Muzzleloaders – Clan of the Wolf

Muzzleloaders love the smell of black power in the wind, my wife, not so much. “Take those smelly clothes off before you come into the house” is a standard greeting on Sunday afternoon. Probably the only thing better than the mix of black power and woodsmoke would be the aroma coming from the Dutch Ovens hanging over the fire. If you have attended one of the winter Fun Shoots or a Spring/Fall Rendezvous, (you will see sometimes many, sometimes few), Dutch Ovens around the fire. Muzzleloaders like to shoot round balls, but they love to eat.

The traditional Dutch oven bears a storied past that stretches back over three centuries. You see, what we know as the Dutch oven was invented by an English brass works owner, Abraham Darby in the early 1700s.

And that’s where the story of the English Dutch oven or “braadpan” begins. Darby got to thinking about how to make kitchenware affordable enough to bring the poor into the market for home goods. This resulted in several experiments using the Dutch casting process with iron instead of brass. Thus, the first-ever so-called “Dutch oven” came into the world in cast-iron form. It would become the main all-purpose cookware for the next two centuries. Only later would the English and the Dutch enjoy the benefits of an enameled steel braadpan, which today serves the sole purpose of roasting meat or simmering an occasional stew. Some common Dutch oven fare tasted at camp would include various types of stews, chili (mild or hot) cooks choice, soups, fish chowder, and fruit cobblers. Sometimes, when we try to get fancy, you might find hot wings, Shepard’s pie, chicken and dumplings or (if you hit just the right shoot), Crawfish Etouffee!

If you stop by to enjoy what the Dutch Ovens have to offer, please bring your own nogging (bowl) and eating utensils. We are a conservation club and try to reduce disposable waste. The next chance will be the Spring Rendezvous May 19-21, 2023. Come and join us!

Kerry Bush, Muzzleloaders President