I
like to use the best cuts
of meat, such as a sirloin
roast, because there is no waste
and, in case there is any left
over, it can be used later in
many ways. One half package of
dry onion soup mix rubbed on the
meat before it is cooked will be
all the seasoning that is
needed. For a big roast -10 lbs
or so- use a whole package. Add
a cup of water to your Dutch
oven and begin to cook your
roast with 8 charcoals on the
bottom and 12 on the top. Be
sure and not let the oven cook
dry. Add a little water as
needed .This is hotter than you
would cook biscuits but it
works. After about an hour, you
will need to add a few new
charcoals and now would be a
good time to add a couple stalks
of celery, two big onions and
fill the rest of the oven with
carrots and potatoes in what
ever proportions you like. If
you get the oven too full put a
piece of foil over the top
.Remember, if you cook the
potatoes too long they will be
mushy. Continue to cook
about one more hour or until the
potatoes are done. You will have
gained lots of juice by now and
that can be thickened with a
little flour or corn starch to
make gravy.
If you are in a place where you
can do it, the very best way to
cook meat is to bury it in the
ground . To do this, you
prepare your meat and vegetables
the same way and dig a hole 2
feet deep and 2 feet across.
Fill
the hole with wood cut into
small pieces and add the same
amount of wood above ground and
then burn the wood until it is
reduced to red hot coals.
Separate the coals and after
putting a piece of foil over the
oven to help keep the dirt off,
place the oven down in the coals
making sure to get some on all
sides, underneath, and lots on
top. Cover the oven with the
handle straight up and add
enough moist dirt to
completely cover the fire. If
you can see any smoke, add more dirt. It
will take about 6 hours for this
to cook. The good thing
about cooking this way is you
can dig this up in 6 or 8 hours
and it will be done to satisfy
your hungry party, without being
over cooked.
A
turkey also works well to either
cook with charcoal or bury in
the ground .I just season the
turkey with a little season-all
type salt and cook with 12 coals
on top and 8 underneath.
A 12 pound bird cooks in about 2
hours. Buried in the ground, it
really doesn't matter what it
weighs, a turkey will be done in
4 or 5 hours.
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