From Fire-to-Plate, I’ll show you how to create this recipe using either Chicken Breast, Bone-in / Skin-on Chicken Thighs, or Skinless / Boneless Chicken Thighs…in a Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven!
Pillows of the Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven. An easy recipe for having homemade biscuits in camp. We’ll use Half & Half in our example. This recipe will work with Buttermilk, Kefir, Old Milk, and even Beer and Milk.
I love this recipe. It’s easy to prepare at home and have many of the ingredients ready for cooking in camp. This recipe has three parts: 1) Preparing and cooking the chicken, 2), cooking the pot pie mixture with all the veggies and potatoes, and 3) the biscuit part that goes on top.
And, we are going to use HOMEMADE BISCUITS. You can use canned biscuits and that’s A-OK. But, this recipe goes from great to awesome with those biscuits on top. Not to mention that the left overs (if there are any) will be great for breakfast in the morning.
Three parts!? Yeah! I know. Right? No worries. It ain’t near the work you think it’s going to be. It’s a super easy recipe that can be created in camp.
History tells us that the pot pie was prepared with the crust under the “stuff” and not on top like I show in the video. A pot pie dish was originally a way to take a bunch of leftovers and turn them into a brand new meal. But, before the pot pie became popular in England in the 1500’s and later in America in the 1700’s, the Romans may have made the pot pie with living birds as a gag to play on dinner guest.
A 12-inch deep cast iron camp Dutch oven should do the trick. We’ll be baking this recipe in the camp cast iron Dutch oven and need some depth for the biscuits we’re going to use on the top (affiliate)
Note on Salt: I brine my chicken meat before I cook this recipe. Brined chicken has salt already. Worcestershire sauce has salt and so does the Cream of Chicken Soup. Just sayin’
Note: You could use a full cup of buttermilk. But, you may need a bit more buttermilk to get the right consistency. Or, if you only have milk, just use a cup of milk. It’s all good!
There are a couple of ways to do this. You can pre-prepare your ingredients at home or prepare the whole meal in camp. It’s totally up to you. If you are pre-preparing at home, don’t cut your potatoes until you get to camp.
You could set your charcoal briquettes or wood to fire and get your coals ready for the Dutch oven. Or, you could get everything chopped up and ready before setting the fire. It’s up to you.
We’ll be frying our bacon and sautéing our chicken, onions, and garlic first. Set your Dutch oven up for frying. For our 12-inch Dutch oven, we’ll need 24 briquettes or the equivalent in wood embers.
Later, we’ll be baking the dish. Considering the 12-inch Dutch oven and the baking method, when the time comes, we’ll place 16 briquettes on the top and 8 briquettes on the bottom.
Learn how to heat a camp cast iron Dutch oven here: https://beerandiron.com/how-to-heat-camp-cast-iron-dutch-oven/
This recipe will cook in two parts. You will need a second batch of briquettes when it comes time to cook the top biscuits.
Step 1: Tenderize 3-4 Large Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts. Brine them in a beer/salt brine for about 1 hour then pat dry. You could pre-prepare the chicken at home and carry it to camp in a doubled zipper bag or other container.
Here’s the link on how to make a beer brine: https://beerandiron.com/2023/02/simple-roasted-chicken (This recipe shows how to brine a whole chicken but the brine recipe is the very same).
Step 2: Pull out the frozen veggies and let them start warming up to “room” temperature. Or, rather, “the great outdoor’s” temperature.
Step 3: Cut the chicken breast meat into larger bite-sized pieces. Pat dry the chicken breast meat. Place the cut, pat-dried chicken meat into the 1/2 cup of flour and coat the pieces. They will eventually stick together and the flour will be a bit sticky; that’s A-OK. Set the floured chicken aside.
Step 3: Cut up the onion and the garlic. Set aside.
Step 4: With the cast iron camp Dutch oven over 30-briquettes (or more), render the fat from some of the fatty bacon (cut or not cut).
Step 5: While the bacon fat is rendering, wash and cut the potatoes into bite-sized chunks. Skin on or skin off; it’s up to you. I just leave it on. You could place the cut potatoes in a bowl of water (optional).
Step 6: Brown the chicken pieces up until they are no longer pink…and just before they are safe to eat. Chicken is considered “done” at 165°F / 74°C. I will cook a bit more when we put this all together. NOTE: Don’t overwhelm your pot with the chicken. Sear/brown in batches. Add more bacon if you need more fat.
Step 7: Once the chicken is browned remove the chicken from the pot and then sauté the onions and garlic until the onions are clear…not so clear as to be able to read newsprint through them, but you get the point. NOTE: If you need more cooking fat, you can add more bacon before adding the onions and garlic.
Step 8: Here’s the easy step: After you’ve sautéed the onions and garlic, return the chicken to the pot. Then, mix in the veggies, evaporated milk, cans of soup, potatoes, poultry seasoning, and Worcestershire Sauce. Salt and Pepper to taste.
Step 9: Mix all the ingredients in the pot all about and smooth out the top. The mixture should not be too runny nor should it “set” like pudding either. If the mixture is too thick (more than likely), add some of the reserved beer.
NOTE: We’re not creating soup. And, the ingredients in the pot all have moisture to some degree. We want it thick but not too thick.
Step 10: Bring the mixture to a bubbling boil. Don’t let it stick to the bottom. If it’s sticking, add some beer to thin it out. Once the mixture is bubbling, set the camp Dutch oven to bake.
If your briquettes have burned down too much, you will need to use a fresh batch.
Place 16 briquettes on the top of the oven and 8 under the oven and let the mixture cook until the potatoes are soft and taste done (careful on sampling those potatoes…they are HOT!).
Step 11: While the mixture is heating up to a “bubble,” prepare the dry ingredients for the biscuits. Mix together in a bowl:
Blend all these ingredients together. Then, cut in the butter with the pastry cutter. You want a cornmeal consistency.
Don’t add the buttermilk (or other liquids) yet. Store the dry biscuit ingredients in a cold place (like the ice chest) for now.
Step 12: Once the potatoes are cooked (and the chicken is at least 165°F / 74°C), prepare the biscuits.
Note: How do your briquettes look? Do you need to start another set?
A word on the biscuits. Homemade biscuits are my preference. However, a can of biscuits will work perfectly in this recipe. It’s up to you.
Biscuit Step 1: Add the buttermilk (or other liquid) to the dry biscuit ingredients.
Biscuit Step 2: Using the rubber / silicone spatula, mix the biscuit ingredients until you have a sticky dough mixture.
Biscuit Step 3: Remove the dough and set on a floured surface. Don’t knead the dough. Just flatten the dough and then fold over a few times. Dust with flour if it’s too sticky. Coat with a bit of flour so the dough does not stick to the surface nor your hands.
You’ll want to flatten the dough a bit thinner than you would if you were making morning biscuits. We want these biscuits to be a bit thinner than normal.
Biscuit Step 4: Cut the biscuits with a biscuit cutter. You could form them with your hands or cut them with a knife. No worries. Cutting with a biscuit cutter gives the best results. And, they all don’t have to be round either. Cut them “any which way but loose.” They may have half-moon shapes and that’s okay. We’ll piece these together in a bit.
Biscuit Step 5: Place the cut biscuits on the top of the cooked pot pie mixture. Just puzzle them in. If you run out of room, just shove the last one or two in sideways.
Biscuit Step 6: Scramble the raw egg. Using the basting brush, “paint” the top of the biscuits with the raw egg.
Return the lid to the pot.
