Cheesy White Chicken Chili Low-and-Slow in a Cast Iron Dutch Oven Recipe
Cheese, chicken, and beans. A White Chili Recipe Baked Low-and-Slow in a Cast Iron Dutch Oven for a meal that will taste like you’ve been cooking all day long.
Tag: recipe
Cast Iron Sesame Meatballs in a Honey Sweet-and-Tangy Beer Sauce Recipe
A very easy meatball recipe cooked with beer and in cast iron. But, don’t mistake easy as in trading for delicious; it’s that too.
Cast Iron Cream and Beer Cornbread Recipe
Cream and Beer Cast Iron Cornbread Recipe
Cornbread cooked in cast iron. There’s really no other way to cook cornbread, is there? This is the simple recipe for cornbread that we use for everything from our round, basic cornbread to corn muffins to cornbread-topped chili. It’s an easy, 6 or 7 ingredient recipe that will create a nice, crumbly-centered, crunchy, and buttery-crusted cornbread.
I have created this recipe with beer, buttermilk, sour cream, and even a mixture of beer with another liquid ingredient. The key to this recipe is the consistency of the cornbread batter. You can experiment with other ingredients; just get an initial feel for the consistency of the batter.
This batter will be thicker and airier than most cornbread batters. That baking powder will start reacting fast when you add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.
When cooked, the top (as it sits in the cast iron) will be lumpy and bumpy. But, that’s the faux top. It was bottoms up at my house growing up. We would always flip our cornbread and serve the buttery crust upside.
Don’t cut back on the butter. This recipe does not call for any oil. The oil…rather fat…will come from the butter we use in the skillet. The key to great cornbread that does not stick is the butter. When we preheat that cast iron skillet at 425°F / 215°C with that butter in the skillet, the cornbread will start to cook as soon as it hits that hot butter. We want that cornbread to “cook” on that butter and not on that cast iron. The excess butter will soak into that cornbread and give it that crunchy, buttery crust. It will also create a cornbread that will just pop out when it’s flipped later. And…AND! The butter will add to the seasoning of that skillet.
It’s important that you do not let that butter burn. And it’s equally important that the butter is not only melted before you add your batter but HOT! It’s that in-the-middle butter that you are looking for. You want the butter to be “toasted” but not dark brown like roux-color (dark red or dark brown). The butter should “brown” a little and that batter should sizzle a bit when pouring it into that pan.
Most of the time, after we pop out that cornbread, I will run a dry towel over that cast iron surface while holding the pan over the sink to catch the crumbs. Try it and your pan will come away even more beautiful than before you cooked that cornbread!
The Cast Iron
If you want to use a 12” skillet and create this recipe, then that’s A-OK. If you use the recipe as-is, you’ll end up with a thinner version of this cornbread (not better or worse…just thinner). If you want to create a ginormous batch of cornbread, double this recipe. That 12” skillet will hold almost twice the volume of that 10.25” skillet. That’ll be a lot of cornbread.
It’s amazing how much more the 12” skillet can hold versus the 10.25” skillet. I filled my Wagner 10.25” with water and poured it over into my Lodge 12” skillet. Then, I filled the 10.25” again and poured it into the 12” inch. Aside from a cup or so, the 12” took most of the water from the second fill.
(Affiliate Links)
Lodge L8SK3 10-1/4-Inch Pre-Seasoned Skillet: https://amzn.to/3HN2BJg
Lodge Yellowstone – 10.25″ Skillet: https://amzn.to/3piSUMg
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
Supplies You May Need (Affiliate Links)
Measuring Spoons: https://amzn.to/3n8o5J5
Measuring Cups: https://amzn.to/3yWrz41
Silicone Spatula Set: https://amzn.to/3VFKkmZ
Cutting Board: https://amzn.to/42nIGt4
Baking and Cooling Rack: https://amzn.to/4310Pxa
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
1 ½ cup Yellow Cornmeal
1 ½ cup All-purpose Flour
2 Tablespoons Baking Powder
2 teaspoons Salt
Wet Ingredients:
1 cup Half and Half
½ cup Beer
2 Eggs
FYI: 2 to 4 tablespoons sugar for more of a muffin, sweeter flavor.
RESERVE 4 Tablespoons of Butter (don’t add to the recipe).
Ready to Cook
Let’s get started. Mix your ingredients as per dry and wet. Keep them separate until you are ready to pour that batter over and into that hot cast iron skillet. The butter is NOT to be mixed into the recipe; the butter is to be added to the skillet and the cornbread will take up what butter it wants.
Step 1: Add the 4 tablespoons of butter to the 10.25” cast iron skillet.
Step 2: Preheat your 10.25” cast iron skillet with the butter in a 425°F / 215°C Oven. Keep an eye on it; don’t let the butter burn.
Step 3: Blend all the dry ingredients together. Wait before you add the wet ingredients.
Step 4: Mix the wet ingredients: 1 cup of half and half and the ½ cup of beer to a bowl and then add the two eggs. Whisk together well with a fork or whisk.
Before adding and mixing the wet ingredients in with the dry ingredients, wait until just before you are ready to add the batter to the hot skillet with the melted and slightly toasted butter.
NOTE: The butter will toast and there will be some solids that have “toasted” themselves out of that butter. That’s okay. It’s all good. You just don’t want burned butter.
Step 5: Once the skillet in the oven is wicked hot and the butter is just starting to brown (toast), pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and blend well with a rubber / silicone spatula to create the batter.
Step 6: Remove the hot skillet from the oven and set on the stove top. Pour all the batter into the middle of the hot skillet and spread about as evenly as it will allow. The edges will be bubbling up from hitting that hot butter.
Step 7: Return the hot skillet with the batter to the 425°F / 215°C oven and let it bake for about 25 minutes…give or take. I like the top of the cornbread to bake until the top is toasted a bit.
Step 8: After 20-25 minutes and when it “looks” done, test the center with a knife like testing a cake for doneness. Some folks use a toothpick or something similar. I just use a table knife and see if anything wet still needs cooking.
Step 9: Remove the cornbread from the oven and let the cornbread cool just a bit in that skillet; the edges of the cornbread will start to pull away from the sides of the skillet just a bit as the cornbread cools. Don’t leave it too long; it’ll sweat, and you’ll lose that crunchy texture. It will not take long, about 2-4 minutes to be ready to remove.
Step 10: Cover the cornbread with a plate or a cutting board. Turn the skillet up and the plate down to flip the cornbread out and upside down. There ain’t no reason to wait for it to cool. Just start enjoying it!
Chef Tip: Add 3 to 6 tablespoons of sugar for more of a muffin-like, sweeter flavor.
