The All Time Favorite Dutch Oven Potatoes Recipes

Steps:

• Keep potatoes covered with salt water until ready to use or they turn dark and loose much of their appeal.
• Place bacon in the bottom of the dutch oven, enough to make 1/8 inch in oven. Brown bacon in preheated oven with or without the lid on; If it's windy, or many people moving around - it's safer with the lid on.
• Add onions, and cook until transparent.
• Place potatoes in oven a layer at a time, seasoning as you go - Go easy on the salt because of the bacon.
• When all potatoes are in stir thoroughly so seasoning and bacon and grease are well distributed throughout.
• Place lid on oven and cover with coals.
• Beginners be careful, and inspect often - Some cooks say stir at each inspection, thus insuring the bottom isn't burning - Personally, I think this results in broken and mushy potatoes. I, after the initial stirring, leave them alone - If I'm doubtful about the bottom, I take a spatula or spoon and slip under the potatoes and lift enough to.
• check the progress then slip spatula out, leaving potatoes disturbed as little as possible by sampling frequently you can announce when done. (usually around 20 minutes).
• *my advice - go easy with the coals when you are beginning. Keep them well dispensed on the bottom of the oven and the top. Use your "tool" to turn the dutch oven around on the coals often and move the top around a bit to keep the temperature inside even*.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Use a 8 by 8-inch baking dish or one of similar size, and butter the bottom and sides with 1 tablespoon butter. Wash potatoes and thinly slice them, using a mandolin, to approximately 1/16-inch thick. Layer 1/5 of the sliced potatoes into the baking dish, making 2 thin layers of potatoes overlapping. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of the Parmesan cheese. Top with 1/2-cup fruit, salt, pepper and 1/2 cup cream. Repeat this step 4 more times, ending with the potatoes. Top the potatoes with the remaining cream and the 3 tablespoons of the butter cut into small pieces. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese.
• Cover the pan with foil and bake for 2 hours. Uncover the pan and bake for an additional 15 minutes until lightly browned the top. For a darker brown place the potatoes under the broiler for a few minutes. Remove the potatoes from the oven and let them sit for 15 minutes before serving. Cut into squares with a sharp knife.