Step 13: The hot pot pie mixture is our biscuit’s “bottom heat.” We need to heat the top of the Dutch oven. Place any of the remaining briquettes from the bottom of the Dutch oven to the top of the Dutch oven. Add the equivalent of about 20 briquettes to the top and let the biscuits bake.
Step 14: After about 10 minutes, check on the biscuits. How do they look? Turn the lid 1/3rd turn. Let the biscuits cook until they are nice and golden brown.
NOTE: If they look like they are done but are not browning up, add more briquettes to the top of the oven.
Once the biscuits have brown up nicely, your meal is ready to eat!!
And that’s it y’all. This is one of my all time favorite camp cast iron Dutch oven recipes. And, as easy as it is cooking this in camp, it’s easier to cook in the home stove. Use your 7 quart cast iron Dutch oven (or half the recipe for the 5 quart) and enjoy. NOTE: if you cook this inside, cook on the stove top until the potatoes are done (Step 12), then prep the biscuits and then bake at 400°F / 205°C until the biscuits are golden brown.
My name is Sulae and I love to share the magic that comes from my black pots and pans. You all be sure to sign up for the news letter and I’ll keep my messages short-and-sweet as well as few and far between. You keep on cooking in those cast iron beauties and enjoying those frosted glasses of that fermented barley pop.
We’ll see you next time on beerandiron.com.
Website: https://beerandiron.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beerandiron
Twitter now called “X”: https://twitter.com/IronRecipes
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ironrecipes/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/beerandironrecipes/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3jcMjHBuZ7C0x2TnssetrG
Chicken Breast, Lemon, Beer, Capers, and Butter. This is a super-easy recipe for most any night of the week. Easy at home and easy in camp.
Pork, rosemary, potatoes, bell pepper, and thickened with seasoned bread crumbs. An easy Cast Iron Camp Dutch Oven Recipe with few ingredients. Easy. Delicious.
Bonjour Mes Amis! Habari Marafiki Zangu! Halito, Ikana! Hello My Friends!
We’re going to make chicken and sausage gumbo also known as Gumbo Ya-Ya and we’re going to make it with BEER! Welcome to Gumbo Ya-Ya à la bière. That “à la bière” part is Cajun for “with beer!” Actually, it’s French for “with beer,” but ain’t nobody making rules here today…not with language and not with our Gumbo. This is the please-everyone gumbo template recipe that can be created for most you plan to feed and modified for those souls who want to live with a bit of zest and Zydeco! Let’s get started.
I grew up in Louisiana. And, like “jambalaya, and a crawfish pie” we love our “filé gumbo!” Every family in Louisiana has their go-to gumbo recipe. And here in my 6th decade on this God’s green Earth, one of my regrets in life was not cooking with many of my long since passed family folk. They didn’t need a written recipe for the know-how they had stored in their heads. Most of them recipes and know-how went with them into that God’s green Earth.
Many of my living kin have left Louisiana over the years; but you never really get Louisiana out of ya. My folks have taken their versions of “Louisiana” off to distant lands such as Florida, Tennessee, Texas, and Idaho.
That Idaho knucklehead…well…that’s yours truly.
And, it’s okay that we Idahoans cook a good gumbo…and even y’all up over there north of the Mason–Dixon Line. Gumbo is for everybody. Gumbo isn’t originally a Louisiana dish. Well, hush yo’ mouth! Nope, it’s true! Gumbo made it across the Atlantic by means of the heart and soul of many unwilling passengers on Spanish, Portuguese, French, and Dutch ships bound for the Americas during the era of transatlantic slavery.
Consider the word “gumbo.” How did the word “gumbo” come to the English language? It came on ships carrying the multitudes who spoke one of many Bantu languages. Those folks speaking one of those Bantu languages, kept calling their pot of stew, “ki ngombo.” What he or she was saying was, “okra.” And, over time, the Bantu word, “ki ngombo” (meaning “okra”) was picked up by those who didn’t speak any Bantu language and eventually that pot of thick and stringy stew full of “this, that, and the other” became known as “gumbo.”
Here in the Americas…way back when…there was no okra. During that time, some of that area of (what is now known as) the Southern United States was occupied by many different folks from many different lands.
Enter the Acadians. Back then, how did those Acadians thicken their soups and stews? Just so happens there were these folks already living down in that area and were known as Choctaw. The Choctaw folks were smart; they’d use the leaves of a Sassafras tree to thicken their stews. Like those folks speaking Bantu languages and eating that thick and stringy pot of “gumbo,” the Choctaw were eating a very similar looking, thick and stringy pot of stew as well. But, them Choctaw didn’t have any okra. Unlike okra, sassafras trees are indigenous to America. The Choctaw folks would use the leaves of the sassafras tree to create a thickener. The Acadians had a term for the herb the Choctaw were using to create their pots of thick and stringy stew, “filé.” To the English-speaking folks, “filé” means “spun” or “to spin.”
If we look at the thickening nature of either okra or filé powder, we notice a thickness that runs kind of “stringy-like” (stringy…spin or spun) when scooped with a spoon and allowed to drip back into the bowl.
Gumbo is a very folklore-ish dish. There’s a lot of history behind this recipe. And, with all that history, gumbo eventually became part of the culture of Louisiana and the Cajun folks. And that’s where we’ll let that tale lay.
We’re going to cook this gumbo Cajun style. And Cajun don’t mean spicy… Cajun dishes are well seasoned but not necessarily spicy. There really isn’t any rule to creating an authentic Cajun gumbo but one: the recipe must include the “holy trinity.” We’re going to prepare this gumbo with the “holy trinity” and we’re adding the “pope.” And, to “stir the pot,” we’re going to citify this gumbo Creole-style by adding some tomatoes.
For all y’all unfamiliar with the “holy trinity” and adding the “pope,” we’re going to cook this recipe with onions, bell peppers, and celery and we’re going to “add the pope” which means were adding garlic as well. The true ratio for the “holy trinity” is 2 parts onion, 1 part green bell pepper, and 1 part celery.
On top of that, we’re adding tomatoes. You see, Cajun dishes and Creole dishes are similar and yet different. If you cook “Cajun,” you’re cooking country food. Think of Cajun cooking as, “look what I found for dinner in the back yard.” It’s rustic and creative cooking and usually is a 3-pot meal…we’re cooking two: the gumbo and rice. I’ll leave it up to you to decide on a vegetable side dish. On the other hand, Creole dishes are considered cooking city food; think New Orleans. Creole dishes favor tomatoes. And, we’re adding a bit of tomato to our gumbo.
This recipe calls for a whole onion, one bell pepper, and three stalks of celery. Folks, there really ain’t no rules here; y’alls can do whatever y’alls want. If you like more of one and less of the other, then make it like you want.
This recipe is a simple, chicken and sausage gumbo. It’s a recipe I cook when I share gumbo with others, and I am just not sure what they will like. Folks have tender palates and creating something for everyone is challenging. This is the please-everyone gumbo template recipe that can be created for most you plan to feed and modified for those souls who want to live with a bit of zest and Zydeco!
Me? I love me some okra, crab, and shrimp in mine…a real treat is some crawfish. My wife is just so-so on the shrimp and a no-go on the muscles and okra. My son, he’s not a shrimp-eater yet (but he’s not met his shrimp girl).
Shrimp girl? Funny story. “No dad! NO! Fish is gross.” Enter a girl who had him over and her family cooked fish tacos one night. He comes home, “Hey, I had fish and it was good.” C’est la vie!
Gumbo is a tricky meal to pair beers with. The best beer to enjoy gumbo with depends on the nature of the gumbo. Is your gumbo mild like this recipe or did you spice it up…you know…with a bit of zest and zydeco?!
