Dutch Oven Potatoes

This recipe comes from a magazine called Sojourns. "Sojourns among the peaks, plateaus and canyons of the West." From the winter/spring '08 edition. (I borrowed the magazine from CG because it had so many great recipes in it, all of the ones I like, you will eventually find here).

I LOVE Dutch-Oven Potatoes. So much so that they were served at our ranch wedding! I'm sure you can make them in the oven in your house also, but I'll post the traditional directions here. The recipe in the magazine calls for peppers, scallions and cheese, but the authors admit they added those things for color. I like the traditional potatoes, with nothing "fancy" added.

Dutch-Oven Potatoes

1/2 to 1 pound bacon, chopped
6 to 8 large russet potatoes, peeled and sliced into quarter-inch-thick rounds
1 large yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
salt and pepper
(they added chopped red bell pepper, chopped scallions and shredded cheddar for garnish. you can if you want to, but I'm not going to!)

Cook the bacon in a 12-inch Dutch oven. If you have access to a propane camp stove or indoor stove, you can do this step while the coals are being prepared. When the bacon is nearly done, pour off excess fat but leave some in the pot for the flavoring of the potatoes. Add the potatoes to the Dutch oven in layers alternately with the onion, sprinkling generously with salt and pepper between layers. Fold the potatoes gently but thoroughly to disperse the bacon and some bacon fat throughout the dish. Put the lid on the Dutch oven.

Measure out coals (charcoal briquettes) based on the diameter of the Dutch oven. You will need approximately twice as many coals as the oven's diameter, so the 12-inch oven requires about 24 coals. Divide the coals into two equal heaps. Then remove three coals from one heap and add them to the other heap, so that you have slightly fewer coals for the bottom and slightly more for the top.

Ignite the coals or briquettes. When their edges become white and crumbly, they're ready. Spread the smaller heap of coals and place the Dutch oven on top of them. Shovel the larger heap of coals onto the top of the oven. Potatoes will be done in about 30 minutes; check once or twice to be sure they are not burning. When potatoes are tender and golden, they are ready to eat!