Dutch oven potatoes are a flavor-packed camping classic! A simple & delicious recipe with detailed instructions, even directions for cooking indoors.
While the great majority of my cooking happens inside, Andy is a pro at making delicious dinners outdoors in his dutch ovens. He has some killer recipes, and I thought it would be fun to share a few. These dutch oven potatoes are one of many!
I’ll also be posting some tips on how to prep cast iron for cooking {indoor use pans as well as dutch ovens!} and some information reading coals and how to use them to create various kinds of heat in later posts!
If you don’t have an outdoor dutch oven – don’t leave! You can make all of these recipes in your dutch oven inside. All of the prep work will be the same, but I’ll leave alternative directions for cooking in the recipe notes.
My family went camping every summer growing up and one of the things we looked forward to the most was the food! My Dad is also a Dutch Oven Master Chef and is basically family famous for making the most delicious camping food ever. Random people have been known to stop by our camp just to see his set-up and what he was making!
Andy has also been making dutch oven food for a long time since he also has a love for camping and got sick of eating Ramen Noodles 🙂 . He has worked really hard on perfecting these recipes and we have made them over and over and love how they turn out!
It’s also important to keep in mind that the number of coals you need to reach a certain temperature is going to vary based on the weather and climate outside.
The estimate in this recipe will be close, but you will need to check the food periodically and adjust as you see fit. Cooking in outdoor dutch ovens takes practice! Don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t work out the first time, we have had our fair share of mess-ups.
This recipe is super easy and you probably have all the ingredients on hand! Now, I have to warn you. These recipes are Andy Territory, which means I buy the ingredients he requests, and sometimes that includes pre-grated cheese and boxed cake mix. HA!
But they are still 98% homemade and you can, of course, substitute whatever ingredients you wish! Keep in mind though, we make these when we are camping so convenience wins out most of the time. Unless it’s a homemade mix that I make, then we just bag that and take it with us!
Ingredients for Dutch Oven Potatoes
- 8 medium sized potatoes red, yukon gold, or russet, sliced thin
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1/2 pound bacon diced
- 1 jalapeno seeds and membranes removed, diced
- 2 1/2 cups cheese cheddar, montery jack, or pepper jack
- 1 teaspoon season salt
- 12 inch shallow dutch oven
- 27-30 coals lit and heated until beginning to turn grey.
How to Make Dutch Oven Potatoes
- Over about half the coals, cook bacon until chewy. It will get crispy as it cooks with the potatoes.
- Off of the coals, remove bacon from dutch oven and any excess grease, leaving about 2 tablespoons bacon fat in the bottom of the dutch oven.
- Layer half of the sliced potatoes in the bottom of the dutch oven and sprinkle with half a teaspoon of season salt.
- On top of the potatoes, layer half of the onion, half the jalapeno (if desired), half of the bacon, and then half of the cheese.
- Repeat layers, using remaining ingredients and put the lid on the dutch oven.
- With dutch oven on a stand or on a safe ground area, place 9 coals on the bottom and 18 coals on top. This should heat to about 375 degrees for a 12 inch shallow dutch oven.
- Check periodically and adjust coals as necessary, adding more when the original coals begin to die down.
- If the bottom of the potatoes are cooking too quickly even with coal adjustment, add 1/3 cup water to the bottom of the dutch oven.
- The potatoes are finished when they are soft, this takes about 45 minutes.
More Favorites from Longbourn Farm
Dutch Oven Potatoes {+ The Oven Recipe}
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Potatoes
- 8 medium sized potatoes red, yukon gold, or russet, sliced thin
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1/2 pound bacon diced
- 1 jalapeno seeds and membranes removed, diced
- 2 1/2 cups cheese cheddar, montery jack, or pepper jack
- 1 teaspoon season salt
Dutch Oven
- 12 inch shallow dutch oven
- 27-30 coals lit and heated until beginning to turn grey.
Instructions
- Over about half the coals, cook bacon until chewy. It will get crispy as it cooks with the potatoes.
- Off of the coals, remove bacon from dutch oven and any excess grease, leaving about 2 tablespoons bacon fat in the bottom of the dutch oven.
- Layer half of the sliced potatoes in the bottom of the dutch oven and sprinkle with half a teaspoon of season salt.
- On top of the potatoes, layer half of the onion, half the jalapeno (if desired), half of the bacon, and then half of the cheese.
- Repeat layers, using remaining ingredients and put the lid on the dutch oven.
For the Baking with Coals
- With dutch oven on a stand or on a safe ground area, place 9 coals on the bottom and 18 coals on top. This should heat to about 375 degrees for a 12 inch shallow dutch oven.
- Check periodically and adjust coals as necessary, adding more when the original coals begin to die down.
- If the bottom of the potatoes are cooking too quickly even with coal adjustment, add 1/3 cup water to the bottom of the dutch oven.
- The potatoes are finished when they are soft, this takes about 45 minutes.
For Baking in the Oven
- Place in an oven that has been preheated to 400ºF.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft. You can check this by inserting a fork or butter knife into the center of the potatoes.
diane pitcher says
Please explain the use of soda. Cool trick. Please tell me what it does if you don’t mind? Aka why use it?
Alli says
Hi Diane! It just adds a little sweetness to a savory dish that can bring in a nice contrast of flavors. Not required but can be tasty!
Amy says
Great recipe! I lost mine in a move a few years back and found yours online. I had forgotten about the jalapeños. I used to make this for our local Sheriff’s Office picnics with jalapeños, it was a huge hit. Instead of water, I use about 3/4 to a full can of white soda. Our family likes Sprite. Thanks for helping me bring a favorite back to the family table.
Alli says
Thank you for this sweet comment, Amy! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, my husband actually sneaks soda in ours too sometimes, it’s a great trick!
Franck says
Great. Kids gave it 4 thumbs up! Thanks for sharing
Alli says
Awesome!! I’m so glad they loved it.
Alli says
One of our family’s favorites!
Kim says
Love the jalapeño addition! I haven’t ever thought of that. Also, you can use your outdoor Dutch oven inside the regular oven, too, if that’s all you have. My mom does that all the time for potatoes or roasts or even lasagna and enchiladas.
Alli says
Great tip, Kim! I love how versatile dutch ovens are. Andy has a killer lasagna recipe, I can’t wait to share it 🙂
Melanie says
Has the lasagna recipe been posted? We are going camping and I would love to try it!
Alli says
I haven’t posted it yet, I’m hoping to get that done in the next round of recipes I photograph. 🙂