Mild Gumbo pairs well with a lightly spicy saison, a spicy herbed beer like one brewed with jalapeños, or maybe one with a bit of hop bite and bitterness like an IPA. As well, consider a beer with a good dose of rye.
Spicy Gumbo pairs well with a nice malty bock lager or doppelbock beer; a perfect contrast to a spicy gumbo with some body. Blonds and easy-drinking-lagers are perfect.
If you made your gumbo like Hell’s Back Porch, then grab a cheaper 24 can case of an AAL (American Adjunct Lager); your mouth gonna burn, baby!
I mentioned earlier that Cajun cooking is rustic and genuine. There’s usually three pots full of something in a Cajun home during dinner time. We’ve got the first two covered: Gumbo and Rice (I know you ain’t gonna eat gumbo without rice). The third pot needs something in it. Here are a few ideas to consider:
(Those last three work well for soaking up all that’s left in the bowl)
Generally, a good pairing beer is not a good beer to cook the same recipe with. You want to have a beer that pairs and compliments the meal. Like the old saying, “opposites attract.” Though I don’t know too much about that in relationships, the opposites attract mantra holds true with colors and flavors.
There are some exceptions. For example, if you made a mild gumbo with an easy-drinking lager or AAL (American Adjunct Lager), the same beer will be A-OK to enjoy gumbo with. The flavors may be neutral enough as to not have contributed to the general undertones of the gumbo itself. But, if you used an herbed beer in creating this gumbo, don’t pair that same beer with this meal.
The nature of gumbo is chaos! I’ve had gumbo with shrimp, crawfish, squirrel, duck, chicken, turkey, and rabbit. But, the wrong beer will ruin your gumbo. Stick with a flavor-neutral beer like an easy-drinking craft lager or AAL (American Adjunct Lager).
A better idea is to create your broth or stock by using beer and then saving that broth or stock to create your gumbo with when you are ready. Do you want to know how? Sure you do; here’s a link: https://beerandiron.com/beer-and-chicken-bone-broth/
Brining the Chicken
Bowl to Hold the Brining Chicken: https://amzn.to/3FEy1R5
Zipper Bag: https://amzn.to/3ZYjrft
Link to learn how to brine: https://beerandiron.com/how-to-beer-brine-whole-chicken/
Roasting and Preparing the Chicken
5 Quart Cast Iron Dutch Oven: https://amzn.to/3JRS7tN
Cast Iron Trivet: https://amzn.to/3TpAJ2E
Meat Thermometer: https://amzn.to/42rsDdO
Here’s how to Roast a Whole Chicken: https://beerandiron.com/simple-roasted-chicken
Knife to Cut Up the Chicken: https://amzn.to/42jO7cN
Bowl to hold the meat and separate bowl for placing the scraps: https://amzn.to/3FEy1R5
Creating the Gumbo
Measuring Spoons: https://amzn.to/3n8o5J5
Measuring Cups: https://amzn.to/3yWrz41
Knife to Cut Up the Vegetables: https://amzn.to/42jO7cN
Cutting Board: https://amzn.to/42nIGt4
The ingredients for this Gumbo Ya-Ya recipe are few but that don’t mean that it can’t be many. You can make it spicy or mild; Cajun food does not mean it always has to be spicy hot food; I don’t know where that came from.
For the Roux:
For the Gumbo:
Hot Cooked Rice to Serve
Sliced Green Onions to Garnish
Chef Tip: For the dried-to-fresh herb ratio, here’s my advice (and only a rule of thumb): Use one-third the amount of dried herb for the fresh herb called for in most recipes.
Other Herbs that you could add to make this Gumbo recipe:
Oregano, cayenne, paprika, or even some gumbo or Cajun spices that you picked up like (affiliate):
Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning from Louisiana (https://amzn.to/3luLJiu)
Tony Chachere Seasoning Blends, Original Creole (https://amzn.to/3JKwZo7)
Louisiana Fish Fry Cajun Seasoning (https://amzn.to/3lqvUJN)
Ragin’ Cajun All Purpose Original Cajun Seasoning (https://amzn.to/3TmxBEL)
I will not add any of the premixes to my gumbo but do use them at the table. I’ll sprinkle them on as a garnish and for a bit of zing. As a matter of fact, some don’t add the filé to the gumbo while they cook it, they’ll add it on top at the table. Some folks don’t care for adding products with chili powder or cumin to gumbo. It’s all up to you.
When I cook, I will prepare all the ingredients first and before starting to cook. This way I am not racing when something is ready, and the other ingredients are not. It’s nice to have everything cut and prepped and ready to go. I cut, chop, and keep nearby each ingredient in a bowl or plate waiting on its turn in line…or when its step comes up in the recipe. Likewise, having all the cooking equipment at the ready keeps you from hunting it when that moment comes.
Here’s how we are going to prepare this. We’re going to get more detailed in the next section:
Step 1: Brine and Roast a Whole Chicken.
Step 2: Debone that chicken and have it at the ready.
Step 3: Cut everything up and have it at the ready.
Step 4: Sear the Andouille Sausage Medallions.
Step 5: Make a Roux.
Step 6: Sauté the onions and garlic.
Step 7: Toss in the bell peppers, celery, and tomatoes.
Step 8: Add the Roux.
Step 9: Add the beer and broth…one or the other or both.
Step 10: Get it all up to a Simmer.
Step 11: Add the filé and the thyme.
Step 12: Check for Saltiness and Add Salt if Needed
Step 13: After a bit of Simmering, Check the Saltiness Again.
Then, Bon appétit!
Let’s Get Detailed:
Step 1: Brine and Roast a Whole Chicken.
Mamma used to boil her chicken and then use the liquid as the stock for the gumbo. We ain’t going to do that (sorry mamma). We’re going to roast that chicken and then use the deboned and roughly cut meat in our gumbo.
First, we are going to brine the chicken for a few days before we create our Gumbo. Then we are going to roast that chicken. Here’s the neat part: you can roast the chicken a day or so before you make your gumbo. It’s all good.
And, if you have a hunkerin’ for some gumbo and haven’t any brined, roasted chicken…then you can bypass the brining and just roast a chicken. Another quick fix are those rotisserie chickens down at the market. They will work in a pinch.
I have an article on brining chicken (and meats in general). Very detailed and yet to-the-point:
Hot Brine Method: https://beerandiron.com/basic-beer-brine-recipe
Cold Brine Method: https://beerandiron.com/how-to-beer-brine-whole-chicken
How to Roast a Whole Chicken: https://beerandiron.com/simple-roasted-chicken
Step 2: Debone that chicken and have it at the ready.
After you have roasted your chicken, let it cool to a point where you ain’t gonna be hollering “Sam Hill!” when you grab ahold of those hot parts of that chicken. Then, cut the chicken meat up into larger, mouth-sized portions.
Step 3: Cut everything up and measure everything out. Have it at the ready.
Cut up the onion and mince the garlic. Keep these two in one bowl. In another bowl, store your prepared celery, bell pepper, and the tomatoes.
Also, slice up the Andouille Sausage in to round medallions. If you don’t have andouille sausage, you can experiment with other sausages. Andouille is preferred but your gumbo will be delicious with other sausages.
Measure your oil and flour for your Roux. Measure the filé and thyme and have it ready.
Step 4: Sear the Andouille Sausage Medallions.
In a 5-quart cast iron Dutch oven over medium to medium high heat, sear (brown) your andouille sausage. Andouille is pretty fat self-sufficient; we often don’t add any oil to the pan. But, if your andouille is looking sorta on the slim side, add a bit of oil or bacon grease to the bottom of that Dutch oven. No worries.
