Smoked Fish .... Hammer
1½ qts Water
1 cup Non-iodized table salt
2 cups Brown sugar
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
12-15 drops Tabasco sauce
4 Bay leaves
Dump it all in the crock and stir it until the salt and sugar dissolves.
We've used fish up to about 1 inch thick. Leave the skin on to help keep it from breaking up too much when you take it off of the rack. Also a squirt of Pam on the rack makes it easier to get the fish off and for the wife to clean the racks when you're done.
With halibut its best to scrape the hide a bit to get the slime off ... then wash it and dry it before it goes into the brine. When the fish is in the brine I put a plate over it with some kind of a weight on it to keep all of the fish submerged.
Soak the fish at least 12 hours. Usually the second batch soaks another day and it doesn't seem to hurt it. I soak it in the fridge rather than room temperature. Makes everything in the fridge stink a bit but that's the price you pay.
It's best to rinse the fish and dry it with a paper towel before placing it on the rack. Then into the smoker. I use two pans of smoke and about 4 hours will do it. Best if you don't smoke it too long ... gets dry. Good luck!
Doug Hammer
Hammer's Basic B.B.Q. Sauce
¾ cups Catsup
¼ cup Water
½ cup Brown sugar
1 tbsp Dry mustard
½ tsp Liquid smoke
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
This sauce may be used on Chicken, Spare Ribs, Short Ribs, Hot Dogs or any other meat that you wish. In Dutch oven you often need to add the sugar later on low heat because sugar tends to burn.
Chicken
For a quick dinner precook the chicken (either by frying or by baking). Salt and pepper to taste. Chicken should then be refrigerated or frozen. Place chicken in the Dutch oven and pour sauce over it. Put over fire and make sure that it keeps boiling until chicken begins to get tender (stir often). Add the sugar and allow to simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes. This does not need to boil but should remain hot. If time is not a problem then you may begin with uncooked chicken. Use the same procedure as above. 2 hours usually insures chicken will be done.
Hot Dogs
Use the same procedure as above only cut the hot dogs into short 2 inch pieces. Kids love these.
Ribs
For most ribs you need to bake or boil ribs until most of the fat is rendered, then remove melted grease. Use the same procedure as above.
Bar-B-Q Ribs
2 cups Catsup
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Dry mustard
½ cup Brown sugar
¼ cup Vinegar
Salt
Pepper
Brown ribs in Dutch oven in hot oil. Drain excess oil. Cover with sauce and simmer for 1½ to 2 hours on medium fire with coals on top and bottom. 10" or 12" Dutch.
Cowboy Breakfast
1 pkg Cubed hash browns
2 lb Country sausage
8 Beaten eggs
¼ cup Water or milk
Crumble and brown sausage in 12" Dutch oven. Remove sausage and drain. Set aside. Using sausage drippings, brown hash browns on bottom of Dutch oven, then add sausage on top of hash browns. Beat thoroughly the water or milk with the eggs and pour over sausage evenly. Sprinkle cheese on top. Cook from top to bottom 15 to 20 minutes until eggs are firm.
Deep Fried Potato Wedges (Hammer Fries)
You need one large potato for each person. You may add a couple of extra potatoes if you have some hearty eaters. Cut the potatoes into eighths lengthwise. Soak in water then drain. Preheat oil in Dutch until it bubbles when potato is put in it. Put wedges in Dutch and cover with lid. Cook on high heat.
Sparkling Potatoes
1 lb Bacon
1 lg Onion
2 cloves Garlic
8 Potatoes, scrubbed and sliced
½ lb Sliced mushrooms
1 can Sprite
1 tsp Salt
½ tsp Pepper
½ cup Chopped parsley
½ lb Grated cheese
In a 12" Dutch, cook bacon until crisp, cut in small pieces, drain and set aside. Cook the onion and garlic until clear. Add potatoes and bacon to onions. Pour in can of Sprite with salt and pepper. Cover and steam until potatoes are tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Add parsley. Just before serving, top with cheese. Continue cooking until cheese melts.
