A hearty Dutch oven recipe made with Italian sausage, ground beef, pasta, marinara, and beer, finished with a savory cobbled topping. This one‑pot camp cooking meal is perfect for cast iron, outdoor cooking, and feeding a crowd.
A hearty Dutch oven recipe made with Italian sausage, ground beef, pasta, marinara, and beer, finished with a savory cobbled topping. This one‑pot camp cooking meal is perfect for cast iron, outdoor cooking, and feeding a crowd.
This Beer‑Brined Chicken and Chorizo No‑Rice Paella is a Spanish‑inspired, one‑pan meal designed for cast iron cooking and relaxed, family‑style serving. Traditional paella techniques are adapted here for a modern kitchen by replacing rice with cauliflower rice, omitting seafood, and finishing the dish in the oven. The result is a bold, colorful skillet meal with smoky chorizo, tender chicken, and a satisfying texture without the heaviness of rice.
This recipe is well suited for feeding a group, especially when cooked in a large skillet and served straight from the pan.
This recipe is a nostalgic, comfort-food chicken pot pie made in a cast iron skillet, inspired by Grandma Kelly’s kitchen. It features tender chicken, vegetables, a creamy beer-infused sauce, and a playful “fly in the pie” twist—chopped olives for a bit of mischief. The story and method celebrate cast iron cooking, family tradition, and a touch of humor.
This recipe is best prepared in a 17‑inch cast iron skillet, though a 15‑inch skillet can work with careful ingredient management.
The wide, shallow surface area is important for:
Cast iron also transitions seamlessly from stovetop to oven, making it ideal for paella‑style cooking where multiple heat stages are involved. The heat retention helps maintain steady temperatures throughout the bake and provides a strong foundation for finishing the dish under the broiler.
https://amzn.to/4tVEqxZ
Lodge Cast Iron Skillet with Red Silicone Hot Handle Holder, 12-inch: https://amzn.to/44yKwZn
Lodge Yellowstone – 12″ Skillet (makes me wish my name was “Dutton”): https://amzn.to/3LZbfae
Lodge L10SKL Cast Iron Pan, 12″, Black: https://amzn.to/3VB5zq5
Before starting, gather the following equipment:
Having everything prepared ahead of time helps keep the cooking process smooth, especially when working with a large, hot skillet.
Tenderizing Mallet: https://amzn.to/4jOTaei
Needle Tenderizer: https://amzn.to/3LFPC1k
Measuring Spoons: https://amzn.to/3n8o5J5
Measuring Cups: https://amzn.to/3yWrz41
Cutting Board: https://amzn.to/42nIGt4
Steps and Instructions
Begin by preparing the chicken. If using the beer brine, gently warm the beer, salt, rosemary, and oregano until steaming. Allow it to cool completely before adding the chicken. Brine for 30–120 minutes, then drain thoroughly.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the cast iron skillet over medium‑high heat and coat the bottom lightly with oil or butter.
Brown the chicken in batches until lightly golden and almost cooked through. Remove and set aside.
Sauté the onion and garlic in the same skillet until the onion turns translucent. Push the mixture to one side of the pan.
Gradually add the cauliflower rice to the open side of the skillet. Allow it to steam briefly, then spread and stir until excess moisture evaporates and the texture resembles cooked rice.
Add the bell peppers and sauté until softened, followed by the leeks. Cook until the darker green parts become tender and deep in color.
Return the chicken to the skillet along with the chorizo, tomatoes, peas, saffron, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly, then flatten the surface evenly.
Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 25–35 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F and the center is hot throughout.
For the finish, switch the oven to broil, sprinkle lightly with cheese, and broil briefly until golden. Watch closely. Rest the dish for 5 minutes before serving.
This Beer‑Brined Chicken and Chorizo No‑Rice Paella is a practical, cast‑iron‑friendly take on a classic cooking style. Designed for a large skillet and shared straight from the pan, it balances bold flavor with a lighter, lower‑carb approach.
Served family‑style, it comfortably feeds 6–8 people and showcases how cast iron excels at building layered flavor through browning, oven baking, and high‑heat finishing. It’s not traditional paella — but it is intentional, satisfying, and well suited to real‑world kitchens.
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Fly in the Pie Chicken Pot Pie is a playful, hearty dish rooted in family tradition and cast iron cooking.
Cornbread cooked in cast iron recipe. There’s really no other way to cook cornbread, is there? Buttery; soft-centered and crunchy-crusted, no-stick corn bread.
More consistency. More stories. More cast iron. More food that tastes like somebody cares.
If you’ve been wondering where the videos went—yeah… I know. Life’s been like trying to start a fire in a windstorm… with wet wood… and a Zippo that’s all vibes and no fuel. But we’re back, and we’re doing it in a way that makes Beer & Iron more predictable (without sanding off the rough edges that make it fun).
This is the kind of casserole that shows up when you want dinner to feel like a warm blanket: creamy, herby, and built to feed people without a lot of fuss. The butter melts down through the top, the rice cooks right in the pan, and the panko finish gives you that crunch that makes everybody “just taste it” straight out of the dish.