Once all the medallions are browned/seared on both sides, remove them from the pot and set aside.
You can substitute other sausages if you can’t find any andouille sausage. Again, no worries.
Step 5: Make a Roux.
I said there was only one rule earlier…I told a fib…there’s two. You really can’t have a gumbo without a roux. Well you can; many early, pre-World War II gumbos were created without roux. Here’s a VERY COOL link to a 1922 cookbook called The Picayune Creole Cookbook. https://openlibrary.org/books/OL6643212M/The_Picayune_Creole_cook_book. (Let me know if the link isn’t working).
Using a separate, small skillet, over medium high heat, create your roux to a red / dark roux.
Here’s how to make a roux: https://beerandiron.com/roux
The dark or red roux created here really won’t add to the thickness of the gumbo…this roux is for FLAVOR! We create the roux in a separate pan and add it later and we add a lot less roux to our gumbo recipe than other recipes.
Step 6: Sauté the onions and garlic.
One of the reasons we add the roux to the pot later is because of this step.
We’ve seared/browned our andouille sausage medallions and the pan will have all that andouille sausage fat and bits and pieces of that andouille sausage in the bottom of that pan. The onions and garlic (we add them together) will aid in deglazing and pull that flavor right off the bottom of that pot.
We wait to add the roux. The roux would have to be created before putting the other ingredients…at least after the sausage searing step…and onions do not sear well in roux…not at all. That’s my experience.
Step 7: Toss in the bell peppers, celery, tomatoes, and sausage.
Once the onions are a bit translucent, toss in the chopped bell pepper, diced celery, and cut up tomatoes. Sauté all this for just a bit. Not long, just a bit.
Turn the heat down to low or medium low as we add the rest of the ingredients.
NOTE: if you want to add okra to the pot, now’s the time.
Step 8: Add the Roux.
If your roux has been sitting for a bit, it may have started to separate. Mix it back to a nice and creamy consistency and add the roux to the pot.
Mix everything up real good and level things off in that pot. We want them level because we are going to add the liquid to the pot just to the level of the ingredients and don’t want anything piled up too high.
Step 9: Add the beer and broth…one or the other or both.
Add about 12-16 ounces of beer to the pot just up to the level of the ingredients in the pot. If the liquid is not up to where you want it to be, add some broth, more beer, or even water to get it up to the level.
Use a mild lager or low IBU (International Bitterness Unit) beer. Basically, less-bitter the better. Avoid flavored beers and sours.
There is this Jalapeño beer…an IPA…in Baker City Oregon at Barley Browns that I am going to growler up the next time I pass through that beautiful town…I have been wanting to try that beer with its mild spiciness with this recipe.
You can add just beer alone if you like, but we often will have created a beer bone broth to add to our soups, stews, chilis…and GUMBO! Here’s how to make a beer bone broth: https://beerandiron.com/beer-and-chicken-bone-broth
Broth from a box or can will work too.
Step 10: Get it all up to a Simmer.
Turn the heat back up to medium and give everything a good stirring up. Put the lid on the pot and bring the gumbo up to a simmer.
Step 11: Add the filé and the thyme.
Once things are simmering, add the filé, thyme, and any other spices you want to add. Then stir everything up very well.
Some folks add the filé after the cook and at the table for a filé flavor. The thickening agent in this gumbo recipe IS the filé. Ain’t no body got no time for no soup-thin gumbo; we need a thick, stew-like consistency with some body to it.
Okra is a thickener and often used along with filé in the gumbo.
A note on the sliminess:
Filé and okra are considered thickeners. But filé and okra do not thicken the same way as flour or cornstarch. Not at all.
The one thing to make note of when adding okra or filé or both to this recipe: watch for the “thickness that runs kind of ‘stringy-like’ (stringy…spin or spun) when scooped with a spoon and allowed to drip back into the bowl.” Folks, when I say, “stringy-like” what I am actually referring to is the “sliminess.” Yes, your gumbo can be too thin and soup-like…and there is gumbo that is too stringy or slimy. If this is a concern, then cut the 3 tablespoons of filé down to two. Make note of your filé (and okra if you are adding) amount and adjust on future gumbo cooks.
If the texture is not to your liking but you love the flavor of filé, then cut the filé powder during the cook and garnish your gumbo with some dry filé at the table.
Adding some spicy for a bit of zing is A-OK. I like spicy but not too spicy. We usually don’t add hot stuff in the pot; we add it at the table. Here are two ingredients that will give your gumbo a pleasant kick:
(Affiliate)
Tabasco Brand Pepper Sauce: https://amzn.to/3JL4FTH
Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning from Louisiana: https://amzn.to/3ZRnxpN
Step 12: Check for Saltiness and Add Salt if Needed.
There are so many things that can influence the saltiness of this gumbo…the brined chicken meat, the beer, the broth, and just the natural salt hints that exist in many ingredients.
Use a spoon to gather some of the broth and just broth. Sample the liquid. Is it salty to the point you like salty to taste? Yeah? Then you’re done with all the ingredients.
If not, then add salt to the pot and stir it in very well. Return the pot to a simmer and wait a few minutes before checking again (no less than 5 and a bit more is A-OK).
If we check it right away, the initial salt we added hasn’t blended yet. Give it time to become part of the gumbo then sample again.
Want to know more about salting: https://beerandiron.com/salt-to-taste
By the way, now’s a good time to put some rice on in a separate pot. Don’t cook the rice in with the gumbo. Cook the rice in a separate pot to add to the gumbo later.
Step 13: After a bit of Simmering, Check the Saltiness Again.
Check the salt again. If it’s where you need it to be then great! If not, add a reserved amount (no more than 1 teaspoon or less at a time). Then, wait a bit and check again.
Then, Bon appétit!
Once the pot has thickened up (this will not take long), then check the bell peppers and celery. Are they done to the doneness you like? Then you are ready to eat.
Enjoy this gumbo over or under a bit of rice…rice is the way to go…trust me. We like to use a large spoon and scoop out a bit of rice and pop it on the top of our gumbo.
Garnish as you like.
If you are adding shrimp to the gumbo, it’s always a good idea to add it at the end of the cook and let the gumbo “cook” the shrimp. Some folks add whole shrimp for some flavor, and that’s perfect but add whole shrimp in earlier in the cook; whole shrimp takes longer to cook than peeled shrimp tails. Peeled shrimp tails are added right as you turn the heat off. Mix the shrimp in the hot gumbo and let the hot gumbo cook the shrimp. Do this towards the end and once the shrimp is done, your gumbo is done.
Note: Shrimp is optional. If you do add shrimp to your gumbo, only had a small handful; adding too much shrimp to your hot gumbo will cool it down too much and the shrimp will not fully cook.
If you are adding any seafood or other ingredients, then cook until all the ingredients are cooked to a safe temperature.
Chef Tip #1: Salt. There are so many things that influence the saltiness of your gumbo. 1) The chicken: was it brined? Is it a store-bought rotisserie? 2) How salty is your stock or broth? 3) How many ingredients? 4) How much stock or broth? Did you use beer? — Wait to add salt until after the pot has started simmering and you sample the broth (only). How does it taste? If you add salt, only do so in small quantities (not more than a teaspoon at a time) and check again later after the salt has completely blended. See more on “Salt to Taste:” https://beerandiron.com/salt-to-taste
Chef Tip #2: Feel free to add shrimp to this recipe. You could even forego the chicken and create this gumbo with shrimp and sausage…YUM! Either way, when you add the shrimp, add the shrimp at the very end. When you realize the gumbo is all but cooked and you are about to turn off the heat, drop in the raw shrimp and stir the shrimp into the gumbo and make sure all the shrimp are submerged. Then replace the lid and let things just sit for 10 minutes.
