Dutch Oven Cooking
When cooking with a Dutch oven, arrange the coals in a circle on the bottom. This will
provide even heating to both the sides and the bottom of the Dutch oven. Using more
than the suggested number of briquettes will generate unnecessary heat and may cause
food to over cook or burn. Only use 8, 10, or 12 inch Dutch ovens.
Normally 12-14 briquettes will supply enough heat for Dutch oven cooking and will
give you 1 to 1-1/2 hours of cooking time depending on the settings of the vents.
Control of the vents is important and by using the vent you can extend the total
cooking time. Usually no top heat is required unless you are baking, stacking Dutch
ovens or browning.
(Many Dutch oven recipes require top heat. This depends on the
type of food you are preparing).
Stacking Dutch ovens is common on a
Volcano
stove, and ovens of various sizes can be
stacked. When stacking ovens, charcoal is placed on the top of the inserted oven and
the heat is radiated to the second oven above. You can then put coals on the top of the
second oven to more evenly distribute heat. Don’t place more than two Dutch ovens
on top of the inserted oven as this will effect stability. You will find that the
Volcano
will allow you to use fewer coals than called for in recipes. Cooking in a Dutch oven will
require some practice in determining the exact number and placement of the coals in the
Volcano
fire pit.
Boiling and Steaming
Other variations of preparation are boiling and steaming food in a large pot or wok.
A large pot can be placed inside the unit on the heat deflector plate or on the top grill.
Selecting a pot of the proper size will allow the pot to sit on the plate and still allow
proper airflow. The flat surface of the Heat Deflector Plate will provide you with a very
stable platform.
Barbecuing
Place 20-25 coals evenly in the
Volcano
, add the lighter fluid and ignite. Wait until the
coals are white. This should take about 15 minutes. Lay the food to be cooked on the
top grill. The food will be less likely to stick if a small amount of oil is applied just prior
to putting the food on the grill.
Hint: Covering the food near the end of the cooking process will enhance flavor and help
to reduce moisture loss.
Cooking Tips
16
Wok Cooking
The
Volcano
stove gives you the ability to stir-fry outdoors like a professional.
With the top grill removed, any size wok from 12-inch and larger, can be used on
the
Volcano
. The wok will sit securely on the rim or adjustable bolts.
Lowering the cooking temperature can be accomplished by closing the vents.
The temperature of the wok is also dependent on the distance from the fuel sources.
If the temperature is too high, simply remove the wok from the unit temporarily. Higher
temperatures can be reached by placing the Heat Deflector Plate in the center position in
the stove and placing the coals on the Heat Deflector Plate.
Pan Frying
Follow starting procedure using 20-25 briquettes. They will be ready in about 15
minutes. Place a large cast iron frying pan on top of the top grill. Depending on the
type of pan used, it will take 3-5 minutes for the pan to pre-heat. Preheating the pan
prior to cooking will reduce sticking by searing the surface of the food. Adjusting
the vents during cooking controls the temperature for normal pan-frying. Higher
temperatures can be reached by placing the Heat Deflector Plate in the center position
in the stove and placing the coals on the Heat Deflector Plate.
Grilling
Follow starting procedure using 20-25 briquettes. Any size grill can be used. A large
grill such as 4’ X 2’ can be used by placing it across 2
Volcanoes
.
Preheating the grill prior to cooking will reduce sticking by searing the surface of the
food. Adjusting the vents during cooking controls the temperature for normal grilling.
Higher temperatures can be reached by placing the Heat Deflector Plate in the center
position in the stove and placing the coals on the Heat Deflector Plate.
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c o o k s t o
v e
*Go to www.volcanocorp.net for great recipes!