Here’s the new format in plain English: on-camera me cooks, and voiceover me does the explaining and storytelling. Cooking takes focus; talking takes focus. Splitting those jobs means you get the cozy, real-time kitchen/camp vibes and the clear step-by-step without a bunch of “hang on—what was I saying?” moments.
For the recipe: Creamy Herb Chicken & Rice Bake (with Panko Crunch) – This dish does very well in your 12-inch cast iron skillet or 9×13-inch cast iron casserole dish (or standard 9×13-inch casserole cookware).
Lodge Cast Iron Skillet with Red Silicone Hot Handle Holder, 12-inch: https://amzn.to/44yKwZn
Lodge Yellowstone – 12″ Skillet (makes me wish my name was “Dutton”): https://amzn.to/3LZbfae
Lodge L10SKL Cast Iron Pan, 12″, Black: https://amzn.to/3VB5zq5
Lodge Cast Iron Casserole Pan: https://amzn.to/4syaPKY
Chef’s knife
Can opener
Large spoon or spatula (for mixing)
Instant-read thermometer (recommended)
Measuring Spoons: https://amzn.to/3n8o5J5
Measuring Cups: https://amzn.to/3yWrz41
Cutting Board: https://amzn.to/42nIGt4
Steps and Instructions
Really—thanks for cooking with me, and thanks for sticking around. The goal is simple: show up more often, tell better stories, and keep making cast-iron-friendly food that feels like home. This schedule might be hit-and-miss. We’re shooting for hit. But thank you in advance for the forgiveness when we miss.
Website: https://beerandiron.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beerandiron
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ironrecipes/
Cornbread cooked in cast iron recipe. There’s really no other way to cook cornbread, is there? Buttery; soft-centered and crunchy-crusted, no-stick corn bread.
Beef BEERguignon is born. Though I do enjoy cooking with wine, we’re going to stir things up a bit (pun intended). We’re going to cook this recipe with BEER!
Y’all, I gotta tell ya’…this chicken cordon bleu meatloaf in Dutch oven is easy, easy, easy. It’ll give you a good idea about how to bake meatloaf in a camp Dutch oven. A bit of a mess on your hands it’ll leave but there’s no chopping or searing. It’ll be a dump-and-bake kinda meal. There is a beer gravy that I make with this recipe that’s more complicated than the actual recipe itself.
And I’m going to show you how to cook both.
It’s an easy chicken meatloaf with Swiss cheese and ham recipe topped with crispy panko crumbs. It’s a great meal to add to your Dutch oven recipes for camping or your family-friendly campfire dinner ideas.
When you think of chicken, ham, and cheese, Chicken Cordon Bleu comes to mind; I’m sure of it. I’ve wondered what Chicken Cordon Bleu means…language-wise. It’s French. Translated to English…literally…it means “blue cord.” I’ve found sources that say that it means, “blue ribbon.” “Ribbon” “Cord,” potato potato. It’s all good.
For the meat loaf: my suggestion is to use your 10-inch camp cast Iron Dutch oven. A deep or regular 10-inch oven will work A-OK. If all you have is a 12” Dutch, it’ll work too and will create a thinner or shallow meatloaf.
For the gravy: my suggestion is to use your 8-inch camp cast iron Dutch oven. However, I know many of y’all ain’t got an 8-inch Dutch and that’s okay. A cast iron skillet will work fine too. Use a Lodge 4-in-1 Camp Dutch Oven Tool also known as a Folding Dutch Oven Lid Stand to keep the skillet above the fire or briquettes.
2 Pounds of Ground Chicken
2 teaspoons of minced onion or 1 teaspoon of onion powder.
1-2 teaspoons of minced garlic or ½-1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
¼ – ½ Cup of Fresh Chopped Parsley or 2-4 teaspoons of dried parsley.
1 Egg.
1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs (or Panko Crumbs).
1 teaspoon of salt.
1 teaspoon of ground black pepper.
1/4 cup of mayonnaise.
Thin Deli-Cut Sliced Ham – Use some nice, deli-cut, thin ham for this recipe. About 8 ounces does the trick – give or take don’t you know.
6 slices of a good, thinner cut Swiss cheese.
3 tablespoons of butter.
3 tablespoons of flour.
1/4 cup of some heavy cream – In a pinch, some half-and-half would be okay.
1 Tablespoon of Worcestershire (woosh di sure) sauce.
1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard.
½ cup of Grated Parmesan Cheese
Salt and Pepper to Taste.
1 cup of an easy-drinking lager. Avoid IPAs or other beers with a higher IBU or International Bitterness Units – You could substitute the beer with chicken broth. Two things here. Be sure this beer is room temperature or outside temperature. Do not add a cold beer-from-the-fridge or ice cooler to that hot camp cast iron Dutch oven.
Second, if you feel the beer’s hoppiness will add too much bitterness to the dish, you could substitute chicken broth or even milk. Heck y’all, mix it up a bit and do half-and-half of your choice.