More shrimp is good but will cool the gumbo down too fast and likely not fully cook. Only add enough. How much is enough? Dang! That’s a good question. It depends on so much.
One more thing about shrimp…pull that shrimp out and let it get to room temperature as you cook the gumbo. Don’t put frozen shrimp into the gumbo using this drop-in method.
Chef Tip #3: Some folks create the roux then add then start adding the ingredients directly to the pot. And that is A-OK. There’s no right or wrong here. Creating the roux in a separate skillet is just how we do it.
Well, there you have it; the recipe is yours. Now you know how to cook Gumbo Ya-Ya à la Bière or with beer. Now y’all be like, “where’s the jambalaya?” Patience Baby, patience.
Gumbo season usually lasts from around October to Mardi Gras. And here I am offering a gumbo recipe in March. This will give you the summer to perfect your gumbo for the fall months. Hey, like I said, gumbo is a dish with few “rules.” However, and truth be known, this will likely be the last pot of gumbo we make until next fall and just when the nip hits the air.
Bonjour Mes Amis! Good day my friends!
Does making your own broth take time? Sure, it does! So does eating a meal. But, I can “Guar-Ron-Tee” dat eating a bad meal takes longer than eating a good meal. Do you want them plates and bowls to end up at the sink with…
I’m talking about coffee. There are so many things to create with coffee as an ingredient.
Do you know what a Lardon is? What about cutting batons? And, how about Charcuterie? Sure you do. Nonetheless, let’s do a refresher. First, here’s what a lardon is not: cut up sliced bacon pieces. Will cut up bacon pieces work? ABSOLUTELY! But, if you are truly wanting to use lardons, then you’ll need to dive into the world of Charcuterie (shar-KOO-tər-ee). Yes. Another beautiful French word for cooking prepared meat products, such as bacon, ham, and sausage to name a few.
Baton cuts are usually seen when cutting vegetables with root vegetables often prepared this way. Before the “baby carrot,” do you remember when veggie trays had those square-cut / rectangular-cut carrots? That “cut” is known as the “baton cut,” and the process would be described as “baton.” It’s not “how to make baton cuts,” but “how to baton.” And the cut vegetables or meat that is cut this way are known as batons. So, when you baton bacon, you are making bacon batons. Get it? And since we are all talking and cooking French stuff, baton comes from the French word, “Bâtonnett.” After all, what else to you know that has been baton? How about French fries (BOOM! Mind Blown!).
Finally, Lardons. Bacon Lardons are created when you take a whole, unsliced bit of bacon and cut it into batons that are about ½ inch thick and about 1 inch long. These will brown beautifully as the fat is rendered and then available to sear your beef in. In the bowl at the dinner table, they will be like little flavor bombs and have the effect of inspiring those “Yummmm” sounds people make during a meal with a full mouth as they bob their head up and down.
Smoked bacon is A-OK. Charcuterie is cooking with prepared meat products and bacon is usually prepared with salt and has a smoke flavor added. Some recipes suggest blanching the bacon in water to remove the smoke taste…and that’s A-OK. Me? I ain’t doin’ that. I just baton the bacon into batons and rock on! With that being said, avoid flavored bacons like honey and those that have “too much” smoky flavoring. Charcuterie offers another challenge as to the salt content. But we’ll talk about that next.
Y’all, I’ve gotta tell ya. I can sure ‘nuf run my mouth. Ask anyone and they’ll tell you that once Sulae gets started telling a story, it’ll start with truth and end in more embellishments than a rhinestone cowboy on a Las Vegas Saturday night.
And, when I get to going, I’ll end up down a few rabbit trails that leaves me wondering what was I actually talking about. Needless to say the last thing I need in that cast iron pot is a meal that has a “timer” on it because inevitably that preverbal dinner bell will ring just about the time my tall tale is about to reach ne plus ultra!
There’s times when we want to spend time with family or are planning to have company over and we…the cast iron chefs…are usually busy cooking and prepping while all the visiting and company-ing is going on elsewhere. Beef Bourguignon is the recipe I go to when I have some day-time hours to prepare the ingredients, a moment to get them seared and started, and leave the stew on the stove at low-and-slow while I enjoy the “visiteuse et visiteur” (that means “visitor” for all y’all English-speakers).
Beef Bourguignon (pronounced “beef bor-guh-nyaa” on this side of the big pond or “beef baw-guh-nyo” if you are the English-speaking type in Europe [or if you are an Idahoan with a Southern twang like me, it’s “bour-g-in-Ya” – “g” like in girl and not “g” like in gin]). The French say it best because it’s traditionally a French dish that (as rumor has it) is from a region in France known as Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. Bourgogne is translated as Burgundy in English. Bourgogne-Franche-Comté is the region in France that is known for its red wines (correct me if I am incorrect on any of this…please!).
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! And today, Beef BEERguignon (beerg-in-Ya) is born.
Note: The steps here are written out with much detail. The printable recipe below is written out in brief, to-the-point steps. I know the world likes fast and to-the-point. And, in the interest of brevity and to-the-pointness, many recipes out there omit the little intrinsic details that leave the one trying to follow the recipe to figure-it-out-on-their-own. As with any new recipe you follow on Beer and Iron, this recipe article is here to answer your questions as you create the recipe successfully. After you have created it once, the printable, brief version of the recipe will be just a memory-jogger. It’s one of the reasons I create read-along podcast-like recordings. I want to make sure you don’t miss the tiny details that may ruin your cooking experience…and worst of all…must sit there with your friends and family enduring a meal that you cooked that you are not even enjoying.
Beef Beerguignon is a recipe with some complexities and yet is so simple. Create it once and the second time will be a walk in the park.f
Traditionally (as the story goes), folks in the old country (when it was very old) used to “use up” their left-over, cooked meat to create this recipe (using wine). Maybe a bit of lamb, rabbit, or whatever they had. Nowadays, beef is considered the meat of choice for this stew.
I’ve cooked it with Tri-Tip, chuck, round tip, and even corned beef (but careful with corned beef). Ingredients and cook times equal, you’d be hard pressed to tell the difference in cuts of beef with this recipe. I created two pots of this “magic” when preparing for this article, one with Tri-Tip and the other one with Round Tip. The end results were indistinguishable, no joke.
Three to four pounds of chuck or any other stewing meat or meat that the butcher labels as “slow roasted” or “slow cook” is what you are looking for.
We’ll cut the beef into bite-sized chunks. “Bite-sized” is subjective. How much can you put into your mouth (LOL)?
For me (and what you too will find to be the case), the roast will “cut” in irregular-sized pieces, and I do good to maintain the 1-2 inch chunk-sized cuts of beef (with 2 inches my goal but I ain’t about to throw out a ½ inch piece).
Note: I’ve also seen this recipe cooked with leftover roast that was just pulled-apart and added to the pot. Yes, that works too. Instead of chunks of beef, you’ll have “strands” of beef and that’s A-OK! Just low-and-slow a roast until fork tender and have it at the ready. Put that seared roast in the oven by 9am, pull it out around 5pm and dinner is ready by 6pm. Suddenly, you’ve got a quick and easy, busy-weekday-evening-dinner that will taste like you’ve been cooking all day.
