Recipe search: Help me use my Dutch Oven [General]
2010 Feb 5
Hi Triple H ... one thing I do in my Dutch oven is a simple (but everyone keeps asking me to make it) is a simple Pot Roast. I have posted this before and I have had several good emails thanking me. A good marbled Blank Roast with some fat. Put that in the Dutch Oven, add a couple cups of water (and some red wine) , add carrots, turnip, sweet potatoes, cut up peppers (any colour ..I luv Green) add garlic and top off the whole thing with a package of Onion Soup Mix. Place into oven around 325-350 for ..well it depends on the size of the Roast - 1 -2 hours. What comes out is a complete meal with veggies, beef and gravy that melts in your mouth. I have done something similar with Chicken but added differnet spices. If the Beef one works, I'd be happy to give you my Chicken Dutch Oven one meal special.
2010 Feb 14
My original plan was to attempt each of the recipe submissions and report back (probably should have said that to begin with). JDK was so kind to reply first, so I attempted his recipe this weekend. That, and, Zym's recommendation would not have yielded the results I would have hoped for, this here being Valentine's Day and all.
My goal will be to recreate each recipe, following critical procedures faithfully, and substituting where either I have specific experience or insufficient ingredients. Perhaps I may even be able to throw a tip or two out there that may help the submitter with their own dish (cough, cough, begging for more participation, cough).
Okay, first up, JDK's pot roast. Here's my take:
While preheating my oven to 325F, lightly flour a 3lb boneless blade roast and season lightly with salt and pepper. Sear all sides in a very hot dutch oven over high heat. Remove roast. Searing should have resulted in at least 2tbs of liquids, if not add a small amount of vegetable oil. Saute 1 finely diced cooking onion until translucent, adding 3 minced garlic cloves in the final minute.
Add approximately 2cu red wine (I used a Pinot I had already open) and deglaze dutch oven. Return roast and add enough warm water to cover roast to about 3/4. Add 1 pkg onion soup mix -- I resisted the urge to add any herbs or spices here as this was the first time I've ever used onion soup mix and I wanted to stick to JDKs recipe here. As an aside, while cooking I became highly paranoid due to the thick aroma (and high sodium content) of the soup mix, that it would be overpowering or too salty... my paranoia was unjustified, and if anything the final result was underseasoned. I think I would also add a couple of bay leaves next time. I also considered substituting my homemade beef stock for the water, but, I am glad I didn't as the additional flavour was not needed.
Cover dutch oven and place in 325F oven for 2 hours, leave undisturbed. After 2 hours, add coarsely chopped root vegetables. I actually only used heirloom carrots, cooking onion, and a couple of handfuls of button mushrooms... as I had other plans, see below). Continue cooking for 1 hour.
After 3 hours in oven, remove roast and vegetables. Pour all liquid into a fat separator and let rest. Heat 3tbs of the fat (discard remainder) over high heat and whisk quickly with 3tbs of flour making a roux. Continue whisking for 1 minute to allow roux to combine properly. Slowly add approx 3cu of the reserved liquid while whisking. Season with salt and pepper and simmer until reduced to desired consistency. I added all of the rehydrated onions from the soup mix to the gravy, I also kept the gravy a little on the thin side.
I had a nice celeriac head, so I decided to serve the roast shredded coarsely (ala braised short-rib) on celeriac puree.
The verdict. This dish was tasty and a nice change from my own Yankee Pot Roast. I did find the meat a bit tougher than what I normally achieve on the stove top. I think 325F might be too hot, leading to a more aggressive simmer. Next time, I would try 300F for 3.5hours. The celeriac puree added "another pot" but allowed for a more refined plating suitable for special occasions.
Thank you JDK... and I would love to try the Chicken Recipe.
Zym... working on those Jacob's Cattle Beans. I am intrigued.
Anyone else want to push a recipe through the HHH test kitchen?
My goal will be to recreate each recipe, following critical procedures faithfully, and substituting where either I have specific experience or insufficient ingredients. Perhaps I may even be able to throw a tip or two out there that may help the submitter with their own dish (cough, cough, begging for more participation, cough).
Okay, first up, JDK's pot roast. Here's my take:
While preheating my oven to 325F, lightly flour a 3lb boneless blade roast and season lightly with salt and pepper. Sear all sides in a very hot dutch oven over high heat. Remove roast. Searing should have resulted in at least 2tbs of liquids, if not add a small amount of vegetable oil. Saute 1 finely diced cooking onion until translucent, adding 3 minced garlic cloves in the final minute.
Add approximately 2cu red wine (I used a Pinot I had already open) and deglaze dutch oven. Return roast and add enough warm water to cover roast to about 3/4. Add 1 pkg onion soup mix -- I resisted the urge to add any herbs or spices here as this was the first time I've ever used onion soup mix and I wanted to stick to JDKs recipe here. As an aside, while cooking I became highly paranoid due to the thick aroma (and high sodium content) of the soup mix, that it would be overpowering or too salty... my paranoia was unjustified, and if anything the final result was underseasoned. I think I would also add a couple of bay leaves next time. I also considered substituting my homemade beef stock for the water, but, I am glad I didn't as the additional flavour was not needed.
