Camp Style Ice Cream
After many unsuccessful attempts at making ice cream in our camp Dutch oven and then learning from our mistakes, we finally achieved ice-cold, solid and creamy success! 
And oh my it is mouth-watering good. Really, really, really good. And best of all, it can be done! It is not impossible but it is a challenge that requires special attention to a few key details.
I now have answers to the questions “How long does it take to make ice cream in a camp Dutch oven?” and “What are the most important steps to the process?” In this post I will share the tools and equipment we used to set up an ice-cold environment to make brown butter pecan ice cream and share the key steps needed to make the ice cream freeze properly.
We started by setting up a cooler that allowed the 10-inch camp Dutch oven about two- to three-inches of space around the outside, plenty of room for ice and rock salt. We poured a 10 pound bag of ice into the bottom of the cooler, added half a box of rock salt, then added another five pounds ice until it came up to just below the lip of the oven. With the oven nestled into the ice to get nice and cold, we started to make the custard.
When the custard was ready, we poured the very warm liquid into a gallon-size zip top bag and put it on ice to cool off for about 20 minutes. 
We squished the custard around several times, and when it was no longer warm but cool to the touch, we poured the cooled custard into the icy Dutch oven and put the lid on top.
We placed a wire rack with long legs to stand up on top of the ice and over the top of the Dutch oven, then placed a large block of dry ice on top. The rack prevented the dry ice from directly contacting the cast iron and allowed the super cold air to drop down and around the Dutch oven in its icy bath. Best of all, the dry ice kept the lid dry and there was no worry at all of yucky salt water falling into the custard. Woo HOOO!!! 
After 30 minutes in the icy Dutch oven, the custard was very cold and starting to thicken up around the edges and the bottom of the oven. 
After an hour, the custard was thick and large chunks of firm ice cream developed as we stirred the mixture and scrapped the edges and bottom of the oven. After 90 minutes in the super cold cooler, the ice cream was firm enough to scoop into a ball. Did you hear us give a shout of joy?? 
The Dutch oven was so cold that the ice stuck to the outside and ice crystals formed on the lid and bale. Brrr!
Total time was a bit more than three hours.
We had ice cream for dinner tonight! I wish I had a photo of Steve holding the Dutch oven and the two of us scooping out big spoonfuls of ice cream. Heavenly!
I adapted the recipe from The Tasting Table‘s brown butter and pecan ice cream recipe and My Recipe‘s Brown-Butter-Pecan-Burbon recipe. I hope you love it as much as we do!
Please share your stories of making ice cream in your camp Dutch oven or ask questions. This has been a great adventure for us! I would love to hear from you about your favorite ice cream recipe and any tips for success.
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 4-6 Large Scoops | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | Passive Time |
| 20 minutes | 90 - 120 minutes |
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The challenge of making ice cream outdoors is well worth the effort! With the proper tools, you can make ice cream in your camp Dutch oven. This recipe creates a rich, crunchy, slightly salty, and smooth ice cream that can be served on its own or on top of your favorite pie.
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- 20 pounds Ice
- 1 box Rock or Ice Cream Salt
- 3/4 cup Pecans, roughly chopped
- 8 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup Salted Butter
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 5-10 pounds Dry Ice
- Prepare a cooler that is large enough to hold a 10-inch camp Dutch oven with at least 2 to 3 inches of space around the edges. Add 10 pounds of ice and 2 cups (half a box) rock salt. Place 10-inch camp oven in the middle of the cooler. Add another 5 pound of ice or until the ice comes up to an inch below the top edge of the oven. Carefully add more rock salt. Close the lid of the cooler.
- Place roughly chopped pecans in a camp Dutch oven and put oven over a pile of hot charcoals. Stir constantly for about 4 to 5 minutes. Listen for the pecans to give a small "pop", smell the toasty aroma of the pecans, and look for the pecans to begin to turn brown. Remove from heat and place in a bowl. (Don't be tempted to skip this step! The roasted flavors of the pecans add a depth of flavor that really makes this ice cream taste divine!)
- Place a solid group of hot charcoal underneath an 8-inch camp Dutch oven. Add butter and stir occasionally as it melts. After a few minutes, the butter will foam up. Watch carefully, looking for tiny bits of brown to bubble up and smelling for a lovely nutty aroma that makes you sigh with joy. Remove immediately and pour into a heat-safe bowl or cup and set aside.
- Place egg yolks in a large bowl and whisk vigorously until they are a light yellow color. Set aside.
- In a 12-inch camp Dutch oven, add sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt. Place over a pile of hot charcoals and stir constantly until the sugar dissolves and the liquid comes to a gentle boil. Remove from charcoal. Scoop 1/4 cup of hot milk mixture and drizzle into whisked egg yolks, stirring constantly to prevent the eggs from curdling. Repeat until most of the milk is whisked into the egg yolks. Return the egg and milk mixture to the Dutch oven and place over hot charcoals. Stir constantly until custard is 170 degrees Fahrenheit and the custard coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat. Stir in brown butter, roasted pecans, and heavy cream.
- Pour warm custard into a zip-top bag. Squeeze out excess air and close the top. Place in an ice bath to cool for about 20 minutes.
- Place cooled custard in the iced camp Dutch oven. Place lid on the oven. Place a wire rack over the oven. Place dry ice on rack. Close cooler. Stir the custard with a wooden spoon or stiff rubber spatula every 30 minutes....
- ... until ice cream thickens and is cold enough to scoop and serve. Enjoy!
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