Three Pieces of Durable Cookware: Safe to Use Over Open Flame (Or On Your Backyard Grill)

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Cooking on a flaming-hot grill or over the hot coals of a campfire is one of our favorite pastimes. Whether we're feasting with friends in our backyard or having a memorable camping trip in the backwoods, there's no match to the experience of making a great meal over an open flame.

Choosing the right cookware is part of what makes the experience so great. Plus, if you invest in the right cookware, it'll be the kind of equipment that makes memories for generations. While most people use standard outdoor grilling equipment like stainless steel pans, grill grates, or grill griddles with the hopes that they'll perform well over an open flame, high heat can break them down quickly and warp the material (live and learn, you might just say). If you're serious about making the outdoor grilling experience a ritual to remember, start by investing in the right cooking accessories.

Enter Le Creuset's Alpine Collection

The Alpine Outdoor Collection takes campfire cooking to a new level. Le Creuset's quality cooking surfaces are already unmatched, but you'll be impressed by how their standards carry through to the new enameled cast iron pieces of this collection. Specifically designed for cooking over an open flame (but perfectly happy on your camping stove or backyard grill), these pieces are designed to deliver your favorite campfire recipes made over any extreme heat source.

Three Recipes to Try

Chef Eduardo Garcia, a professional yacht chef, motivational speaker, and a big-screen storyteller for Big Sky Kitchen on the Magnolia Network partnered with Le Creuset in support of this new cookware collection. An avid outdoorsman, he gave each of these recipes a test run over an open fire pit but assures us that with the right cast iron cookware, we can bring the flavors and textures to life on the direct heat of our backyard gas grill or charcoal grill.

Bison Sliders with Montana Hummus on Jalapeño Garlic Naan

Bison Sliders

Serves: 24 x 1 oz sliders

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ lbs ground beef

• 2 ½ tsp salt

• ½ cup onion, minced

• ½ egg, beaten

• 2 tsp onion powder

• 2 tsp coriander seed

• 2 tsp cumin seed

• 2 tsp paprika

• 1 tsp Montana Mex Jalapeño Seasoning, or substitute with Red Chile flakes

• 1 tsp Montana Mex Mild Chile Seasoning, or substitute with Chile powder

• ¼ tsp turmeric

• ½ tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp dry oregano

• ½ tsp cinnamon powder

• ½ tsp black pepper

• ½ cup rough chopped fresh mint

• ½ cup rough chopped fresh parsley

• ½ cup rough chopped cilantro

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Toast dry seasonings and mix all ingredients with bison. Test seasoning by cooking and tasting a small patty. Shape into 1 oz each sliders. Sear on a hot skillet/griddle, like the Alpine Outdoor Skillet or Pizza Pan, in extra virgin olive oil for 1 minute on each side or until fully cooked through. Serve immediately.

Montana Mex Hummus

Ingredients:

• 15 oz cooked garbanzo beans, if using canned be sure to drain and rinse well

• 2 lemons, juiced

• 1/4 cup tahini sesame paste

• 3 garlic cloves

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tsp sea salt

• 3 tbsp warm water

• Montana Mex Mild Chile & Jalapeño Seasonings for garnish, or substitute with smoked paprika

Combine all of the above in a food processor (or blender) and blend until smooth. Adjust salt and add lemon to your preferred taste. Garnish with a drizzle of oil and a sprinkle of Montana Mex Mild Chile & Jalapeño Seasonings to suit your crowd and spice level. Optional toppings such as toasted seeds, sumac, lemon zest, fresh herbs, tapenade, and others can be used to add personality and accents to this hummus recipe.

Jalapeño Garlic Naan

Serves: 24 naan

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp sugar

• 1 tsp dry activated yeast

• ½ cup warm water

• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt

• 1 tsp salt

• 2 ¼ cups bread flour

• ¼ cup oil, butter, or ghee

• 1 tbsp plus ½ tsp Montana Mex Jalapeño Seasoning, or substitute with Red Chile flakes

In a large bowl, dissolve sugar and yeast in warm water. Stir vigorously to combine. Let stand for about 10 minutes, until yeast appears foamy. Stir in yogurt, salt, flour and ½ teaspoon Montana Mex Jalapeño Seasoning. Knead for 6 minutes on a lightly floured surface.

Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise in a warm place. Wait about an hour, until the dough has doubled in volume. After an hour doubled, pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll into balls, and place on a tray. Cover with a towel and allow to rise at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

While the dough rises, combine 1/4 cup oil, butter or ghee and 1 tablespoon of Jalapeño Seasoning to create a finishing oil for the baked Naan.

Shape the dough into thin ovals using your hands or a rolling pin if you prefer. Ideally the Naan is rolled out gently to preserve the developed body and trapped air which results in a fluffy Naan.

Heat a griddle or flat heavy bottomed skillet, like the Alpine Outdoor Pizza Pan, to medium-high. Lightly oil the surface with a folded paper towel or silicone basting brush. Place dough onto the hot griddle/skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on one side, or until puffy and lightly browned on the skillet side. Flip and cook for an additional minute.

Transfer to a plate and brush your oil and spice blend on top. Garnish with other fresh herbs, seeds, and seasonings to your preference.