Chef Tip: Buttermilk makes a GREAT cornbread. You will need to consider the consistency of butter milk and add a bit more beer (just a bit) to get the right consistency if you use buttermilk.
Chef Tip: Consider using a coarse-ground cornmeal instead of the finely ground cornmeal. It will give the cornbread a wonderful texture.
What Do You Think of My Wagner 1891 Skillet?
It’s kinda gunky ain’t it? Na. To me it’s a treasure. Want to read the story as to why this skillet is a treasure to me? Sure, you do. Here’s the link: https://beerandiron.com/2023/05/wagner-1891-original-cast-iron-skillet-story
Summary
And, it’s just that easy. This recipe can be modified and “played” with. Consider adding corn kernels to the batter or maybe some green chilies. Some cheese mixed in that batter is amazing!
Hey. My name is Sulae. And I love to share the magic that comes out of my black pots and pans. Y’all keep hanging out here at BeerAndIron.com and take a moment to sign up for the newsletter. Trust me, I ain’t gonna bug you.
We’ll see you all next time. And keep on cooking in those black cast iron beauties and enjoying those frosted glasses of that fermented barley pop! Que the pop, hiss, and gurgle-gurgle of beer pouring into your frosted Shaker Pint!
Supplies You May Need (Affiliate Links)
Lodge L8SK3 10-1/4-Inch Pre-Seasoned Skillet: https://amzn.to/3HN2BJg
Lodge Yellowstone – 10.25″ Skillet: https://amzn.to/3piSUMg
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
Silicone Spatula Set: https://amzn.to/3VFKkmZ
Website: https://beerandiron.com/
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Cast Iron Cream and Beer Cornbread Recipe
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 cornbread.
Equipment
- 1 10.25" Skillet A 12" Cast Iron Skillet will give you a thinner cornbread.
- 1 Mixing Bowl
- 1 Small Bowl To whisk the milk and egg in.
- 1 Rubber Spatula Or silicone spatula.
- 1 Drying Rack Optional
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ Cup Yellow Cornmeal
- 1 ½ Cup White Flour
- 2 TBL Baking Powder
- 2 tsp Salt ½-1 teaspoon per taste
Wet Ingredients
- 1 Cup Half and Half
- ½ Cup Beer
- 2 Egg
Reserve
- 4 TBL Butter For the skillet. Do not add to the recipe.
Instructions
- Add the 4 tablespoons of butter to the 10.25” cast iron skillet.
- Preheat your 10.25” cast iron skillet with the butter in a 425°F / 215°C Oven. Keep an eye on it; don’t let the butter burn.
- Blend all the dry ingredients together. Wait before you add the wet ingredients.
- Mix the wet ingredients: 1 cup of half and half and the ½ cup of beer to a bowl and then add the two eggs. Whisk together well with a fork or whisk.Before adding and mixing the wet ingredients in with the dry ingredients, wait until just before you are ready to add the batter to the hot skillet with the melted and slightly toasted butter.NOTE: The butter will toast and there will be some solids that have “toasted” themselves out of that butter. That’s okay. It’s all good. You just don’t want burned butter.
- Once the skillet in the oven is wicked hot and the butter is just starting to brown (toast), pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and blend well with a rubber / silicone spatula to create the batter.
- Remove the hot skillet from the oven and set on the stove top. Pour all the batter into the middle of the hot skillet and spread about as evenly as it will allow. The edges will be bubbling up from hitting that hot butter.
- Return the hot skillet with the batter to the 425°F / 215°C oven and let it bake for about 25 minutes…give or take. I like the top of the cornbread to bake until the top is toasted a bit.
- After 20-25 minutes and when it “looks” done, test the center with a knife like testing a cake for doneness. Some folks use a toothpick or something similar. I just use a table knife and see if anything wet still needs cooking.
- Remove the cornbread from the oven and let the cornbread cool just a bit in that skillet; the edges of the cornbread will start to pull away from the sides of the skillet just a bit as the cornbread cools. Don’t leave it too long; it’ll sweat, and you’ll lose that crunchy texture. It will not take long, about 2-4 minutes to be ready to remove.
- Cover the cornbread with a plate or a cutting board. Turn the skillet up and the plate down to flip the cornbread out and upside down. There ain’t no reason to wait for it to cool. Just start enjoying it!
Notes
And, it’s just that easy. This recipe can be modified and “played” with. Consider adding corn kernels to the batter or maybe some green chilies. Some cheese mixed in that batter is amazing!
Nutrition
Calories: 306kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 8gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 1056mgPotassium: 182mgFiber: 5gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 351IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 275mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Beer Bread Cooked in a Cast Iron Loaf Pan Recipe
Beer Bread Recipe very simple and easy recipe to create a loaf of beer bread and bake that loaf of beer bread in cast iron.
Beer and Chicken Bone Broth
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…
Beer and Iron’s Simple Roasted Chicken
Beer and Iron Simple Roasted Chicken
Easy. Simple. Delicious!
The scene is suspenseful; dark and gloomy. The climb down is hard and treacherous. Out of his pocket falls a small box. He reaches out in desperation but to no avail. He calls out to his single companion struggling below to hold on to the rope. They are dangerously exposed on the cliff face. His companion reaches for the small, falling box and loses his grip on the rope. He yells out as he falls back and into the mist below. Luckily, the fall was only a few feet. The companion gathers the box from the ground and examines it. “What’s this?” he asks.
Sam answers Froto: “Nothing. Just a bit of seasonin’. I thought maybe if we was having a roast chicken one night or somethin’.”
Clip from The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Plan Ahead
Plan a bit ahead with this recipe. As always, we brine our chicken before roasting. There’s an article on Beer and Iron as well as a video that shows you how to brine a whole chicken: WATCH IT HERE
The next time you go grocery shopping or make an online grocery order, pick up a whole chicken. Most grocery store chickens are about 3-4 pounds (1.5 kilograms). As soon as you get home and settled, set that whole chicken to brine. Yes, that same evening.
Here are two links WITH VIDEOS on brining meats (chickens are in the examples given). Trust me when I say: brine the chicken. It will not disappoint.
The Hot Method: https://beerandiron.com/basic-beer-brine-template-recipe/
The Cold Method: https://beerandiron.com/how-to-beer-brine-whole-chicken/
Here’s another way to Roast Chicken: https://beerandiron.com/roasted-beer-brined-chicken-cast-iron-dutch-oven-on-grass-straw-hay/
Let’s Get Started
And a roasted chicken sure does sound good for tonight. Roasted chicken seems to be a simple thing; yes, it does. Put the chicken in the oven at 350°F / 177°C and cook it for 20 minutes per pound and until the juices run clear. You and I both know it’s not that easy. Naw, it ain’t that easy; and that’s why Costco sells 100 million rotisserie chickens every year out of over 625 million sold each year in the USA. That’s like 2 grocery store-cooked chickens for every person in the USA each year.
