Dutch ovens are ‘a way of life.’
A group of students at Utah State University has found an easy, delicious way to feed themselves.
At the beginning of the Fall 2001 Semester, Justin Card, a student in landscape engineering and the Dutch Oven Club president, and a few of his friends decided to put their love of Dutch oven cooking to good use and formed a new club on campus for those with similar tastes.
Under the rules provided to them by the university, Card and five of his friends wrote a constitution for the club and held a meeting.
“At first we were a very small group and just did it for fun,” Card said. “We didn’t think it would be big at all, but we already have 40 members and it is still growing.”
The club holds monthly meetings where they share ideas and new techniques for cooking using Dutch ovens.
“That way we eat and try out new recipes at each meeting,” Card said.
He said the best thing about Dutch ovens is the ease of use and how delicious the food is that comes out of one.
“It is hard to screw anything up in a Dutch oven,” he said.
The biggest news for the club is the recent sponsorship from Camp Chef, a Dutch oven manufacturing company located in Logan, Card said.
“We couldn’t believe we already had their help,” he said. “But they have pulled through and donated a lot to help out the club.”
Card said Camp Chef helped by giving them new gas stoves and Dutch ovens to use for cooking.
Edward Quinlan, director of communications for Camp Chef, said they are pleased to be a part of the club at USU.
Camp Chef has been in business making Dutch ovens for 10 years and has always been located in Logan, Quinlan said. But the history of Dutch ovens goes back much farther than that.
“Cast iron as a cooking pot has been around practically forever,” Quinlan said. “It is rumored the Chinese invented cast iron pots.”
He said they were never very popular because of the weight, but the pioneers of the American West used cast iron pots a lot because of the way they hold heat while cooking.
“They are called Dutch ovens because in those pioneer days the Dutch were the ones who primarily used them,” Quinlan said.
Dutch ovens are a popular way of cooking for a variety for reasons, but mostly because it is so simple.
“Cooking in a Dutch oven is great because you feel like you made a gourmet meal when really you just threw stuff in a pot,” Quinlan said.
He said many people like cooking in Dutch ovens because it is so easy, inexpensive, delicious and takes relatively little time.
“My favorite meal is a 30-minute roast. It takes no time at all and I can feed my whole family with it,” Quinlan said.
Dutch ovens are great for people who are looking for a fun group activity he said.
Quinlan said, “Whenever I cook in my Dutch oven it always turns into a family affair because everyone wants to help out.
“Groups like the Dutch Oven Club allow us to share our love for cooking and pass on old traditions,” he said.
Card said they are hoping to hold a service project with Camp Chef this winter by providing food for the homeless.
He said he is surprised by the popularity of the club already but is really happy about its success.
“I thought it would just be us when we started. We didn’t think it would really amount to anything but it has turned out to be a lot of fun,” Card said. “Like our slogan says: It’s not just a club, it’s a way of life.”