Do you know what a Lardon is? What about cutting batons? And, how about Charcuterie? Sure you do. Nonetheless, let’s do a refresher. First, here’s what a lardon is not: cut up sliced bacon pieces. Will cut up bacon pieces work? ABSOLUTELY! But, if you are truly wanting to use lardons, then you’ll need to dive into the world of Charcuterie (shar-KOO-tər-ee). Yes. Another beautiful French word for cooking prepared meat products, such as bacon, ham, and sausage to name a few.
Baton cuts are usually seen when cutting vegetables with root vegetables often prepared this way. Before the “baby carrot,” do you remember when veggie trays had those square-cut / rectangular-cut carrots? That “cut” is known as the “baton cut,” and the process would be described as “baton.” It’s not “how to make baton cuts,” but “how to baton.” And the cut vegetables or meat that is cut this way are known as batons. So, when you baton bacon, you are making bacon batons. Get it? And since we are all talking and cooking French stuff, baton comes from the French word, “Bâtonnett.” After all, what else do you know that has been baton? How about French fries (BOOM! Mind Blown!).
Finally, Lardons. Bacon Lardons are created when you take a whole, unsliced bit of bacon and cut it into batons that are about ½ inch thick and about 1 inch long. These will brown beautifully as the fat is rendered and then available to sear your beef in. In the bowl at the dinner table, they will be like little flavor bombs and have the effect of inspiring those “Yummmm” sounds people make during a meal with a full mouth as they bob their head up and down.
Smoked bacon is A-OK. Charcuterie is cooking with prepared meat products and bacon is usually prepared with salt and has a smoke flavor added. Some recipes suggest blanching the bacon in water to remove the smoke taste…and that’s A-OK. Me? I ain’t doin’ that. I just baton the bacon into batons and rock on! With that being said, avoid flavored bacons like honey and those that have “too much” smoke flavoring. Charcuterie offers another challenge as to the salt content. But we’ll talk about that next.
Salt Considerations
SALT: As all recipes say, “salt to taste.” That’s because saltiness is not objective (what I think), it’s very subjective (what you think). Here are the considerations before adding salt:
Cured meats and salted meats will not “render” its share of salt to the stew’s liquid until late in the cook. When you taste-test the stew at the first, it may taste perfectly salted as it initially simmers. An hour later, the stew may taste TOO SALTY after things “balance” in the pot. Paradoxically and more likely, the meat is not cured or brined and the meat “takes in” the salt making the stew taste NOT SALTY ENOUGH.
The struggle is real. Perfectly salted meals…including this one…does take some creativity. Rule of thumb: You can’t make a cooked meal less salty; but you can make it more salty at the table. Our goals are to get this salting down in the pot to where there is no need for table salting and, most importantly, keep from over-salting this stew.
My suggestion is not to use seasoned or already-salted meats like corned beef. This is not the case for salted bacon; there’s not much bacon in this recipe and the salt in the bacon will not change the saltiness much to worry about.
The amount of salt is not the only consideration as to how salty a recipe turns out to be. An equal and yet often ignored (rather not thought of) is the end-of-the-cook volume. A recipe like this one where it will simmer for hours, and hours will “thicken up” not only by the action of the flour but also the “thickening” nature of being reduced…losing water through steam over the hours. As the volume reduces, we might have to add more liquid. If the added liquid has salt, the final dish may taste too salty.
Salt will make or break a recipe regardless of the quality of the ingredients and the perfection of cooking the meal. It’s why most chefs and recipe authors say, “Salt to taste.” That three-word suggestion is not a simple process. Salt is not like other ingredients such as shrimp in a gumbo or smoked paprika. We can omit the shrimp and still have a delicious gumbo or substitute the smoked paprika for just paprika. Salt? The authors of recipes know this about salt: That you need to add it to THEIR recipe. They do not know as to how much to add to YOUR recipe.
Flour: There are three ways to add the flour to your recipe.
Method 1: Put the flour in a bowl (like a cereal bowl). Add a few ounces of the beef/bone broth/stock. Use a fork and mix the flour in the liquid very well. This is the BEST way to mix the flour or other thickening agent in a recipe. If you dump the flour in the pot with all the ingredients, It’ll lump up on you.
Method 2: Use a bit more flour and roll the cut beef in the flour before you sear the pieces in the oil. This is A-OK but may not offer enough flour to thicken the stew.
Method 3: Create a Roux. Want to learn how? Sure, you do. Here’s my how-to: https://beerandiron.com/2022/11/roux
Feel free to experiment with different methods. My suggestion is to start with the flour in the bowl.
I am going to have to tell you, though this recipe is created with a sour, the best beer to enjoy this meal with is a nice porter or a stout.
Potatoes…mashed…and this stew ladled on the top of those mashed potatoes. Trust me on this one. There’s not a side in the world that will work better than mashed potatoes with this recipe. It’ll turn this recipe into a one-bowl meal.
My suggestion is to bake a few potatoes about an hour or an hour and a half before the stew is done…bake them skin and all…then make some mashed potatoes. A scoop or three of those skin-mixed-in mashed potatoes with the Beef Beerguignon ladled on the top of those mashed rhizomes-ala-nightshade will make this a dinner of quiet time. Full mouths don’t speak.
This recipe traditionally uses a red wine (to put it simply). We are going to use a beer but one that is made with fruit (or not…it’s up to you). Fruit Beers are not drinks with alcohol that are flavored with fruit; fruit beers are beers that are brewed with fruit or fruit juices as an ingredient. If you ferment fruit or fruit juices, you end up with wine. For a beer to be a beer, there must be a minimum of these four ingredients: grain, hops, yeast, and water. We are not necessarily looking for a fruit beer, we are looking for a beer with hints of fruitiness. It may have absolutely no fruit as an ingredient but may still have fruity notes.
Like with every Beer and Iron recipe, there are no rules but only suggestions. The two biggest points here are to remember that beers that are good to you as a drinking beer may not be good to you as cooking beer. Second, one beer that works well in one recipe may not work well in another. It’s one of the reasons you have beer-pairing with different foods. You may cook with a beer that is MUCH different than the beer you may enjoy drinking with your meal.
Like I mentioned earlier. You’ll cook this with a sour but enjoy it with a porter or stout. Those beers are as different as tea and coffee.
For this recipe, I suggest using a Sour, Kolsch, Wheat, or a Lambic. I’ve used everything from blueberry sours to cherry sours and it’s all been amazing.
In this presented recipe, I am using a 4-year-old bottle of beer from a local brewer called 10 Barrel Brewing Company. This beer called “Pyka” (2018), is a Berliner Weisse (a regional variation of the wheat beer style from Northern Germany, dating back to at least the 16th century). This Berliner Weisse was brewed with Blackberry and Apricot. YUMMMM!!!!
IngredientsI’m joking(ish).
When I cook, I will prepare all the ingredients first and before starting to cook. This way I am not racing when something is ready, and the other ingredients are not. It’s nice to have everything cut and prepped and ready to go. I cut, chop, and keep nearby each ingredient in a bowl or plate waiting on its turn in line…or when its step comes up in the recipe. Likewise, having all the cooking equipment at the ready keeps you from hunting it when that moment comes.
Step 1 – Get everything out and let it warm to room temperature. This is most important for the broth and the beer. We will be adding these to the pot when the pot is wicked hot! Drink cold beer; cook with warm beer. Do not pour cold beer or cold broth/stock into your hot pot.
Step 2 – Prepare the Herb Bouquet. Truth be known, you can just chop up all these herb ingredients or use them dry. We tend to get the “fresh” stuff in the winter from the grocery store’s produce section or harvest them from the garden during the mid to late summer. But we also use our own dried herbs from our garden or from a commercially-available shaker or bottle. I do prefer the bouquet-style option.