Someone ate my two chickens!
I am going to share with you how I create the perfect roasted chicken each and every time. It’s going to be crispy, it’s going to be juicy, and it’s going to be evenly roasted. And best of all, it’s going to be easy. But it’s going to take a bit of planning (there’s always a “but”). But, don’t let that bit of planning sway you back to Costco for that plastic-packaged over-cooked rotisserie chicken, this ain’t near the work or planning you think it is.
The secret to the perfect roasted chicken is this: preparation and a bit of planning. Just telling y’all how it is. It’s really not that much preparation. I am just like you: BUSY! BUSY! BUSY! There are times when I don’t have a clue what’s for dinner; and then comes the “where do y’all want to go eat at?” question.
Meal planning seems to be a hassle. And it is. But mealtime experiences are usually the pinnacle of our evenings and time together as a family. I find myself planning out a day or three down the calendar to make sure I’ve got some ideas. And, if you follow this recipe and plan, you’ll have a perfectly roasted chicken and be ready for dinner by the time everyone is ready for their after-work and after-school meal.
Ready to Cook
Step 1: Brine the Chicken.
2-5 days before you plan to roast your chicken, set the whole chicken in the brine (follow the links for either the cold brine method or the hot brine method). Place that brining chicken in the refrigerator and let it rest there. Move it about each day or so to make sure the salt stays stirred up and the chicken evenly brines.
Start with the cold method of brining. You’ll have that chicken out of the grocery store bag and packing and in the brine in less than 10 minutes. IT’S EASY!
Start your brining journey with a 2-day brine. I can’t “taste” what salty taste like to you. So, start with 2 days and if the chicken tasted perfectly salted and juicy then you have your brine time that works for you. If it was lacking a bit of saltiness and flavor, next time add a day to the brine time and see how things go. Read more about saltiness here: https://beerandiron.com/salt-to-taste/
Step 2: Remove the Chicken from the Brine.
When you are ready to cook your chicken. Pull it down and leave it in the brine about an hour or two before you start your chicken to roasting. When you are about 10 or 15 minutes from ready to put the chicken in the oven, start the following steps.
Chef Tip: I will usually call my wife to pull the chicken down even before I get home from work. Or, I will pull it down as soon as I get home and let it “warm up” as I change and “get the day off of me.”
Step 3: Set your oven to preheat to 350°F / 177°C
When you are ready to get busy and cook this chicken and while your oven is preheating, gather your 5-quart cast iron Dutch oven or skillet. Get your trivets ready.
We are going to cook this without a lid on the Dutch oven.
Step 4: Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry the chicken with paper towels.
Set the dripping chicken on a tray with paper towels underneath the chicken while you pat dry the chicken. Watch the fluid “hiding” in the cavity; it’ll spill out everywhere.
It does not have to be bone dry. All you need is to dry the brine from the chicken and before you apply the oil to the chicken skin.
Step 5: Truss the chicken.
Chicken has so many different “thicknesses.” And, by the time the depths of the breast or the thigh joint has reached doneness, the leg and wing have long since been cooked and has likely reached an over-cooked state. Trussing the chicken draws everything in and keeps the parts-and-pieces dress-right-dress. Trussing promotes an evenly cooked chicken.
How do you truss a chicken you ask? There’s a video of this whole process above; if you still have problems trussing the chicken, let me know. It’s not hard…once you’ve done it a few times…but…it’s hard the first time!
Trussing is optional. Your chicken will roast just fine if you do not. It’ll be less than perfect but it will be AMAZING nonetheless.
Step 6: Oil the outside of the chicken.
You will not need much oil at all. Oiling the chicken skin will help that skin to crisp up and work like a “sack.” That “sack” will hold that moisture better. You will even see that sack-like nature when you pull the roasted chicken from the oven and see the skin “deflate” as the air temperature changes from the oven to the air of your kitchen.
Step 7: Using your 5-quart cast iron Dutch oven, set a trivet in the bottom.
Most all chickens from the grocery store will fit nice and neat in a 5-quart cast iron Dutch oven. You need some air space all around the chicken while it’s in the Dutch oven.
For you fine folks that grow your own chicken, you may need to consider a 7-quart or a 9-quart Dutch oven. The size of the chicken will determine the size of the Dutch oven you will need.
I use a trivet for this recipe. Not too many folks have a good trivet. If you don’t have one, then get one here:
I have two of these and use them all the time. They also work GREAT as bacon presses and don’t let moisture build up under them like most presses causing all that popping and grease stinging.
A trivet is optional. I want the chicken not to be in direct contact with the heat and cook evenly. I usually use TWO trivets like in the video.
Step 8: Set the whole, trussed, oiled chicken on that trivet inside the cast iron Dutch oven.
I don’t use a lid for this recipe. I leave it open to air at the same 350°F / 177°C the whole time. Some will suggest heating up the oven to a very high temperature and letting it “seal” or “sear” in the moisture. But, we do just fine at one constant temperature.
This is where you are free to add anything else to the pot along with that chicken. Sometimes we’ll put spriggles of thyme, rosemary, or whole cloves of garlic. These additional will add to the flavor of the chicken.
If you do add something to the pot with the chicken, make sure it will both tolerate the longer cook time and finish cooking at the same time your chicken is done. If not, add it later in the cook. Most of the time, when we add something to the pot with the chicken, we add those ingredients as flavor ingredients.
Step 9: Set the chicken in the oven without a lid.
Just pick a middle shelf in your oven and set it in there but close enough to the door to reach it with our temperature probe.
Step 10: Insert a meat thermometer temperature probe to the thickest part of the breast.
We set the thermometer probe into the thickest part of the breast, but we don’t go all the way down to the bone. We stick the temperature probe about 2/3rds the thickness of the chicken breast. If you hit the bone, just pull back a bit and you’re A-OK.
The wired thermometer keeps life easy! Trust me on this one. We use this Wireless Meat Thermometer to keep from guessing when the chicken is done. I don’t have to open the oven door but once and that’s to use my other meat thermometer to do a double check.
I am writing this article as my chicken cooks now. I don’t have to do anything while the chicken cooks but wait on that “beeping” from my device.
I also use this with my Camp Chef camp cast iron Dutch ovens when cooking outdoors. It’s something I suggest.
All of my links are affiliate links and I appreciate you all if you chose to click and purchase from these links. Disclaimer: I use each and every item I link you to. And, I try not to fluff up the links. I want this website to be about the food and not a bunch of pop up ads and videos.
