Are these hairline cracks looking things in my dutch oven okay, it's still smooth when I run my finger over them?

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CHICKEN STEW:

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (can sub out thighs if desired)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more as needed
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided, plus more for serving
• 6 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1  large yellow onion, diced
• 3  medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 2  medium stalks celery, diced
• 2 cloves  garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup frozen peas (I use frozen peas and carrots)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish

FOR THE DUMPLINGS:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup cold heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted

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INSTRUCTIONS

MAKE THE CHICKEN STEW:

1. Pat 1 1/2 pounds chicken dry with paper towels. Season all over with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper.
2. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and sear until golden-brown on both sides, about 10 minutes total. The chicken will not be cooked through. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool slightly, then cut into 3/4-inch pieces.
3. Melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter in the same pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 diced large yellow onion, 3 peeled and diced medium carrots, 2 diced medium celery stalks, 2 minced garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
4. Add 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and stir to coat the vegetables. Cook until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Stir in chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pot and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the dumplings.

MAKE THE DUMPLINGS:

1. Place 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Stir in 1 cup cold heavy cream and 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter just until a shaggy dough forms.
2. When the stew is ready, stir in 1/2 cup frozen peas and 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves. Taste and season with more kosher salt and black pepper as needed.
3. Drop 1/4-cup portions of the dough evenly onto the surface of the stew. Cover and cook for 17 minutes. Check the dumplings for doneness: They are ready when they are about quadrupled in size and no longer raw and doughy in the center. If not fully cooked, cover and cook for 2 minutes more. Serve garnished with more chopped parsley and black pepper.

Just wanted to share my cozy dinner I made tonight with my 4qt Staub. 🫶🏼 The meal is creamy orzo with steelhead trout, air roasted green beans and a French baguette.

The recipe is pulled from a couple videos I saw on Pinterest, so sadly there’s no link. However, I tried best writing down the following ingredients and steps below if you want to try to replicate! 😇

Ingredients:
Paprika (measure with your heart)
Black pepper (measure with your heart)
Oregano (measure with your heart)
Olive oil (about 2 tbs)
2 tbs butter
1 shallot or onion (diced)
Garlic (measure with your heart – I personally use a spoonful of jarlic lol)
1.5 cups orzo
3 cups of chicken broth
White wine (measure with your heart, but aim for 1/4 cup)
Heavy cream (measure with your heart, but aim for 1/2 - 3/4 cup)
Parmesan cheese (measure with your heart, but aim for 1/2 cup)

Instructions:
1. On medium heat, heat up olive oil
2. Once dutch oven is heated up, cook onions/shallots for 3-4 minutes
3. One minute before onion/shallot is fully cooked, add butter, garlic, and spices and cook for remaining minute
4. Add orzo and toast for 3 minutes
5. Add white wine and cook until absorbed
6. Add 2 of the 3 cups of chicken broth and cook on medium-high heat until orzo simmers, bring back to medium/medium-low heat. Cook for 12 minutes, frequently stirring. If orzo absorbs all of the broth and begins to stick to bottom, add the leftover 1 cup of water slowly until desired consistency is reached.
7. Add heavy cream and cook for another two minutes
8. Turn heat to low and grate parmesan over orzo. Stir until parmesan is creamy.

Optional: add spinach 4-5 minutes before orzo is done cooking!

Optional: red pepper flakes for heat

Pairs well with chicken or fish – pat dry your choice of meat, coat it with a little olive oil, and season with paprika, black pepper, onion and garlic powder, oregano, and basil. I cooked my steelhead in the oven at 410F for 16 minutes. Then I shredded the fish and added it to the orzo once everything in the dutch oven was cooked.

Ingredients

Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste

8 whole beef short ribs (bone in)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

6 pieces pancetta, diced

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 whole medium onion, diced

3 whole carrots, diced

2 whole shallots, peeled and finely minced

2 cups red or white wine

2 cups beef or chicken broth (enough to almost cover ribs)

2 sprigs thyme

2 sprigs rosemary

Directions

1. Salt and pepper the ribs, then dredge in flour. Set aside.

2. In a large Dutch oven, cook the pancetta over medium heat until completely crispy and all the fat is rendered. Remove the pancetta and set aside. Do not discard the grease.

3. Add the olive oil to the pan with the pancetta grease, and raise the heat to high. Brown the ribs on all sides, about 45 seconds per side. Remove the ribs and set aside. Lower the heat to medium.

4. Add the onion, carrot, and shallot to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and scrape the bottom of the pan to release all the flavorful bits of glory. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. 

5. Add the broth, 1 teaspoon salt, and plenty of pepper. Taste and add more salt if needed. Add the ribs to the liquid; they should be almost completely submerged. Add the thyme and rosemary sprigs (whole) to the liquid. 