The Bouquet – Using a few thyme and sage tips and spriggles (and even a bit of rosemary), tie them together in a little bouquet-like arrangement with the butcher’s twine. You’ll just toss these in when the moment comes.
Fresh Chopped and Dried Herbs – There are many conversions out there, but we keep it simple. Three teaspoons (1 tablespoon) of fresh-chopped herbs will equal about 1 teaspoon of dried herbs. But, you know the caveat here, right? How fine are they chopped and is it a leaf or a needle-like shape and the drama goes on and on. Like salt and pepper, “herb” to taste. If you are looking for a starting point, put a teaspoon of dried thyme and a teaspoon of dried sage in this recipe and make note for next time you create this recipe.
Fresh Chopped and Dried Herbs – There are many conversions out there, but we keep it simple. Three teaspoons or 1 tablespoon of fresh-chopped herbs will equal about 1 teaspoon of dried herbs. But, you know the caveat here, right? How fine are the fresh herbs chopped and is it a leaf or a needle-like shape and the drama goes on and on. Like salt and pepper, “herb” to taste. If you don’t want to use the herb bouquet or don’t have access to fresh or store-bought “fresh” herbs, add a teaspoon of dried thyme and a teaspoon of dried sage in this recipe and make note for next time you create this recipe to remember if you need more or less.
Step 3 – Cut the 3–4-pound chuck roast (or other cuts of beef) into 1–2-inch chunks. Don’t worry with being perfect; longer, shorter, smaller, bigger…it’s all good. If there is a thick chunk of fat on the meat, I usually trim this off (depending on how thick it is). If it’s not too thick, I just leave it on. Tri Tip is “bad” about keeping the fat tucked in under the “displayed part.”
Step 4 – Pat the beef dry with a paper towel. This is a must-do step. The beef will not brown during the sear if you don’t pat-dry the cut beef before you put it in the hot pot. Let the cut beef get to room temperature instead of letting the whole, uncut beef warm up. And, this is not a rule. Warming up a bit from the refrigerator is okay…and also an okay step to skip (the drying part is not okay to skip…pat dry the pieces).
Step 5 – Cut about 6-8 ounces of Bacon Lardons. Alternatives: pancetta or slivered bacon.
Step 6 – Finely Chop the 1 onion.
Step 7 – Dice the 2-6 Garlic Cloves.
Step 8 – Wash or Peel 3 Carrots. Chop the carrots in thick slices or chunks. How big? That’s up to you. I like larger chunks of carrots in mine and cut them about ½ inch to an inch long.
Step 9 – Measure out your flour to the cereal bowl-sized bowl. Add a bit of the beer or broth. Use your fork to mix the flour and the liquid together very well and without lumps or chunks. Smooth… Set aside and keep that rubber spatula nearby too.
Step 10 – Open up the can of tomato paste and set aside.
Step 11 – Mushrooms. Depending on the variety, you’ll prepare them accordingly. How? Button mushrooms or baby bellas should be bought whole and then quartered for this recipe. If you have purchased a different variety, then prepare the mushrooms into sizes about the size of 1/4th of a normal button mushroom
Step 12 – Have your can or bottle of beer nearby. It’s up to you on how much to use in this recipe. “Normally,” you will find beer sold in 12-ounce and 16-ounce cans or bottles. But, don’t fret this part. I’ve seen traditional versions of this recipe calling for a whole, 750ml (about 25-26 ounces) bottle of red wine.
Step 13 – Measure out the beef broth / bone broth. NOTE: When you get ready to add the broth to the recipe, don’t just pour it all in. We want to make sure we pour just enough in. I’ll talk about this more in a bit.
Step 14 – Don’t forget the pearl onions. Most of the time you’ll get these frozen. Just pull out about 10-15 pearl onions and either leave them out or put them in a container in the refrigerator. We kinda-but-not-necessarily need to have them at room temperature when we use them. If you have fresh pearl or tiny onions, prepare them by peeling the tiny onions and keeping them near.
We’re going to start by rendering the fat from some of the bacon lardons. Then we are going to sear the chunks of beef in that fat from the lardons. We’ll repeat this cycle of rendering the fat then searing the beef in batches and until all the beef is seared. First, set your 5-7 quart cast iron Dutch oven to medium high heat (or a bit higher). Take the lid of your 5-7 quart cast iron Dutch oven and place it upside down with the inside of the lid facing up like a plate or a bowl to receive the meat (lardons and the seared beef) as we work in batches. Keep the lid near the pot you are searing the meat in; this way the lid (not on a direct heat source) is getting some of the ambient heat from the pot and keeping the seared meat warmer.
You’ll notice that there’ll be some broth that will form as these pieces of meat rest while you sear other batches. Add this to the pot when you add the meat. Also, don’t use heat under your lid; this is just to hold the seared meat while you work in batches. You could use a bowl or a plate instead of the lid; that’d be good too.
Step 1 – Render the fat from the Lardons: The lardons will “create” the oil we need for searing the meat. There should be enough oil for searing and not frying. If the lardons do not produce enough fat, add some oil to the pot before adding the beef to sear.
Bacon fat is variable. Some bacon is fatty and then some packs are meatier. We all tend to lean toward the meaty bacon. Considering this, if the batch of bacon lardons don’t produce enough fat, don’t add more lardons. Add a bit of oil to the pot and let it heat to temperature (whisps of smoke is a good indication of ready-to-sear). We keep bacon grease near and at the ready and we also have beef fat from making roasts and bone broth that we can spoon out and add to the pot as we need.
We need that cast iron Dutch oven hot…very hot. If you have a surface thermometer, get that pot up to 400-450°F (205-235°C) and a good searing temperature. If you don’t have a way to check the surface temperature, no worries. If the oil is smoking a bit, the pot is hot enough.
No need to pre-oil the pot before you do this. Let the lardons cook a bit and brown but don’t get them to the crispy stage. Once they are done (not done enough for snacking), transfer them to the nearby Dutch oven lid for later.
Once this batch of lardons is done, remove the lardons and set aside. But, leave that oil in the bottom of the pot.
Step 2 – Add SOME of the beef to the hot, oiled, slightly smoking pot. SIZZLE!! But, don’t add too much at once. We’re going to sear in batches. Why? We want to sear our meat and not braise the meat (yet). Braising is to cook something, like chunks of meat, in a small amount of liquid. Though we pat-dried our meat, there is still a lot of moisture in that meat. When you put the meat in the pot and hear that sizzle, a battle begins! The hot pot is trying to cook the cooler meat and the cooler meat is trying to cool down the hot pot. The pot’s going to ultimately win. However, during this “battle,” the meat will begin to render its moisture. If you put too many pieces of meat in the pot at the same time, the meat will cool the hot cast iron pot down too quickly, the excess meat’s moisture will overwhelm the cooling pot and not steam off fast enough, and the meat will bathe in its own juices. Then, we will have braising going on and not searing.
Sear each side of the beef chunks by searing-and-turning each as they brown. Use the tongs; they’ll make life easier. When each is seared and browned on all sides, transfer them to the nearby lid and start a new batch. This will take some time but not too much. Searing takes patients.
Step 3 – Now, all the beef is seared, and the bottom of that pot is covered with all that flavor; that is called the FOND. Leave it there! Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions (not the pearl onions) and the garlic, and deglaze the bottom of the cast iron Dutch oven.
Step 4 – Add the chunks of carrots at this point and, using the wooden spatula, mix everything in the pot (just the onions, garlic, and carrots) all about and let things cook just a bit longer…but not too much longer.