Cover dutch oven and place in 325F oven for 2 hours, leave undisturbed. After 2 hours, add coarsely chopped root vegetables. I actually only used heirloom carrots, cooking onion, and a couple of handfuls of button mushrooms... as I had other plans, see below). Continue cooking for 1 hour.
After 3 hours in oven, remove roast and vegetables. Pour all liquid into a fat separator and let rest. Heat 3tbs of the fat (discard remainder) over high heat and whisk quickly with 3tbs of flour making a roux. Continue whisking for 1 minute to allow roux to combine properly. Slowly add approx 3cu of the reserved liquid while whisking. Season with salt and pepper and simmer until reduced to desired consistency. I added all of the rehydrated onions from the soup mix to the gravy, I also kept the gravy a little on the thin side.
I had a nice celeriac head, so I decided to serve the roast shredded coarsely (ala braised short-rib) on celeriac puree.
The verdict. This dish was tasty and a nice change from my own Yankee Pot Roast. I did find the meat a bit tougher than what I normally achieve on the stove top. I think 325F might be too hot, leading to a more aggressive simmer. Next time, I would try 300F for 3.5hours. The celeriac puree added "another pot" but allowed for a more refined plating suitable for special occasions.
Thank you JDK... and I would love to try the Chicken Recipe.
Zym... working on those Jacob's Cattle Beans. I am intrigued.
Anyone else want to push a recipe through the HHH test kitchen?
2010 Feb 15
Hi there,
I have just the recipe for you. I had some friends over on the weekend and one couple is vegetarian. I opted for a North African themed dinner party and served tagine with couscous as the main course.
It was delish! This recipe will now replace my old Moroccan stew recipe, hands down. I upped the amount of spices suggested, which seemed a little on the skimpy side, and increased the amount of prunes too (we discouvered, as I was preparing to add them, that we are all closet prune lovers!). The prunes replace the usual raisin/currents called for in such dishes. Turns out they provided a lovely depth. Finished with a squeeze of lemon. Having some leftovers for lunch - can't wait.
P.S. I really wanted to buy a special Tagine pot. However, Cooks Illustrated tested various versions (some very expensive) and found that the old dutch oven did a superior job compared to the specialized tagine bakeware.
The recipe is from Vegatarian Times (Vegetable Tagine) www.vegetariantimes.com
Bon appetit!!
I have just the recipe for you. I had some friends over on the weekend and one couple is vegetarian. I opted for a North African themed dinner party and served tagine with couscous as the main course.
It was delish! This recipe will now replace my old Moroccan stew recipe, hands down. I upped the amount of spices suggested, which seemed a little on the skimpy side, and increased the amount of prunes too (we discouvered, as I was preparing to add them, that we are all closet prune lovers!). The prunes replace the usual raisin/currents called for in such dishes. Turns out they provided a lovely depth. Finished with a squeeze of lemon. Having some leftovers for lunch - can't wait.
P.S. I really wanted to buy a special Tagine pot. However, Cooks Illustrated tested various versions (some very expensive) and found that the old dutch oven did a superior job compared to the specialized tagine bakeware.
The recipe is from Vegatarian Times (Vegetable Tagine) www.vegetariantimes.com
Bon appetit!!
2010 Feb 16
Here's two recently successful takes of mine:
www.ottawafoodies.com
www.ottawafoodies.com
In short, collagen denatures and fat renders at approximately 77ish degress Celsius (it's actually a range). If you can keep a tough piece of meat between 77-100 Celsius you can achieve a meltingly tender result that is still a bit pink , even after 4-5 hours. For me, this means bringing dutch oven to a boil and putting it in a 200-215F oven for an extended period. Patience is the key.
www.ottawafoodies.com
www.ottawafoodies.com
In short, collagen denatures and fat renders at approximately 77ish degress Celsius (it's actually a range). If you can keep a tough piece of meat between 77-100 Celsius you can achieve a meltingly tender result that is still a bit pink , even after 4-5 hours. For me, this means bringing dutch oven to a boil and putting it in a 200-215F oven for an extended period. Patience is the key.
2010 Feb 16
You could bake bread. Some of my better homemade bread is from the dutch oven/no knead recipes.
Below is the basic recipe. The key is a moist dough, very little yeast and extra long proofing (24 hours). You can make any changes (WW, rye, beer, sour) you'd like as long as you maintain the 3 keys.
www.nytimes.com
hungry hungry hippo
Here's the challenge... I am looking for one-pot complete meal recipes... And... we don't eat any of the typical filler carbohydrates (potatoes, rice, pasta, barley, etc). Sweet potatoes, beans, legumes, are fine and encouraged. No other ingredients are off limits (we are adventurous).