Step 11: Roast until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F / 74°C
This is a tricky step. If you have ever cooked a whole, roasted chicken and find that there is still some “pink” in the center, you know the struggle is real. The breast reads “165” and the thigh joint reads “148.” Dang it!!
We are assured the chicken is completely done by the initial breast meat temperature reaching 165°F / 74°C. Then, we pull it from the oven and double check with our other meat thermometer.
Step 12: Remove the chicken from the oven and check the temperature at the inner thigh to make sure the chicken is thoroughly cooked.
You can check with the same temperature probe you cooked with. It’s a little sluggish on quick reads. We have this 2nd meat thermometer to make sure.
If the breast meat and the inner thigh joint are at 165°F / 74°C, we are sure the chicken is completely cooked and ready to eat.
And that’s all there is to it. Now you have a perfectly roasted chicken.
Beer Pairing
Roasted Chicken is a light-colored meat. So, stick with a light-colored beer. Hey, I ain’t making that up. Try it. But, take some more advice: Stick with a nice Pale Lager, Helles Bock, and Helles Lager; these are excellent choices.
And though a bit darker in color but excellent with roasted chicken: Amber Lager, Vienna Lager, and Märzen are good choices as well. Many ales go well with roasted chicken like the blonde ale, wheat ale, and Kölsch.
Golden Lagers (bottom fermented at cooler temperatures) and Golden Ales have similar characteristics (with lagers always being clear). Golden Ales will be a bit bitter but not too much. Golden Lagers have a tad bit of sweetness that definitely will not overwhelm, nor will it linger.
And if a not-too-bitter golden ale “calls” you from your beer fridge, then a golden ale will not disappoint with this meal. If a Pilsner is all you have, it will not disappoint either.
A bit of trivia: Where did lagers get their name? Going back to the 1600’s, lagers were brewed during the colder months and lagered for the summer months. Lager beers were lagered…meaning stored.
It’s BOTH! An entrée and an Ingredient
This recipe will produce a nice, juicy, roasted chicken that can either be served whole or can be deboned and used in different recipes. It will add so much to any chicken-as-an-ingredient recipe.
There’s not much that will not go well with whole, roasted chicken.
Roasted Carrots
Mashed Potatoes
Green Beans
Roasted or Mashed Cauliflower
Asparagus
Potatoes au Gratin
Fettuccine Alfredo
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Garlic Baby Potatoes.
Garden Salad
Mac and Cheese
Sweet Potatoes
Corn on the Cob
BREAD!
Scalloped Potatoes
Can you think of anything that does not work as a side with roasted chicken?
Consider getting creative with these sides. Cauliflower, yeah! But what about Roasted Herb & Lemon Cauliflower or Garlic and Rosemary Brussels Sprouts?
Herbs that go well with Roasted Chicken
Hands down, my favorite herb to use with chicken is sage. I love, love, love the flavor of sage and chicken. Thyme is my next go-to with rosemary being an equal love of mine.
Other herbs and vegetables go well with chicken such as cilantro, oregano, marjoram, tarragon, garlic, and lemon (though lemon is really a fruit).
Marjoram and Tarragon are not my go-to herbs but some recipes call for these two herbs and if I am preparing the whole chicken as an ingredient for other recipes, I will use one or both with my chicken.
Beer To Use In This Recipe
The beer ingredient in this recipe is added during the brine. Most any light-colored, easy-on-the-bitterness beer will work. When you start out brining for this recipe, or any chicken that you plan to brine, use a lighter-colored, easy-to-drink beer and then experiment from there.
I often use a nice citrusy beer with this recipe.
I love craft beer and appreciate the craft beer’s value. They are more expensive than big-brewery beers. And, truth be known, many of them big-brewery beers ain’t too bad to drink. If that’s all I have or have been offered, I’ll enjoy that big-brewery beer and the friends I am enjoying it with.
Less expensive, easy-to-drink beer works very, very well for brining chicken. Consider Corona, Modelo, or even a DosXX. You will not be disappointed in how this chicken will turn out. Not to mention, that brine will not deplete your craft beer stock nor break the bank.
24 12-ounce Coronas at my local market right now costs about $26.88. I venture to say that 24 12-ounce craft beers would be 3 times that much.
Lastly, don’t think that using a beer that you consider inferior as a drinking beer will be a bad brining beer. Not in the least. They actually make for BETTER brining beers. Craft beer takes brewing to new flavor heights and we love craft beer and the brewers who toil over perfection.
However, these delicious flavor notes may cause the chicken to taste a bit off. Stick with a plain-Jane brew (sorry you Janes…I ain’t talking about you but other Janes).
Avoid dark beers, sweet beers, and beers with a high IBU. The IBU is the International Bitters Unit which is a measurement of how bitter or hoppy the beer will taste.
The Cast Iron
5 or 7-Quart Cast Iron Dutch Oven (a 5-quart will work for most every chicken you pick up from the market).
The size of the Dutch oven depends on the size of your chicken. I have a Vintage Cast Iron 10-quart Sportsman Fish Fryer with the Griddle cast iron lid that I use when I want to roast two chickens at the same time. After all, the energy and time it takes to cook one chicken in the oven is the same if you put two in the oven.
Most ovens will accommodate two 5-quart cast iron Dutch ovens and even a 5-quart and a 7-quart at the same time.
The Supplies
I have included some affiliate links:
Larger Zipper Storage Bag: https://amzn.to/3wCz6Ek
Bowl to hold the brining chicken while it’s in the refrigerator.
Meat Thermometer (Optional): https://amzn.to/3wCnS2o
Butcher’s Twine (Optional if you plan to truss): https://amzn.to/3HDjJBw
Ingredients:
36 Ounces of Beer (for the brine)
3 Tablespoons of Salt (for the brine)
NOTE: This is the basic brine. You can create a brine either using the cold method or the hot method. Yes! I do have a how-to article and video for both!
4 Pound Whole Chicken give or take a few ounces (or even a pound).
2-3 Tablespoons of Oil to Coat the Chicken Before Roasting
Chef Tip 1: Chicken is considered “done” at 165°F / 74°C. Because chicken has different parts with varying thickness, be sure to check the chicken at a few other spots to make sure it’s done.
Chef Tip 2: The truth be known: it takes the same energy to cook one chicken as it does to cook two. We will cook a chicken in two 5-quart Dutch ovens at the same time. I have a large Fish Fryer Pot that I set the two trivets and chickens in; one on one side and one on the other. They fit perfectly. I found my used, so keep your eye out for one:
Chef Tip 3: Don’t toss the bones, innards, or skin…MAKE A BROTH (How to Coming Soon).
Summary
There you go! Now, what do you think? It’s really as easy as brine, roast, and enjoy (with a few days in between).
