across the open plains.
Dutch ovens can be used to cook almost anything possible ranging from cornbread, steaks, green chile, red chile, and about anything else that one can dream up.
As wagon trains and cattle drives began to fall by the wayside, the Dutch oven slowly became a symbol of the past for some although those in New Mexico embraced this icon of open air cooking.
Each year, a number of towns in the state of New Mexico hold Dutch oven cook-offs where participants offer their recipes for red chili, green chili, chipotle barbecues, and other foods up for judgment.
Dutch Oven History The Dutch oven began its debut in colonial America due to its adaptability and durability.
Shortly after the colonists began using the tool, legs were added to the bottom of the pot to keep it off of the coals.
Lids were also cast into a more concave style so coals could sit atop the lid without falling off.
Dutch ovens were cast so well that many would last for years.
Along with being popular with colonists, those seeking fame and fortune traveling west would sometimes have no cookware other than a Dutch oven.
The oven was great for cooking game birds found along the wagon trails in a stew, corn bread or bread pudding when meat was scarce, and for those lucky enough to find fresh fruit, the occasional pie or cobbler.
Regional Cooking: New Mexico While the East Coast became more stable, the western states were still pioneer country, and life under the open sky was normal.
Cooking over an open flame was almost always necessary and quite comforting on cold nights.
Southwestern states such as New Mexico experience very hot daytime temperatures but nighttime temperatures could fall drastically.
This made Dutch oven cooking an everyday affair.
Over the years, New Mexicans perfected fare otherwise cooked on woodstoves in their Dutch ovens and other cast iron cookware.
Iron skillets also became a cooking utensil that was used as much as the Dutch oven.
A great attribute about the iron skillet is that the more one cooked in it, the better the food tasted.
Seasonings seemed to stick in the iron and release when meats were cooked in it.
New Mexican Fare One of the staples of New Mexico is its green and red chile peppers.
These peppers can be hot, mild, and sometimes even sweet.
Combined with a red meat, pork, poultry chipotle powder, and other vegetables, these chiles can create some of the best red chili or green chili in the world.
When cooked in a Dutch oven, seasonings from prior meals accentuate the flavor of this popular food.
Coupled with corn bread cooked in a Dutch oven, many say there are no two foods that go better together.
In contemporary times, people will cook almost anything that can be cooked in a regular oven.
For instance, pizzas, casseroles, even lasagna can be great when cooked out of a Dutch oven.
However, New Mexicans add their own flare to almost every dish to give it that taste of the Southwest.
Cast Iron Cooking Although cast iron cooking may seem relatively simple, there are a few things one should know before giving it a go.
For instance, most foods, such as red chili, green chili, stews, and other soup mixtures are slow cooked over coals.
The fire should not be flaming when the Dutch oven cooking begins.
Coals of hardwoods such as oak, hickory, or maple are commonly used for cooking over open flames.
These woods will burn until they became hot coals.
Once the wood has turned to coals, the cooker should be placed in the middle of the coals, which are mounded up around the sides of the cooker and the lid.
A note to anyone new to Dutch oven cooking is that the coals need to be hot although they must be watched constantly to avoid overcooking or burning the food.
Prior to cooking, the oven should be oiled or greased.
Many people debate the type of oil that should be used although many people will simply use a sprayed-on vegetable oil.
When cooking lean meats, many people will fry a slab of bacon prior to placing the meat in the oven.
This gives the meat a natural grease to cook in.
Chile One of the most favored Dutch oven dishes is the red chile.
Red chile can be made a number of ways with a variety of ingredients.
Some people debate for hours what should or should not be used in red chile.
However, many food services take the headache out of the red chile by packaging the ingredients beforehand.
This makes it easy for the average person to make award winning red chile without years of experience.
When making red chile for the first time in a Dutch oven, it may be easiest to use ground chuck with a fat content of at least 85 percent.
The higher fat content allows for the beef to produce its own oil, which greases the bottom and sides of the oven.
When making stews that don't use fatty meats, it may be best to use a vegetable oil or lard rub on the bottom or sides of the oven to protect the oven before and after use.
Many stews also come in prepackaged packets taking the guesswork out of the cooking.
There are many ways to enjoy cooking with cast iron.
After a bit of experience, one can easily begin creating their own recipes for hours of open flame favorites for the entire family.