[scrappinchar]

Hi.
I received a dutch oven this Christmas. Not for outdoor/campfire...it's porcelain enameled cast iron. I think it's 6 or 6.5 qt (I'd have to go check.)

I saw a Pioneer Woman pot roast that I want to cook.

What else? If you have one, what do you cook in it?

[Sara Arell]

Oh, gosh, Char - you can cook sooooo many things in a Dutch Oven - I put chicken in mine and toss it in the oven - it browns beautifully and is the tenderest, juiciest chicken ever = you can do a pork roast, beef stew - anything your heart desires! I use mine ALL the time!

[scrappinchar]

I wish I was a "natural" cook. lol Or that my Mom taught me more when I was younger. Once I learn something, I'm good to go. Until then I love cookbooks or other's recipes. lol

I'm googling dutch oven cookbooks. lol Lots of "outdoor" types. I do see some "indoor" ones.

[MariJ]

Yes, like Sara said - I remember my Mom making a wonderful stew with beef chunks, red gravy, carrots, potatoes - she just browned the meat and threw it in the oven and it was wonderful.
If I could find the recipe, I'd post it for you but right now I'm not sure where it is....
Good luck in your new cooking venture!

[AggieB]

Beef Stew - yum!!!

[Belle]

You can even bake bread in it.

[MariJ]

Belle, on 29 December 2011 - 02:33 PM, said:

You can even bake bread in it.

Wow, now that's amazing, Belle!

[Matadors and a Princess]

Dutch oven cooking is way good. I use mine all the time. I use it lots on the stove too. I don't know if that is appropriate for the enameled kind. My kid's favorite is Grandpa's Cowboy Breakfast. You cook bacon or sausage in the pan, then use the grease to cook sliced potatoes. Once the potatoes are tender, you mix in beaten egg, then add the sausage or bacon back in and cheese melted on top. Yum! (It might be a bit on the unhealthy side, come to think of it!)

Another favorite is Dutch Oven Pancakes...3 eggs, 1/2 cup milk & 1/2 cup flour, just a pinch of salt. Heat two tablespoons butter in the Dutch Oven in the oven at 400 degrees while you mix the other ingredients. Then pour the egg mixture into the pan and put it back in the oven. 20 minutes and you have a puffy, eggy, yummy pancake that you can fill with fresh fruit, applesauce, or anything else you want!

Have fun!

[scrappinchar]

Mmmm...Grandpa's Cowboy Breakfast sounds yummy. lol
How many people is the pancake recipe for?

The enamel is fine on the stovetop.

Thanks, ladies.

[diannecp]

i used mine on the stovetop often. chicken stew with Austrian dumplings is my favorite thing to make in it. it's a little bit of work but so worth it.

[SodScrap]

I make my spaghetti sauce in mine on top of the stove. Mine is PURPLE! The PW pot roast is amazing Charlene!

[scrappinchar]

SodScrap, on 29 December 2011 - 07:53 PM, said:

I make my spaghetti sauce in mine on top of the stove. Mine is PURPLE! The PW pot roast is amazing Charlene!

Purple spaghetti sauce?! Oh my! lol Just kidding. Mine is maroon. Matches some other maroon pots/pans I have and some of the wallpaper.

I saw PW's show last week and I'm soooo looking forward to making the pot roast.

[Dotted]

I wana know what Austrian dumplings are!!!

[SodScrap]

scrappinchar, on 29 December 2011 - 08:53 PM, said:

SodScrap, on 29 December 2011 - 07:53 PM, said:

I make my spaghetti sauce in mine on top of the stove. Mine is PURPLE! The PW pot roast is amazing Charlene!

Purple spaghetti sauce?! Oh my! lol Just kidding. Mine is maroon. Matches some other maroon pots/pans I have and some of the wallpaper.

I saw PW's show last week and I'm soooo looking forward to making the pot roast.

LOL....well....let me say, my RED sauce looks great in my PURPLE pan...which is white inside!

[scrappinchar]

I printed a few recipes from Food Network earlier. They're still in the other room with the printer. They were probably all Paula Deen. I think a green bean & potato recipe. And a bbq short ribs. I don't remember what else.

Question for you, Conda, or anyone...with the Pioneer Woman roast recipe, I thought she talked about getting it really hot on the stovetop and searing/browning the meat. But it seems most places with dutch oven tips (and even the instructions with mine) say not to use more than a medium heat on the stovetop. Any thoughts? She was using an enameled cast iron, too. (Well, it looked like it.)

[luckyladybug]

Wow! I too was gifted a dutch over for Christmas. Yours sounds more practical than mine--true to his form, DH took my "wish list" and headed to the Cabela's website. I ended up with a 10 quart cast iron dutch oven--a whopping 14 inches across, weighing in at 22 lbs (that's empty, folks! Can you imagine how much it's going to weigh when filled to its 2 1/2 gallon capacity???) Oversided is definately his style, and this gift is better than the granny-panty debacle of 1998. I would return it for a more practical size, but I would have to take another job to raise money to ship the iron monster back to Cabela's from Alaska. I guess I have no idea what I'll do with it. Right now it remains in the box, acting as an ottomon. Hmm.....