Yes, there is very little difference between this recipe and our Chicken On Grass Recipe.
We roast chicken all the time mainly for the chicken to be used in an ingredient in Gumbo, Chicken Stew, Chicken Enchiladas, and so much more.
Let me know what you think and how your roasted chicken turned out.
Easy and Simple Beer Brined Roasted Chicken
Easy and Simple, BEER-BRINED, Roasted CHICKEN COOKED IN A CAST IRON DUTCH OVEN
Equipment
- 5 or 7 Quart Cast Iron Dutch Oven Depends on the size of your chicken
- Larger Zipper Storage Bag To Brine In
- Larger Bowl To hold the brining chicken while it’s in the refrigerator.
- Meat Thermometer Optional
- Butcher's Twine
Ingredients
The Brine
- 36 Ounces Beer Light colored lager or ale with less bitterness
- 3 TBLS Salt Kosher is best
The Chicken Roast
- 1 Whole Chicken 4 Pound (Give or Take)
- 2 TBLS Oil Any oil will do. Use this to coat the chicken.
Instructions
Brine The Chicken 2-5 Days Before Roasting
- Create your brine – In The Zipper Bag, add the 32 ounces of beer and then add the 3 Tablespoons of Salt. It will foam up!
- Remove the chicken from the market packaging and remember to remove anything from the cavity of the chicken.
- Place the chicken in the brine. Do not truss your chicken yet. Just the whole, raw chicken into the beer brine.
- Store the brining chicken in the refrigerator for two to five days.
Ready To Cook
- Remove the Chicken from the Refrigerator about an hour or two before you are ready to cook.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F / 177°C.
- Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry the chicken with paper towels.
- Truss the chicken with the butcher’s twine.
- Use the oil to coat the outside of the chicken.
- Using your 5-quart cast iron Dutch oven, set a trivet in the bottom.
- Set the whole, trussed, oiled chicken on that trivet inside the cast iron Dutch oven.
- Set the Chicken in the Oven Without a Lid.
- Use a temperature probe to the thickest part of the breast.
- Roast until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F / 74°C
- Remove the chicken from the oven and check the temperature the inner thigh to make sure the chicken is thoroughly cooked.
Notes
Chef Tip 1: The 2nd best place to make sure the chicken is done through and through is the inner thigh area near the breast but not touching bone.
Chef Tip 2: The truth be known: it takes the same energy to cook one chicken as it does to cook two. We will cook a chicken in two 5-quart Dutch ovens at the same time. I have a large Fish Fryer Pot that I set the two trivets and chickens in; one on one side and one on the other. They fit perfectly.
Chef Tip 3: I will usually call my wife to pull the chicken down even before I get home from work. Or, I will pull it down as soon as I get home and let it “warm up.”
Chef Tip 4: Don’t toss the bones, innards, or skin…MAKE A BROTH
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Now We’re Cooking With Grass
Roasted, Beer-Brined Whole Chicken Cooked in a Cast Iron Dutch Oven on Grass, Straw, or Hay. Nutty, earthy aroma and flavors.
Beer Brined Coffee Crusted Pork Roast
Ugly Food Tastes Delicious
Though I love cooking with beer, some of the recipes on Beer and Iron have other liquid ingredients than just those found in a frosty glass or mug…we’re talking about ingredients we love in a cup…normally in a cup with a near-by glazed doughnut or four. I’m talking about coffee. There are so many things to create with coffee as an ingredient. Now, what about a recipe that uses coffee AND beer!? Though we are Beer and Iron and not Coffee and Iron, there’s plenty of times where I will cook with cast iron while drinking coffee. So there!
Isn’t it funny how some food pics on your favorite Facebook groups taken by folks with a cell phone look rather yucky? It’s not their fault. Nope and it’s not my fault when I share those ugly photos. It’s the food’s fault. Sometimes we just can’t make food “look” delicious in a photograph. You have to eat it to know and let your taste buds tell you how beautiful it is. Food beauty is not only in the eyes of the beholder but in the mouth of the maven. Paradoxically, I am sure that “pretty” looking food sometimes tastes like crap-a-rama. Ahhh, it is what it is. Bottom line, a coffee crusted pork roast will not be photogenic after 7-9 hours in a 200°F (95°C) oven as I am sure you can see (tongue-in-cheek). You’re gonna have to try this to see…rather TASTE…what I am talking about.
Nonetheless and truth be known, you can’t take pretty pictures of ugly food. And this deep black pork roast photographs about as “pretty” as that coworker’s baby pics she keeps showing everyone. And just like that coworker loves her baby, you’ll love this recipe for coffee-crusted pork roast. It is delicious! Don’t let your eyes fool you!
What to Expect
There are two products that you will end up with at the end of your cook:
- A Dark, Coffee Crusted, Fork-Tender Pork Roast
- A Cup (or less) to a Quart (or more) of dark, coffee-looking broth.
WE WANT BOTH!
READ ME: Broasting, (Roasting and Braising) a pork roast is almost exactly like broasting a beef, lamb, or wild game roast. If you want an in depth how-to on preparing a roast using the low-and-slow method, follow this link: https://beerandiron.com/2023/01/low-and-slow-roast
The Coffee
Use a good coffee. And when I say “good” I mean “good” to you. If you are a Folgers drinker, then use Folgers. If you are a Seattle’s Best drinker, use Seattle’s Best. Don’t use a coffee that you (subjectively) feel is an inferior coffee. If you don’t like the coffee as a drinking coffee, you ain’t gonna like it as a cooking coffee either.
It’s a little different with beer…yes it is. My wife is not an IPA beer drinker but LOVES a chicken brined in a nice citrusy, hazy IPA beer. Me? I do not like sweet beers. NOPE! But I do love a good pork roast or ribs brined in a sweet beer. On the flip side, I LOVE ME SOME OLD RASPUTIN by Northcoast. “Love” like my-wife-is-almost-jealous, kinda love. Anyway, once upon a time there was a pot of stew that I just knew was going to turn out amazing with a nice 16-ounce bottle added…the bitterness that resulted was overwhelming. With a salty beef stew and that bitterness lacking the opposing sweetness…needless to say that stew didn’t get me any thumbs up that evening (no worries to my wonderful Northcoast Brewery; there’s a whole arsenal of beers y’all brew that do find their way into my cast iron pots).