6. Cover with the lid and place the Dutch oven in the oven. Cook at 350°F for 2 hours, then reduce the heat to 325°F and cook for 30 to 45 minutes more. The ribs should be fork-tender and falling off the bone. Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to sit, lid on, for at least 20 minutes before serving. At the last minute, skim the fat off the top of the liquid. (You can also refrigerate the mixture, then remove the solid fat from the top.)

7. Serve ribs over mashed potatoes, cheesy grits, polenta, or other choice.

INGREDIENTS:

4 (9-ounce) packages cheese (or other) ravioli (do not thaw if frozen)

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for coating the baking dish

1 pound cremini mushrooms, stems removed and sliced

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce

8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced, divided

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS:

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 400°F.

Bring a salted water to a boil in your Dutch Oven. Add the ravioli and cook until al dente, about 2 minutes, or 2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Heat the oil in same Dutch Oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until softened and lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the marinara sauce and stir to combine. Set half of the mixture aside, leave half in the pot. Remove from the heat.

Pour half of the ravioli in the pot and spread into an even layer. Stir in mushroom mixture gently to distribute evenly, then place half of the sliced mozzarella. Pour the remaining ravioli and mushroom mixture over the mozzarella, creating a second layer. Top with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.

Bake uncovered until the top is lightly golden and the cheese is bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

RECIPE NOTES

Make ahead: This dish can be assembled and refrigerated, covered in aluminum foil, up to 2 days in advance. Bake covered for 15 minutes, then uncover and bake for 20 minutes more.

Two smaller casseroles: This can be prepared in 2 (8x8-inch) baking dishes instead, if you want to freeze half for a future meal.

Freezing: The unbaked casserole can be frozen right in a separate (9x13) baking dish for up to 2 months. Let it cool completely and wrap it tightly with a layer of plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Bake straight from the freezer covered with just foil for 1 hour, then uncover and bake for 15 minutes more.

Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Ingredients

1.5 kg beef blade roast
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 carrots, diced or grated
2 celery stalks, diced
227 g mushrooms, finely chopped
2 tbsp minced garlic
156 mL tomato paste
1 bottle passata
796 mL diced tomatoes with liquid
500 mL low-sodium beef broth, plus more only if needed
1 tsp anchovy paste
1 tbsp porcini crema
.5 tsp umami salt, optional
.5 tsp nduja, optional
1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp fresh oregano
1 tbsp fresh thyme
.25 cup fresh basil
.25 cup parsley, optional
1 tsp black pepper
.75 tsp kosher salt

Method

1. ⁠I patted the beef dry, seasoned it with salt and pepper, heated the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high and seared the beef 4 mins/side until deeply browned, then removed it.
   
2. ⁠I lowered the heat to medium and cooked the onion, carrots, celery and mushrooms in the pot for 12 mins, stirring and scraping up the browned fond.
   
3. ⁠I added the garlic for 1 min, then stirred in the tomato paste, anchovy paste, porcini crema and optional umami salt and nduja and cooked 3 mins until the tomato paste darkened.
   
4. ⁠I added the passata, diced tomatoes, broth, white balsamic, bay leaf, oregano and thyme, scraping the bottom of the pot thoroughly.
   
5. I returned the beef and juices, brought everything to a gentle simmer, set the lid slightly cracked and braised on low 2.5 hrs, turning twice, until the beef shredded easily. I added extra broth whenever the liquid level got too low.
   
6. I removed and shredded the beef, discarded the bay leaf, returned the meat to the pot and simmered uncovered 15 mins until the sugo reduced thick and glossy.
   
7. I stirred in the basil and parsley, then adjusted salt.

I served it over farro with cold cucumber slaw, grated cheese and smoked EVOO. Edit: typo & fixes

Newest ceramic Dutch oven I made!

This cozy, one-pot Fall Dutch Oven Braised Chicken with Bacon and Leeks pairs juicy chicken thighs with smoky bacon, sweet leeks, and tender potatoes.

Ingredients

4-6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped

2 large leeks, white and pale green parts only, sliced and washed well

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb baby potatoes, halved

1 cup chicken stock

3 sprigs fresh thyme

Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Brown the Chicken: Heat your Dutch oven over medium heat. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Place them skin-side down and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 6 minutes per side. Remove chicken and set aside.

Crisp the Bacon: Add chopped bacon to the pot and cook until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, leaving the drippings in the pot.

Sauté Leeks: Add sliced leeks and garlic to the bacon fat. Cook for 5 minutes until soft and sweet.

Combine and Braise: Stir in the baby potatoes, bacon, and chicken stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Nestle the chicken thighs on top of the leeks and potatoes. Add the thyme sprigs.

Bake: Cover with the lid and bake in a preheated oven at 375°F for 35 to 45 minutes, until the chicken is tender and the potatoes are soft.

To serve, plate the chicken mixture, sprinkle over chives or other herbs for garnish if desired.

Hi, just joined this group because I plan to buy my first cast iron cooker.

Need a reco for a brand & size, but not Le Crueset!! Not in my budget!!!!