We’re about to “get busy” adding most of the remaining ingredients. Turn the heat down a bit to keep from burning anything while we add the ingredients.
Step 5 – Add the flour mixture to the pot, the tomato paste, all the beef, and however many browned bacon lardons you want to add back. Mix everything together and level off the ingredients.
This is kind of an important part of the process: “Level off the Ingredients.” After placing everything in the pot, use your wooden spatula to gently press the ingredients in the pot to a flat surface. We need to know what the level of the ingredients is in order to determine how much liquid (beer and broth) to add.
Step 6 – Slowly pour in the room-temperature beer. It will “head up” but that’s okay. The liquid has either reached the top of the level mixture or not. If you still have some room to pour in more liquid, go to the next step.
Step 7 – Slowly pour in the beef broth BUT NOT ALL OF IT. Take your time to fill just to a bit over the top of the meat and vegetables. Let me be clear. To the top of the meat and vegetables and not to the top of the pot. We want the end result to be a stew with the ingredients level and sticking out of the final stew. Too much liquid and you’ll be making soup. It’ll be delicious but we want this to be nice and thick.
We can add more broth during the cooking process as it simmers and reduces.
Step 8 – Add the bay leaves and the herb bouquet (or chopped / dried) and the pepper. Keep in mind that there’ll be ingredients that you will use from time-to-time that have salt. We have plenty of time to test the saltiness and add salt as we cook.
Step 9 – Turn the heat down to medium low or even low. Cover the Dutch oven, and let it simmer for a few hours (YES! HOURS!). Some folks put this all in the oven to bake at 350°F. And, that’s okay too. I usually cook on the stove top so I can monitor the saltiness and stir the ingredients about once in a while. The liquid will reduce, and you can add as needed.
Step 10 – Okay, everything is in the pot except for the pearl onions and the mushrooms. We’ll tend to those in a bit. Cover the pot with the lid and let everything cook until the meat is tender and not chewy. We are looking for the consistency of an all-day-cooked roast and not the chewiness of a grilled steak.
We cook with the lid on. Sometimes we’ll open an edge for venting. And, if I ended up getting too much liquid in the pot, I will leave the lid off. It’s up to you regarding the lid. But, we usually leave the lid on and cover the pot when we cook this recipe.
Go ahead and pull down the pearl onions to thaw (usually frozen) and get the mushrooms ready.
Step 11 – After simmering the stew for 30 minutes, check the saltiness. Use a spoon and dip out just some of the broth / liquid. Taste it. Do you need to add any salt? Do this again after another 30 minutes has passed (1 hour total) and you should have it spot-on. If not, check back in 30 minutes. Add a little salt (less than you think) each time until you find the salt to be perfect. Check the salt again about 30 minutes before your stew is done just to make sure.
Step 12 – Let this all cook at a simmer for about 2 hours. The meat needs to stew and braise in that pot for 3-4 hours total in order to reach a fork-tender texture. At 2 hours, check the meat consistency. Is it fork tender? It will be considered safe to eat as per the internal temperature (145°F/63°C) but may not be “done” as per the meat’s chewability. At the 2-hour mark, the consistency of the meat will kinda…sorta…tell you how much longer the meal will take. Another hour? Maybe 2 hours. This all depends on the temperature (low and simmering is the best; don’t rush it) and the size and quality of the meat.
Regarding “quality of the meat.” Meat considered “low quality” is usually the “high quality” for this recipe.
Time for the mushroom and Pearl Onion Garnish Cook: If you cook the mushrooms in this recipe at the start, they will likely either cook to oblivion or end up over-cooked and rubbery (depending on the variety of mushroom you are using). We’ll braise these and add them to the pot at this point.
Step 13 – Using the Cast Iron Skillet (10.25” to 12”) (we are going to be braising the pearl onions and the mushrooms here at the end of the cook). Place the skillet on a medium high heat and add a bit of oil, remaining fat, or even more bacon lardons’ rendered fat. Add the room-temperature pearl onions and mushrooms to the hot, oiled skillet and mix about. Then, add (slowly) about ¼-½ cup of liquid (beer, broth, stock, or even water). STEAM!!
Step 14 – Sauté the pearl onions and the mushrooms until they go from braising to searing and just as the caramelization “event” takes place. They should (the pearl onions will show this the most) have some areas that are “toasted” looking but not cooked to the mushy, soft stage.
Step 15 – Remove the cooked herb bouquet and the bay leaves. We are about to “ordain” and garnish this pot of stew with the onions and the mushrooms; we don’t want to mess up our masterpiece by trying to fish-out the bay leaves and the herb bouquet.
Step 16 – And at our meal-preparation finale, open the stew pot and add the mushroom and pearl onion mixture to the top of the stew and let settle in. I don’t stir in the mushrooms and pearl onions other than a gentle turning on the top of the stew. If you’d like to mix them in deep into the pot, it’s perfectly A-OK to do so.
For me? I like to present this recipe in a bowl. First, by adding a scoop of mashed potatoes to the side of the bowl and then this stew to fill the bowl with just a bit of the top of the mashed potatoes showing there on the side. A garnish of finely chopped parsley, chives, or scallions really brings it home.
Chef Tip #1: Before you start prepping, measuring, and dicing, preheat your Dutch oven. Set your oven to 450°F/235°C and preheat the Dutch oven while you prep so it’s ready and hot when you are ready to start cooking! Once the oven “beeps” to reaching temperature, your Dutch oven will likely be 100°F/38°C behind the oven temperature. The preheating of the Dutch oven only takes about 15-30 minutes. Any longer and you’ll be “seasoning” your Dutch oven…and that’s okay…just add a thin layer of oil to the inside of the Dutch oven before preheating.
Chef Tip #2: Salt. This is the make-or-break point of any recipe. If you are using broth from a roast that you cooked, there’s going to be a salt factor to work out. DON’T add salt initially. Let the stew began to simmer for about 30 minutes then check the saltiness. Let the ingredients “fornicate” for a bit and then check to see what it tastes like. Don’t add more than 1 teaspoon of salt at a time…I suggest adding less.
No chef can taste what you taste. So goes the “salt to taste” copout. Your saltiness is not the same as another’s saltiness preference.
After the first salt-check, let it simmer for another 30 minutes and check again. After that first hour, it should be perfect. You’ll have to be the judge of this (unless you invite me over for a meal that you are cooking and I will be glad to offer my opinion…and…by the way, Old Rasputin by Northcoast is my favorite beer).i
This recipe prep does not take long per se…the searing process is the longest hands-on process. You’ll likely spend 30-40 minutes prepping and searing (maybe longer). It’ll be worth it.
For me, I like to get this stew simmering and clean everything up. I will put the potatoes in the oven (for the mashed potatoes) about 1 hour or so before the stew is to be done.
When the stew is done and the baked potatoes are ready for mashing, the kitchen was cleaned already. It’s so very nice to sit down for a meal and have a turn-key, cleaned kitchen that’s not sitting back there as a reminder of a chore-to-be-done after such an amazing meal. It’s blissful!
ENJOY or, since we are cooking in French, we’ll talk in French, “bon appétit!”
Recipe Low and Slow Cast Iron Dutch Oven Roast
Easy Dump-and-Bake Spanish Rice and Chicken Casserole Baked in a Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Chile Relleno Con Cerveza – Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven Casserole VersionSausage and Tots Easy Breakfast Casserole Recipe – Cooked in a Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Beer Berry Cobbler Recipe – Cooked in a Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Chicken Marbella Recipe – Cooked 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.
Recent Comments