While creating this recipe on the different roasts, I tried a couple of things that many of you all will either ask me “can I..” or you will just try it to see. Here, let me save you some trouble:
- Don’t use Expresso or a Fine Ground Coffee
- Don’t use the “used” Coffee Grounds
- Use only FRESH Coffee Grounds
Don’t Use Expresso – Use a grind that would be considered a grind course enough for a drip coffee pot. The type of coffee is not the consideration here, it’s how fine the coffee is ground
There is no coffee plant variety known as “expresso.” There are beans that are better for expresso than others but for the most part, any coffee if it’s ground finely enough will work to make expresso. But, just because it’s labeled as “expresso” doesn’t mean it will work in an expresso maker. When picking a coffee for this recipe, don’t use a fine grind, use a coarse grind. Lucky for us, that’s most every single bag or can of coffee in that grocer’s section.
I am not a coffee connoisseur and know only a few things about coffee:
- The Coffee / Brewing I like is not universally enjoyed.
- Passing Coffee shops and brewing my own coffee usually avoids disappointment.
- Gas Station coffee is usually not as good as it smells. You buy gas station coffee for the idea of coffee.
Fresh, dry coffee grounds only. Yes, I did and I won’t do it again. First of all, we are creating dry rub. Using wet, used coffee grounds clumps up the other ingredients; it’s a no-go! Second, that flavor from those grounds are in your cup and no longer in those grounds. They are good for one thing after that morning’s coffee: Fertilizer (actually…worms love used coffee grounds…throw those grounds into your lawn and watch the magic).
A note on coffee and the dinnertime hour. This recipe is often created for dinner…the evening meal. And, like most, your bed time is likely not far behind dinner. I’ve always used regular, caffeinated coffee grounds on my roast for this recipe. However, I have never had trouble falling asleep after eating a nice coffee-crusted pork roast nor have I had trouble sleeping after having a stew or soup created by using the broth that is created during this cooking process. Caffeine does not “cook out” like alcohol. There will be some caffeine in both the roast and the broth it produces if you use regular coffee. With that being said, I have used de caffeinated coffee as well with the same amazing flavor.
The Pork Roast Cut
The Pork Roast Choice. Like beef, there are cuts that will not do well if cooked for a long time like this recipe call for. Considering the Loin, Tenderloin, and Pork Chops, reserve these cuts for different cooking methods. Don’t cook Loin, Tenderloin, or Pork Chops using this method. There are many Coffee-Crusted Loin and Tenderloin recipes that are similar to this one but are different all the same.
The cuts to look for are cuts like Butt, Shoulder, Ribs, and Belly. You want cuts that “look” like there is a lot of fat on the meat. Much of that fat will find its way off the meat and into the broth that is created. And, you may be surprised as to how little fat you actually created in that broth (then again, sometimes you’ll be surprised as to how much you created). Some of that “white stuff” on the cut of pork is not fat. Some of that is connective tissues that will break down during this low-and-slow cook and be part of why this roast is so tender after cooking for so long. As well, that non-fat “white stuff” will add so much to the nutrition of this roast.
As per the USDA website: “Cooking Whole Cuts of Pork: USDA has lowered the recommended safe cooking temperature for whole cuts of pork from 160 ºF to 145 ºF with the addition of a three-minute rest time.” We are going to reach 145 ºF long before we are done cooking this roast. So, don’t consider this roast “done” at 145 ºF. Paraphrasing Buzz Lightyear, “To 145ºF / 63ºC and BEYOND!”
This is an easy recipe. There is no searing or anything. Just brine, coat, and cook; that’s all.
I am going to have to tell you, though this recipe is created with a sweet stout, the best beer to enjoy the sweetness and nuttiness of this coffee-crusted pork roast is with nice IPA or easy-drinking-lager. Brine this pork roast in sweetness and eat this pork roast with hoppiness. For me…the hoppier the better.
It’s BOTH! An entrée and an ingredient
This recipe is essentially a meal and also an ingredient. It’ll eat like any meat on the plate with a nice side of green beans and mashed potatoes. That broth this roast will create will make for a WONDERFUL gravy for those mashed potatoes.
More often than not, we use this recipe to create the pulled pork for many, many other ideas from sandwiches to pizza. Creating enchiladas with this pulled pork will create a South-of-the-Border dish that is even more southern that our wonderful Mexico neighbors. Coffee from places South, South-of-the-Border like Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, and Peru (to name only a few) will take your Mexican dishes to the next level.
Get creative with it! Make something new and exciting.
Beer to Use
Pork tents to lend itself to sauces that are on the sweet side. For me, I don’t like meat that is too sweet but I do like a hint of sweetness with my pork roast and pork ribs. There are a few exceptions but very few. With pork, sweetness does enhance the flavor.
It’s kinda like beer. You have your malts (sweet) and your hops (bitter). Together they are an amazing duo! It’s sort of the same way with pork. A bit of sweetness…not too much…and the flavor comes alive!
I will brine this pork roast for 2-5 days in a nice beer that is on the sweet side. But, I don’t add sugar to my coffee dry rub. You are more than welcome to add a bit of brown sugar to your dry rub if you like your pork roast a little bit on the sweeter side. My suggestion is to follow this recipe and then add sugar to the dry rub the next time you prepare it if you felt this first go was not as sweet as you prefer.
It was funny. As I started writing this section of this recipe, I ended up with a whole story about a beer we used to use to brine our pork roasts and pork ribs in. Read the slightly embellished tale here: https://beerandiron.com/2023/01/sin-tax-story-of-love-and-loss
A nice on-the-sweet-side porter or stout will do this roast great. We use three pints in a large zipper bag. Just pour the three pints into the large zipper bag, add the salt (1 tablespoon of kosher salt per 12-ounces of beer), and mix about. Then, all you have to do is drop the pork roast into the bag of beer brine and set the whole package up and into the refrigerator until the morning of the day you plan to cook.
Here’s a story about the beer we used in the video: https://beerandiron.com/2023/01/sin-tax-story-of-love-and-loss
The Cast Iron
Select a Cast Iron Dutch Oven that will hold the size of the roast “comfortably.” Don’t have an over-full Dutch oven. Normally your standard 5-quart Dutch will work A-OK with most pork roasts you find at the market. But larger roasts may call for you to pull your 7- or even your 9-quart Dutch oven. You want some air space all around the roast and to take the broth as it’s produced. Whereas, don’t put a 3 pound roast in a 9-quart Dutch oven. Some room, but not a lot of room. As long as the roast isn’t touching the sides of the Dutch oven and the lid will close without pressing the lid down, you are okay. You want the roast to be comfortable but not sitting in a Dutch oven so large in comparison that you’d just soon leave the roast in the open oven and roast it.
Considering a camp Dutch oven, you are okay with going a little larger and leaving a bit more air space around the roast. The heat source in a camp Dutch oven is the Dutch oven (briquettes) and a bit of air space is good to allow for even cooking. It is worth noting that cooking this roast in a camp Dutch oven will require quite a few briquette / coal changes.