3/4 cup of Panko Breadcrumbs for Topping (or Plain Breadcrumbs).
½ – 1 Tablespoon of Butter to coat the inside surface of your camp cast iron Dutch oven.
My suggestion is to wash and chop the parsley at home and before leaving for camp. Store the chopped parsley in a container lined with a paper towel to keep the leaves from getting “soggy.”
Use a rubber spatula or your hands to really get this mixed up well.
Once it’s mixed up well. Split the mixture into two separate and equal portions.
Do not blend in the parmesan cheese, butter, or the flour with the gravy ingredients…yet.
Using some soft butter to coat the inside of the room temperature or rather the out-side-air temperature and not (not) a preheated 10-inch camp cast iron Dutch oven. About ½ – 1 tablespoon works best. Don’t use melted butter or add the butter to a hot pot. Just smear a chunk of butter around in there to coat the inside surface. Smeared on butter in the bottom of a cast iron pot is one of the best ways to both keep the dish from sticking and will add flavor to our meal.
Yep, I know your pot is well-seasoned. But…trust me on this one. Butter is the key.
Take out ½ of the meat loaf mixture and add this as a first layer to the camp cast iron Dutch oven. Smooth it out nice and flat.
Top the first layer with the thin slices of ham. Add a few or many…it’s up to you. Start with the ham; it’s not as “rigid” or as firm as the cheese.
Cover the ham with slices of Swiss cheese. The reason I put the cheese on over the ham is because the cheese is more “rigid” than the ham and will “stay put” better than the ham when we add the 2nd layer of meat loaf.
Cover the cheese with the other half of the meat loaf mixture. Smooth it out nice and flat. This is the reason to add the cheese layer over the ham layer. Smoothing out the top meat loaf mixture layer over thin ham would just pull the ham up and complicate the smoothing. Again, you know what I mean.
And that’s it. Put the lid on the pot. And let’s go play with fire.
How did I come up with 30-35?
We’ll bake this dish at a goal temperature of 350°F or 175°C. Using the times-two guideline and considering our 10-inch camp cast iron Dutch oven, we’ll need 20-21 total briquettes (6 or 7 under the Dutch and 13-14 on the lid). We’ll also need a few to create our gravy. Considering an 8-inch camp cast iron Dutch oven or a 10.25-inch cast iron skillet, I’d suggest another 5-10 or so.
We’ll be actively creating the gravy and not just leaving it to bake. So, we can add or remove heat if we need to and when we need to.
Place 6 or 7 briquettes under the Dutch and 13-14 on the lid. Let this bake for 15 minutes. While the meatloaf bakes during this first 15-minutes, start working on the gravy.
Add 3 tablespoons of butter to the gravy pot/pan and let the butter get fry ready. We’re going to create a Roux and need that butter fry ready.
DON’T LET THE BUTTER BURN.
Once the butter is fry-ready and hot, add the flour and create a blond or white roux. You could go a bit to the red roux…but we really need to keep it light for the best thickening power.
Wisk the ingredients together very well. It will thicken up rather quickly. From this point, keep an eye on the gravy and don’t let it scorch.
After 15-minutes, turn the pot. Turn the lid in one direction 1/3rd of a turn and then the whole pot 1/3rd of a turn in the other direction.
Check your gravy once in a while to make sure it’s not scorching. Just a bit of heat will do the trick. There’s nothing wrong with a taste test to see how things are going.
If you have a temperature probe, check the middle temperature. At 165°F / 75°C, the meal is ready to eat. BUT, if it’s slightly less than 165°F / 75°C, that’s okay. We will be adding our Panko Crumbs in a bit.
Then, we will let the meal “broil” to toast up those panko crumbs. So, if it’s just a bit below 165°F / 75°C, there’s still some cooking time to get the meal up to temperature.
Reduce the heat by a lot and let it simmer and thicken. Just let it simmer.
Add the ¾ – 1 cup of Panko Crumbs to the top of the meatloaf. Let the dish broil and get all toasted up.
LET’S EAT!!
Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freeze: Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw and reheat gently.
Serve meatloaf sliced, topped with beer gravy.
Pair with roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, or a fresh salad.
Use wooden utensils to protect your cast iron.
Thin ham slices work best for easy serving.
Let meatloaf rest before slicing for best texture.
Rotate Dutch oven and lid for even baking.
Substitute chicken broth for beer if preferred.
This Highfalutin Cordon Bleu Meatloaf is a showstopper for campfire cooking, combining juicy ground chicken, savory ham, and melty Swiss cheese in a hearty loaf. Finished with a crispy panko topping and rich beer gravy, it’s perfect for sharing around the campfire or at home. Enjoy gourmet flavors with simple steps and minimal equipment!
CHEERS!
You all keep on cooking in those cast iron beauties and enjoying those glasses of that fermented barley pop.
We’ll see you next time.
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An easy, stack-and-bake, no-boil Lasagna Recipe Baked in a Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven
I am always sharing fresh, flavorful, recipes cooked up in well-seasoned cast iron awesomeness with a bit of my liquid, hop-based, happy-maker as an ingredient.
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