Potatoes
1 lg Potato per person (8-10 for 12" Dutch)
½Onion per person
1 lb Bacon
¾ lb Grated cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper
Cut bacon into bite size pieces and brown in the bottom of the Dutch. I like my bacon crisp. Pour off the excess grease. Peel and slice the potatoes about 3/8" thick, silver dollar style. Dice the onions in large chunks so if your father-in-law hates the them, he can pick them out. Throw it all in the Dutch. Stir it up good. Season to taste. If the potatoes were dry you can add ¼ - ½ cup water to moisten, not too much or you'll have soup. Cook with briquets top and bottom until taters are tender, about 40-45 minutes. Remove from bottom heat. Throw cheese on top of taters. Cover, with heat still on the lid. Ready to serve as soon as cheese has melted.
Super Moist Cornbread
½ cup Oil
2 Eggs
1 Cake mix (yellow with pudding best)
7 tsp Baking powder
2 cups Corn meal
2 cups Flour
1 tsp Salt
2 cups Milk
Mix cake mix according to the directions on the box and set aside. Take the remaining ingredients and mix in a bowl. Fold both mixtures together and pour into a 14" Dutch oven. Bake, top and bottom, 12-15 minutes. Bake 15 more minutes just on top.
Scones and Honey Butter
You may use any type of scone dough. If you are trying to keep it simple I suggest that you use frozen rolls or pop-n-fresh type rolls. Stretch the dough out as much as possible. Place the dough in hot oil in the Dutch. Top with honey butter.
Creamed Peas With Cheese Sauce
Either fresh or frozen peas should be placed in a Dutch with a small amount of water. Allow the peas to boil on medium heat until tender. (Watch that there is always water in the oven). When peas are tender, drain the water from the Dutch. Add thick cream or canned milk, salt, and soft cheese to taste.
Tortellini Soup
4½ cups Beef or chicken broth
¼ cup Diced carrots
¾ cup Diced potato
½ cup Diced celery
1/3 cup Minced green onion
1 cup Tomato juice or chopped tomatoes
½ cup Chopped spinach
½ cup Chopped broccoli
7 oz Fresh tortellini, cooked
1 cup Cubed summer sausage
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese
Cook tortellini; drain. Cook vegetables in broth. Add onions, tomatoes, spinach, and broccoli and tortellini and bring to a boil. Serve hot with a sprinkle of cheese.
Potato Supreme
10 lb Potatoes, unpeeled and sliced thin
2 Chopped onions
¾ lb Sour cream
¾ lb Grated cheese
¼ cup Butter
Place all ingredients in 14" Dutch oven. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook 45 minutes to an hour with 12 coals on bottom and 14 to 16 on top.
Vegetables
Peel and remove seeds from large zucchini. Cut tomatoes, onion, green pepper into large pieces. Add one cube of margarine or butter and about ½ pound of cheese. Put in the Dutch oven on medium heat for about ½ hour or until all vegetables are tender.
Baked Beans
1 lb Bacon- crisp-chopped-drained of excess grease
1 qt can Pork and beans
½ Medium chopped onion
¼ cup Brown sugar
½ tsp Dry mustard
1/8 cup Catsup
Place in Dutch oven and allow to simmer for about 1 hour.
Chili
2 lb Ground beef
1½ cups Diced onions
1½ cups Diced green peppers
1 can (32oz) Stewed tomatoes
1 can (l6oz) Tomato sauce
5 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3 tsp Oregano
4 tsp Cumin
4 tsp Chili powder
1 tsp Tabasco sauce
1 can (32oz) Red beans, drained
In a 12" Dutch oven, add meat, onions, and bell peppers. Cook until meat is brown and vegetables partially cooked. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and then simmer about 45 minutes or until everything is tender and flavors blend. Stir occasionally. Serve with crackers, cheese and/or diced onions as toppings.
Cabbage and Sausage
Clean and wedge one head of cabbage. Cut summer sausage into chunks. Add one cube butter and about ½ cup water. Season with season salt. Cook until tender.
Beef Dutchita
Grill beef over charcoal until done. Cut steak into strips either before or after grilling.
Saute onions, mushrooms, green peppers in butter until tender or light brown in color.
Warm flour tortillas in warm Dutch.