Pennsylvania Dutch Corn Chowder

Ingredients

4 slices bacon sliced, fried, and bacon drippings remaining in Dutch oven pot

2 medium Yukon potatoes, medium dice, peeled

1 medium red onion, diced

1 1/2 cups chicken broth (can use vegetable broth or water)

2 1/2 cups frozen corn

1/2 tsp. red chili flakes

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 Tbl. dried cilantro

1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. coarse ground pepper

1/2 cup half and half

1/2 cup sour cream

1/3 cup sliced green onions (can sub chives) with tops, plus some for garnish

How To:

Over medium heat in the Dutch oven, fry bacon and remove from pot leaving drippings in DO. Remove bacon and set to side, when cooled, break up in crumbles or larger bits.

Sauté onion in drippings, add potatoes and chicken broth. Bring to boil on medium high heat. Cook about 10 minutes.

When potatoes are fully cooked through and tender, blend the potatoes, onion, and broth using an immersion blender, or optionally, leave as is depending on your preference.

After blending or stirring, add corn.

Reduce heat to medium low and add chili flakes, cumin, cilantro, crumbled bacon, (keep 1-2 slices of crumbles for garnish) kosher salt, pepper, half and half and sour cream and stir well. Season to taste - the recipe is just a guideline.

Cover with lid and cook for about 30 minutes on low, stirring occasionally. Garnish with green onions and crumbled bacon over surface when ready to serve.

Happy nearly fall, y’all!

Hello friends!

I am just starting out with my first Dutch oven (a Staub) and I'm consistently having trouble with scorching on the bottom. I use a glass cooktop and am using very low heat (small ring of a double burner, set to 2-4). It's happening when simmering things with thicker liquid like chili con carne, chowders, etc. Should I look into a heat diffuser? If so, does anyone have recommendations?

Wanted to try making curry but got impatient and steamed some bao instead. Buns are Teriyaki Chicken Bao from Aldi, so no recipe, sorry!

I borrowed this Dutch oven and made the mistake of burning parchment paper in it. I have tried the boiled water with baking soda method, bar keepers friend, and acetone. The only thing that sort of works is acetone. Any other ideas?

Favorite recipes?

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We were considering buying a 4L cast iron dutch oven to cook shakshuka and pizza with under the hot coals of a fire at a camping trip.

Do you think its a overkill to buy it? Should we just use a normal pan?

Also, if you have any other fun food ideas we could do (that might even justify getting the dutch oven) I'd love to hear it.

https://amindfullmom.com/no-knead-whole-wheat-dutch-oven-bread/#wprm-recipe-container-9805
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500 grams whole wheat flour, ~3¾ cups
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2 teaspoons kosher salt
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1 teaspoon dry active yeast
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2 cups warm water, between 100-115℉
Instructions 

Place a large mixing bowl on a kitchen scale, change units to grams, and zero it out. Add whole wheat flour until the scale reads 500 g (for 500 grams.) To measure flour without a scale, fluff the flour in its container, then spoon into a measuring cup, leveling off the excess. Measure out 3¾ cups whole wheat flour and place in mixing bowl (see recipe notes if using a different variety of flour).

Add 2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoon dry active yeast to the flour and mix well to incorporate. Add 2 cups warm water to the flour mixture and use a wooden spoon or spatula to mix until the flour is fully moistened. Resist the urge to overmix. Stop mixing once there are no longer any dry pockets of flour.

Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel, and let rest at room temperature for at least 8 hours or up to 18 hours.

After the dough has risen, turn out the dough onto a lightly floured piece of parchment paper or lightly floured surface. Lightly flour your hands and then roughly shape the dough into a circle. The dough will be sticky! Brush excess flour off the dough ball and parchment paper and let the dough rest while the oven preheats.

Place the Dutch oven pan, fitted with a lid, into the oven and then set to preheat the oven to 450℉ (230℃), with the pan in the oven.

Once the oven is preheated, carefully remove the pan from the oven and carefully drop the shaped bread into the heated pan.

Place the lid on the Dutch oven and bake for 30 minutes covered. Carefully remove the lid and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until the bread is golden and the internal temperature of the bread reaches 207-209°F (97-98℃).

Remove bread from dutch oven and let cool on wire rack for 30-45 minutes before slicing and serving.

You guys liked so much when I posted this last time, I thought I’d post again since I made it tonight, in all its non-AI shitty iPhone 11 glory!

Some questions you had last time:

What makes it “cowboy”? I rubbed the meat with cowboy butter before searing

Did I use free range cowboys? Obviously, I’m not a monster

What is cowboy butter? Compound butter with garlic, zesty spices, and fresh herbs from my garden. Recipe in comments!

What cut did I use? Bottomless blade roast

Ew, you serve over mashed potatoes even though it already has potatoes in it? I know what I’m about son.

Are you sure it’s not a stew? They might be super similar the liquid here is thick and more like a gravy than broth! Thicker and saltier. So I don’t think it would be as good raw dogged with a spoon versus over mashed potatoes or rice.

Recipe: See comments!