[scrappinchar]

lol
I had never held a dutch oven before and was surprised at the weight. I had my boys pick up the lid today. It, by itself, is heavier than my regular pot & lid together so they were intrigued. (I was about to season it. Where the pot rim meets the lid rim...both have a ring of exposed iron...which the instructions suggest it to be seasoned.)

You're making me want to go weigh it. lol

[scrappinchar]

Ah...mine's a lightweight...j/k...but it's "only" around 15 pounds.
Once they are filled, we get nice arm workouts. lol

[SodScrap]

Mine is VERY heavy...don't remember it's size though. I heated mine pretty hot when I did the roast, and there are some tiny dark brown spots on the bottom that will not come out...but of course it functions fine. And you are right, I think hers is enamel as well. I have her cook book and will try to look at it and check back in!

[luckyladybug]

I did the math--if mine were to be filled with water and lidded it would weigh in between 45 and 50 lbs! That's more of an arm workout than I can handle--I'll have to start training now and remember to lift with my legs when it comes to our New Year's day chili! Methinks the Cabela's guy should do some of the heavy lifting!

When I unwrapped it, I thought of our dear Ro and her Christmas frying pan tradition.

I think I'm going to look into a model like yours--maybe Mother's Day??

[April Showers]

Belle, on 29 December 2011 - 02:33 PM, said:

You can even bake bread in it.

I have a great recipe if you want to try it. Well, great if you like the bread with a crisp crust and a chewy inside. It is super easy too.

[scrappinchar]

The roast last night was soooo good! Yay! Better than any crockpot one I've ever done. And so yummy with the mashed potatoes.

[scrappinchar]

April, how do you use the bread? Sandwiches? Sliced w/ butter for dinner? Just wondering.

[April Showers]

scrappinchar, on 31 December 2011 - 11:28 AM, said:

April, how do you use the bread? Sandwiches? Sliced w/ butter for dinner? Just wondering.

That bread I usually serve with a nice soup. I'll dig up the recipe for you. It wasn't right where it should have been, so I'll have to spend a few more minutes looking.
I bake several other kinds too, but that is the only one I do in a dutch oven.

[mbc72]

So, aside from the obvious, what is the difference between Dutch Oven cooking and a Crock Pot? I think my step dad has one, but my mom says the food always comes out mushy, so I have been reluctant to buy one.

[Bride]

I have 2 cast iron Dutch Ovens. One is exclusively for the stove top and the other for camping. My questions (*with a grin*) is what CAN'T you cook in a Dutch Oven?? My husband (ex-Scout Master and Campfire Dutch Oven Chef Extraordinaire) even bakes pies in the Dutch Oven - and believe me, when he bakes his RazzleBerry Pie in the campground we have all the camping neighbors envious!! We have also made peach cobbler in ours and any soup or stew can be made as well as roasts.

[Molczan]

I love, love, love my dutchies! I've got an old Griswold and a new enamel as well. Here is a something I throw together that's really easy (Char, I know you have kids, but you can make it more mild if needed): I take two packages of boneless/skinless chicken thighs and dump in a jar of my favorite salsa. I let it stew for about an hour & half. I skim off some the liquid while cooking, so that it's not too runny. I also heat up some refried beans (sometimes I make them in the crockpot at the same time as the ckn is cooking). Some warm torillas and sour cream as well...yum!

[Molczan]

luckyladybug, on 29 December 2011 - 09:59 PM, said:

Wow! I too was gifted a dutch over for Christmas. Yours sounds more practical than mine--true to his form, DH took my "wish list" and headed to the Cabela's website. I ended up with a 10 quart cast iron dutch oven--a whopping 14 inches across, weighing in at 22 lbs (that's empty, folks! Can you imagine how much it's going to weigh when filled to its 2 1/2 gallon capacity???) Oversided is definately his style, and this gift is better than the granny-panty debacle of 1998. I would return it for a more practical size, but I would have to take another job to raise money to ship the iron monster back to Cabela's from Alaska. I guess I have no idea what I'll do with it. Right now it remains in the box, acting as an ottomon. Hmm.....

That is so funny! I totally understand, since my DH is much the same way. I say just to use that sucker and make sure he's around to help with the lifting!

[Smoky]

I've got lots of cast iron pots and skillets, both black iron and Le Creuset. It's the only cookware I own! Same with my parents and grandparents. We'd lose our street cred as good Cajuns otherwise, LOL.

As far as I know, you can cook just about anything in an enameled iron pot. Just be sure to use wood or plastic utensils so you don't mar the surface. I've seen the enamel chip off the inside when mistreated.

Happy cooking!