Add beef to vegetables in hot Dutch. Add tomato chunks just before serving.
To serve take flour tortilla and fill with beef and vegetables. Serve with sour cream and guacamole.
Enchilada
Dip corn tortilla in hot oil. Drain on paper towels.
Fry hamburger and onion until hamburger is done. Salt to taste.
Scoop tortilla about ½ full of meat and fold over. Place in the bottom of an oiled Dutch. Cover with sauce, cheese and green chiles.
Sauce: (May be mixed beforehand)
2 cans Tomato soup
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp Red hot sauce
½ lb Soft cheese
1 can Mild green chilies
Heat until sauce is hot. Cover with layers of: tomato chunks, green pepper slices, onion chunks, cheddar cheese (grated), can of pitted olives (sliced). Serve with lettuce, tomato, and sour cream.
Nacho
Cover bottom of oiled Dutch with refried beans. Layer with guacamole. Top with grated cheddar cheese. When hot cover with chopped green onions, tomatoes, chopped olives. Serve with corn chips.
Cheese Crisp
Place flour tortilla in lightly oiled Dutch. Flip and cover with grated cheddar cheese and chopped onions. When cheese is melted cut into wedges and serve.
Chicken Cordon Bleu
Skin and bone chicken breast. Pound until flat. Place one slice of Swiss cheese and one slice of ham on the chicken. Roll up, using tooth picks to hold together. Cover with cream of chicken soup and a layer of Ritz crackers. Place on medium fire for about 15 minutes with coals on top and bottom. Remove from fire leaving coals on top. Cook until done, about 40-50 minutes.
Dump Cake Dessert
1 can Crushed pineapple
1 can Cherry pie filling (prepared)
1 box Yellow cake mix
1 cube Butter (Cut up over top or melted and pour over top)
Chopped nuts
In a 10" Dutch spread ingredients in the order given. Put on high heat with medium heat on top for about 10 minutes or until fruit starts bubbling. Then remove several coals from the bottom to just keep Dutch slowly bubbling. Peek once in a while until the top is a golden brown. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream (good cold too).
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
½ cup Brown sugar
¼ cup Butter
Maraschino cherries
1 can Sliced pineapple
1 Yellow cake mix
3 Eggs
Put butter and brown sugar in a 14" Dutch oven. Place pineapple slices in the butter & sugar mixture with a Maraschino cherry in the center of each pineapple slice. Pour batter over fruit and place lid on the Dutch oven. Cook with coals top and bottom for appx. 15 minutes. 20 briquettes on top and 8 on the bottom. Remove from bottom coals and continue cooking (top coals only) for 15 or 20 minutes or until golden brown. Tip: For removing cake from oven, use a round piece of aluminum covered cardboard cut to fit inside your Dutch oven. Set the cardboard round on cake and invert Dutch oven.
Apple Crisp
Take 1 large can of sliced apples (gallon), pour into the Dutch oven with ½ tsp of cinnamon, 1 cup of brown or white sugar, and ¼ cup of butter. Allow to cook on medium heat until apples are boiling. Stir apples to keep from burning on the bottom.
Topping:
1 cup Flour
1 cup Oatmeal
1 cup Brown sugar
½ cup Butter
¼ tsp Soda
¼ tsp Baking powder
¼ tsp Salt
The topping may be mixed ahead of time. After apples start to boil then add the topping over the apples. Put heat on top of lid and allow topping to brown.
Dutch Apple Treats
Fry small flour tortilla in oil. Remove and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Scoop in one heaping table spoon of apple pie filling. Roll and place in Dutch oven to keep warm.
Spice Cake
Use spice cake prepared as directed on the box. Line Dutch with tin foil. Bake until done with medium heat and coals on the top. When done cover with coconut-pecan frosting and serve hot.
Jerky
Cut lean meat 1/4" x 1" pieces. Brush both sides with liquid smoke. Layer bottom of baking dish. Sprinkle with savory salt, season salt, garlic salt, season pepper, sugar from shaker. Layer meat crosswise and repeat. Cover and marinate 8 hours in refrigerator. Smoke 12 hours or until dry.
Loran Webb