One of the staples of our family camp is the last night having a large family dinner of Dutch Oven Potatoes and Dutch Oven Chicken. It just wouldn’t be camping without it! Of all Dutch Oven food, my family’s recipe for Dutch Oven potatoes is my absolute favorite, so this year I paid close attention as my brother was cooking them to find out how it was done! And I’m going to share the secrets with you!
As I said we cook enough Dutch Oven potatoes for our entire family gathering which is usually for more than 30 people. We use two Dutch Ovens and 10 lbs of Idaho russet potatoes per Dutch Oven. So you can plan accordingly. I’ll give you the instructions for one Dutch Oven and you can add or subtract amounts as needed for your gathering.
Dutch Oven Potatoes Recipe
Dutch Oven Potatoes Recipe, Camping Favorite
Ingredients
- 1-2 lbs Bacon
- 10 lbs Idaho Russet Potatoes (obviously is HAS to be Idaho Potatoes)
- 1-3 onions
- 1-2 cubes butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Garlic powder/salt (optional)
- 1-2 lbs cheese
Instructions
- Slice potatoes
- pre-cook bacon and break into pieces
- Layer the sliced potatoes, bacon, and onions.
- Top with a stick of butter and season with pepper and salt and other seasonings of our choice.
- Place on the lid and start cooking.
- Check the potatoes approximately every 10 minutes to stir the potatoes and bacon so that they will cook evenly
- Once the potatoes are fully cooked (average time varies, but could be anywhere between 30 minutes to 1 hr) then you sprinkle on the shredded cheese. You then replace the lid and let the cheese melt.
- Serve with your favorite Dutch Oven chicken, salad and other sides.
Dutch Oven Potatoes Directions:
First step is to wash, peel and slice all the potatoes and onions. You want the potatoes into round slices all approximately the same size so they can cook evenly. You want the onions into small chopped pieces so they aren’t very apparent, especially if you have kids, then they won’t notice the onions in the mix.
Key step: Many people usually don’t cook the bacon before hand, but merely lay the bacon into the Dutch oven in strips, but this is one of the key reasons why so many people love my family’s Dutch oven potatoes the best. We always cook the bacon before hand. It helps the bacon to be a little more crisp and not soggy at all. It also cooks up the fat of the bacon so it isn’t gooey and soggy in the potatoes but has a great texture and taste. After grilling the bacon, we then cut it up and add it and the bacon grease and a little oil in the seasoned Dutch oven.
Then layer on the sliced potatoes and onions. Top with a stick of butter and season with pepper and salt and other seasonings of our choice. Place on the lid and start cooking.
You will want to check the potatoes approximately every 10 minutes to stir the potatoes and bacon so that they will cook evenly. This is also where if the potatoes start to look dry, you can add more butter if you prefer. It all depends on how “bad” you want the potatoes to be. “Bad” really means that they have more butter, thus they taste the best.
Once the potatoes are fully cooked (average time varies, but could be anywhere between 30 minutes to 1 hr) then you sprinkle on the shredded cheese. You then replace the lid and let the cheese melt.
Once the cheese is melted it is finished and ready to be devoured! It is delicious when paired with Salad and Dutch Oven Chicken (recipe coming soon)
The other secret, is that left over Dutch oven potatoes make the best breakfast burritos the next morning! Scramble a few eggs with the leftover potatoes, warm a tortilla and stuff! It’s Camp feasting at its finest!
Aubrey
Friday 17th of May 2024
Have you shared the Dutch Oven Chicken recipe yet? This looks delicious for Memorial Day camping next week
Amber Edwards
Friday 17th of May 2024
:( sadly I somehow lost that recipe in one of our moves. :( If I ever find it, I will definitely add it.
Matt
Tuesday 24th of July 2018
How did you cook this? Briquettes? Camp stove?
Amber
Tuesday 24th of July 2018
We have cooked in various ways. We have cooked it over a cache cooker, with briquettes, and even in the oven.
If you use Briquettes, you'll want to cook it for about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Also if you are using briquettes, figure the size of your dutch oven and them stack the briquettes. 12" dutch oven would mean 12 briquettes on top and 12 on the bottom.
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