Dutch oven cooking class popular ODR treat

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Katrina Heikkinen
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  Coca-Cola chicken, breadsticks, vegetables with stuffing and apple cobbler were on the menu at Outdoor Recreation Jan. 25 during a Dutch oven cooking class taught by Robert Dowdy, 341st Maintenance Operations Squadron library technician.

Four years ago, Jim Beisel, 341st Force Support Squadron Outdoor Recreation programmer, decided to put a Dutch oven cooking class on the calendar, unaware that the president of Montana's International Dutch Oven Society chapter works on base.

"I thought we needed a Dutch oven cooking class at the base, so I planned it without an instructor assigned," Beisel said.

With an extensive repertoire in the food world, from catering rodeos to cooking at restaurants to demonstrating Dutch oven cooking at C.M. Russell Museum, retired Navy Petty Officer 1st Class, Dowdy was eager to sign up as the instructor.

"After I was introduced to Dutch oven cooking 12 years ago, I've fallen in love with it," Dowdy said. "I've been teaching now for six years and give demonstrations at places such as Great Falls' Big R, Big Bear Sports Center and Ace Hardware - I give demonstrations all over Montana and Idaho."

With the help of Ed Stuart, 341st Communications Squadron client service center technician, also Montana's IDOS secretary, and Scott Woodland, Montana IDOS vice president, the trio provided tips on the proper use of a Dutch oven.

"When using a Dutch oven, the most important thing to master is heat control," Dowdy said. "After that, it gets simple. Anything you can cook in a kitchen, you can cook in a Dutch oven."

The advantage of using a Dutch oven, according to Dowdy, is that all the moisture and nutrients are kept inside it, therefore giving the food rich flavors.

Now a sanctioned judge for cooking competitions, Dowdy's love for cooking first started when he was 15-years-old. Over the course of four years, Dowdy started out as a dishwasher at a Quality Inn in central Florida and eventually worked his way up to become a line cook. He then pursued the military in hopes of becoming a cook.

"I was originally going to join the Coast Guard as a cook, but I made some last minute changes and ended up becoming an aviation ordnanceman and served in the Navy for 18 years," Dowdy said.

Even during his military service, Dowdy continued to experiment with food.

His many years of cooking in a nonconventional way has also lead him to audition for the Food Network channel's "Chopped," a show in which contestants are given mystery ingredients to prepare in three, timed rounds. Dowdy will find out in November if he will be accepted as a contestant on the show.

But food isn't his only zeal in life.

When Dowdy isn't busy teaching a course for Fish, Wildlife and Parks during the summer or writing recipes to be published in the IDOS quarterly newsletter, he is an instructor of a 6-week long canoe and kayak course for the Great Falls Parks and Recreation department.

Dowdy's passion for cooking and teaching have, and continue to, reach many members of the Great Falls community. The next Dutch oven cooking class is scheduled for March 28 from 5 to 8 p.m.

For more information and to sign up, call Outdoor Recreation at 731-3263.