Most 5-quart Dutch ovens have a simple, round lid. Some of the larger Dutch oven’s have a pour spout or two on the rim at the 12 o’clock and the 6 o’clock side of the rim (if the handles are at 9 and 3 o’clock). The lid for these Dutch ovens have “wings” that cover these pour spouts. If you are using a Dutch oven with these pour spouts, be sure to line the lid up to keep them covered while the roast is cooking. It’s amazing how much moisture will escape from these pour spouts; your roast just may turn out dry.
The Supplies
We are going to brine the roast, truss the roast, mix a dry coffee-rub to roll the roast in, and roast (braise and roast) the roast (that’s a lot of “roasts”). I will include (affiliate) links:
- Large Zipper Bag or Bowl Large enough to hold the brine and keep the roast submerged. https://amzn.to/3WikJiU
- Tablespoon Measuring Spoon https://amzn.to/3QBR7vm
- Teaspoon Measuring Spoon https://amzn.to/3QBR7vm
- ½ Cup Measuring Cup https://amzn.to/3GMgpmi
- Butcher’s Twine to Truss the Roast https://amzn.to/3iwvDDP
- Scissors to Cut the Butcher’s Twine https://amzn.to/3IMPKYV
- Trivet to set the Roast on in the Dutch Oven https://amzn.to/3Xq0joY
- Paper towels to pat dry the roast.
- Tray to set the roast on (SO USEFUL). https://amzn.to/3CNR0r7
- Fork to test for Fork-Tenderness
- Strainer to strain the broth at the end of the cook: https://amzn.to/3HZcT9N
- Bowl to catch the strained broth
- Mason Jars to store the broth: https://amzn.to/3X0k7yA
- Plastic Lids for the wide mouth Mason Jars: https://amzn.to/3leGser
- Canning Funnel: https://amzn.to/3DHMaMh
Link to Lodge 5-Quart Two-Handle: https://amzn.to/3w2DDQ8
Link to Lodge 7-Quart Two-Handle: https://amzn.to/3QFyG9p
Link to Lodge 9-Quart with the Bail Handle: https://amzn.to/3H5e9aM
You will see me cooking with my 5-Quart (https://amzn.to/3Wis7uE), 7-Quart (https://amzn.to/3GGPIiy), and 9-Quart (https://amzn.to/3H5e9aM) Iron Dutch Ovens with Bail Handle. Truth be known, I think if I had to go back (and likely will), I’d stick with the two-handles (links above).
Note the Trivet. Using a trivet is totally optional. This roast will produce a nice broth with plenty of fat and juices that are piping full of flavor. I don’t want my roast to boil in these juices and prefer to keep the roast (as I do most all my roasts) off the bottom of the pan.
I use a round trivet from Lodge. I stack two of these trivets on top of each other. If you have not used a trivet when you cook, you should give it a try.
Most of the trivets I see for sale on sites like Amazon are meant to be used for protecting non-cooktop surfaces (setting hot pots upon rather to cook food upon). This is not a complaint but more of a concern. Not all trivets are to be used INSIDE the Dutch oven during cooking. Many are meant for decoration and to set the hot Dutch oven upon. If the trivets come with little rubber grippers on the little legs…don’t use it in the pot with or without the rubber parts; these are likely trivets to be used outside the pot.
We have two round trivets that are meant for cooking. We have a third oval one that has been stripped and can be used inside the oven. A trivet is optional in this recipe but suggested. PLUS: those round trivets work GREAT as a bacon press.
Ingredients
3-5 Pound Pork Roast (Pork Roast Shown in the video is at 4.3 pounds). The limits to the size of your roast is limited to the size of your pot.
A few tablespoons of a rich, tasty mustard.
Salt Beer Brine (1 Tablespoon of Salt to 12-Ounces of Beer)
The Dry Rub:
½ Cup Coffee Grounds Fresh
1 Teaspoon Pepper
1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
1 Tablespoon Onion Powder
2 Tablespoons of Smoked Paprika
1 Tablespoon Thyme
1 Tablespoon (Heaping) Rubbed Sage or a Level Tablespoon of Ground Sage
You are more than welcome to add a couple or three tablespoons of brown sugar if you prefer your pork roasts on the sweeter side.
We don’t add Salt to our Dry Rub because this roast has been in a salt-beer brine for the past 2-5 days. Like sweetness, if you find this recipe to be lacking in the salt department, next time add a teaspoon of salt to the dry rub and see how it turns out.
Also, you can add other ingredients to your dry rub (or even brine) depending on your end result specifics. For example, you may want to prepare your coffee-crusted pork roast for fajitas. You can add a bit of chili or cumin to the brine or rub or you can just wait and add it at the table. Totally up to you.
And that’s it. Basically, a pat dried pork roast covered with a thin layer of tasty mustard rolled around in a coffee dry rub until coated.
EASY!
Prepare the Ingredients
Cooking Times. The cook time on this roast is low-and-slow. I know you want more clarity. This morning, I am cooking the roast with this final recipe to ensure I have it spot-on right. I put the roast in at 9:30am and will pull it out at 5:30pm. That’s eight hours. It’s about 4 ½ pounds in a 5-quart Dutch oven at 200°F (95°C). Not only will this turn out fork-tender, I’ll likely be able to cut that roast with a fork.
What I love about a low-and-slow recipe is this: I know that the roast will be ready at 5:30pm. I often use my roast (beef, pork, lamb, game) as ingredients in other recipes. We are having pulled pork fajitas tonight. I will need some bell peppers and onions cut and sautéing by the time 5:30 rolls around. At about 4:30 or 5:00, I will start with all the other preparations. I can rest assured that it will all come together at the same time.
Oh…and there is no searing.
Step 1: A few days before you plan to cook the roast, pick up a nice pork roast from the market and bring it home to brine.
Step 2: Using a large zipper bag, pour in enough beer that would keep the pork roast submerged in the brine. We usually use 3 pints (three 16-ounce beers) or 48 ounces. 48 ounces divided by twelve is four. We will use 4 tablespoons of salt with those 3 pints to create our brine. By the way, 48 ounces is four 12-ounce beers.
Step 3: Place the roast into the brine and zipper up the bag. Place the bag holding the brining pork roast in a container large enough to “catch” any spillage while in your refrigerator.
Step 4: Let the roast brine for 2-5 days or even a bit longer.
Ready To Cook – Preheat your oven to 200°F (95°C).
Step 5: On the morning of the day you are planning to have a pork roast dinner. Remove the roast in the brine from the refrigerator. Let it sit out and “rest” a bit at room temperature. You’ll never get it to room temperature and nor should you. My suggestion to keep this simple is this: when you wake up, pull the roast down and let it sit out (either in the brine or out). “Do” your normal morning activities for that particular day. About 8-9 hours before “dinner time,” prepare your roast per this recipe. Then let it cook for 7-8 hours.
