Ice cream: it is the one dish that can be made in a camp Dutch oven that cannot be made at home in a conventional oven. I know you have heard it too and love the look on folks faces when they realize the simplicity of that statement. The principle of temperature control is that cast iron conducts heat very efficiently. Therefore the reverse is also true. Cast iron conducts cold very efficiently, which is why we can make ice cream in our big black pots.
But how often do we actually see home made ice cream at a Dutch Oven Gathering (DOG)? Not very often. I’ve never seen ice cream at a DOG but I have heard stories of outdoor cooks making this rare sweet treat.
Here’s an exception that caught my attention. The Chisholm Trail Chaparrals chapter of the Lone Star Dutch Oven Society held an ice cream social in July where no one cooked and everyone ate ice cream, cake, brownies, and even homemade root beer. It was a big hit! They had a blast with over 30 folks participating and all agreed it was the best way to have a DOG in the middle of a hot Texas summer. My friend Kenny Garret made Cookies and Cream, which everyone said was yummy. I can see you drooling!
Kenny Garret’s Cookies and Cream Ice Cream
Another exception that definitely caught my attention was when our friends from Texas, Jane and Bill Phillips, made ice cream for their dessert at the 2015 International Dutch Oven Society World Cook-Off Championship(WCCO). They made vanilla ice cream to go with their Goin’ Bananas Foster. It must have been good because they made it to the final round on Saturday. (Image from the IDOS website.) 
Inspired by these rare exceptions, I did some research about the basics of making ice cream from scratch and how to do it in a camp Dutch oven.
The Outdoor Cast Iron Cook posted this video about how to make vanilla ice cream. The first part showing how they created the ice bath for the camp Dutch oven is the most important information I gathered as it shows the technique for laying down a layers of ice and salt with the empty camp Dutch Oven inside and made sure that no salt or ice was on the lid.
The recipe Outdoor Cast Iron Cooks followed is the same one that Bill and Jane Phillips used for their dessert at WCCO and is very similar to the recipes posted on Dutch Oven Dave‘s website and the Old Dominion Iron Chefs‘ website.
1 small package instant pudding (any flavor)
2 cups of heavy cream
1 cup of milk
1⁄2 cup of sugar1⁄2 Tbsp vanilla
1⁄4 tsp lemon juice
1 egg
1 can evaporated milkMix pudding together with 1 cup heavy cream & milk. In a second bowl mix sugar, egg, vanilla, and lemon juice. Mix in the pudding mixture and pour into a 12” DO. Add 1 cup heavy cream and evaporated milk and stir until smooth. Place the lid on the DO. Place an inch and a half of crushed ice and rock salt on the bottom of a large tub, 18 to 20 inches in diameter. Place the DO into the tub and fill the sides of the tub with ice and rock salt. Fill the lip of the DO with ice. Every 5 minutes remove the DO lid and stir the mixture. Total freezing time is 45 to 60 minutes.
The next step in my research was to find a good recipe that had more flavor and texture than vanilla and followed the more traditional recipe of making a custard with egg yolks. I searched my favorite sources for recipes and found The Tasting Table‘s post How to Make Ice Cream Base at Home. Awesome information with all the basics to make a rich and creamy base. And it doesn’t look too difficult. Next I found their Brown Butter and Pecan Ice Cream and I couldn’t wait to give it a try….
Twice.
And do I have a fabulous photo of my results?? Not yet.
I made several critical mistakes along the way, leading to the best and most frustrating way to learn any new task. Discouraged, yes, but I’m not finished. I’m going to keep on trying until I get it figured out. Here are a few of the things I want to know about making ice cream in our outdoor kitchen in the middle of the Texas summer.
- How long does this process take?
- What are the most important steps for success?
In the next post, I’ll share the critical mistakes I made and some wisdom I gathered from Dutch oven friends on Facebook. If you have suggestions, please share them in the comments section because I need all the help I can get!
And if all goes well, I hope to share how I successfully made Brown Butter and Pecan Ice Cream in our cast iron pots. Stay tuned!
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