Step 6: Place a few paper towels in the bottom of a tray, plate, or bowl. Remove the dripping roast from the brine and set it on top of the paper towels in the tray, plate, or bowl.
NOTE: Do you see how the sections of meat are sort of separating? You may need to truss the meat before you proceed. Trussing is totally optional though may keep your roast from “flattening out” during the cooking process.
Step 7: Pat the roast dry. Just a once or twice over will do the trick. No over-thinking this part. If it still “glistens” a bit from the light, no worries. It’s good enough. We just don’t want it dripping if we were to hold it up.
Step 8: Apply a thin layer of mustard to the roast. If you don’t like mustard, don’t add it. The tackiness of the roast will gather enough of the dry rub ingredients if you prefer not to add the mustard. This roast will not turn out to taste like a mustard roast. Just add a thin layer of mustard to the roast and set the roast aside. It’s okay if the roast is “sitting” on a side that you applied mustard to. It’s A-OK.
Step 9: Create your dry rub. Just blend all the ingredients together and in a bowl. Make sure the dry rub is blended well.
Step 10: Apply the dry rub ingredients to the roast. You can either pour the dry rub onto a plate or tray and turn the roast into the dry rub or you can pour the dry rub right onto the roast and roll it around until coated.
Note: There will be dry rub left over. You can either save it or toss it. Seems wasteful, but it’s like battering a chicken or corn meal-ing a fish filet, there’s always a little that didn’t get used. Because a raw pork roast has been rolling around in that dry rub, we just toss it. Otherwise, you have to date it and remember this-that-and-the-other. Truth be known, it ain’t that much to worry with.
Step 11: Set a trivet in the bottom of your Dutch oven. This is optional. It will cook just fine and dandy sitting on the bottom of that Dutch oven. We usually use a trivet when we cook this recipe and especially when we cook this roast (or any roast) in a camp Dutch oven.
Step 12: Place the coffee-crusted pork roast on the trivets in (or the bottom of the) Dutch oven. Cover the pot with the lid and give the lid a ½ turn. Look under the lid and note the top of the pork roast. If the lid did not “catch” the top of the roast when you turned the lid, you have enough air space between the lid and the roast.
Step 13: Place the covered, coffee-crusted pork roast in the oven for 6-8 hours (sometimes less and sometimes longer).
Later that Evening
Step 14: Using something to protect your hands from the hot Dutch oven, remove the roast from the oven. Have a fork at the ready before lifting the lid. Check for fork-tenderness. If the fork “goes into” the roast with ease, then your roast is ready!
If it does not pass the fork-tender test, cover the roast and place the roast back into the oven for another hour and check again. Keep checking until it’s done.
Step 15: Leave the roast to rest until you are ready to eat. This could be right away or a few minutes later. It’ll wait on you.
Step 16: After you have removed the roast from the Dutch oven, remove the trivets from the pot and place on a paper towel to “soak up” some of the broth and (especially) the oil/fat. This way, when you wash off your trivets, you will not wash that fat down the drain. That fat will coagulate at room temperature and eventually plug your drain.
Step 17: Pour over the broth and fat that remains in the Dutch oven and into a hot-safe storage container like a wide-mouth canning jar. This should be done before the fat starts to cool and clump up. You want the very warm broth and fat to get into the container you plan to store the broth and fat in before the fat starts to become solid. The fat will float to the top and “get hard” in the refrigerator (with some exceptions).
The broth will be as black as Blix’s Heart (see video for reference :\). A layer of oil/fat will rise to the surface. The oil/fat will solidify in the fridge and will be easy to remove and toss or cook with. Store the broth in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it or enough time has passed that you feel it should be tossed. How long will it keep in the refrigerator? I am not sure but if you feel it’s been too long; it’s been too long…chunk it!
The broth can be saved to create a soup or a stew. Believe it or not but I do enjoy this broth with a BEEF stew or soup.
Now you have an empty Dutch oven. Wipe the remaining “stuff” out of the Dutch oven with a paper towel and toss that paper towel. A quick wash out with hot water should do the trick. Pat dry the Dutch oven with a towel and you’re done!
ENJOY!!
Summary
Really and truly, it’s just that easy. This coffee rub works GREAT as a pork rib rub too.
You are going to find that you will have PLENTY of leftovers (unless you have a family the size of the Waltons). We will use these leftovers in other recipes. Tomorrow, I am going to take that left-over pork and use it with some cabbage. While some onions sauté in the cast iron Dutch oven, I’ll chop up a head of cabbage. Then I will add the cabbage along with some of this roast. That pork and cabbage will complement each other. And, that dinner will take me about 20 minutes prep time and 30 minutes cook time. My wife and I will likely cook together and reduce the time as well as spend time with each other.
Fajitas are easy too. Flour tortilla, drop some cheese that will melt when you add the hot pork roast meat. A bit of sautéed onion and bell pepper and you are cooking! We add tomato and lettuce for more of a soft taco “deal.” I know many of you will say, “well, then that’s not fajitas…” Not caring! Whatever you want to call it, I call it delicious!
Finally, I agree with you…this coffee crusted pork roast is not a pretty sight…I guess I could have thrown in some color to spruce it up. My wish is that you are intrigued and are going to give it a try. Then, you’ll taste it and love it and be programmed to see my ugly, black roast and think, “YUMMY!!”
Beer-Brined Coffee-Crusted Pork Roast
Sweet beer-brined, roasted coffee-crusted Pork Roast cooked Low-and-Slow
Equipment
- Lodge 5-Quart Dutch Oven
- Large Zipper Bag For Beer Brining
- Tablespoon measuring spoon
- Tablespoon measuring spoon
- ½ Cup Measuring Cup
- Butcher's Twine to Truss the Roast
- Scissors to Cut the Butcher's Twine
- Trivet to set the Roast on in the Dutch Oven
- Paper Towels to pat dry the roast
- Trays to set the roast on (SO USEFUL)
- Fork to test for Fork-Tenderness
- Strainer to strain the broth at the end of the cook
- Bowl to catch the strained broth
- Mason Jars to store the broth
- Plastic Lids for the wide mouth Mason Jars
- Canning Funnel
Ingredients
- 4 Pound Pound Pork Roast
- 36 Ounce Sweeter Beer Brine Enough to cover the roast. (1 Tablespoon of Salt to 12-Ounces of Beer)
- 3 TBL Kosher Salt
- Mustard Amount depends on the size of the roast.
Dry Rub
- ½ Cup Fresh Coffee Grounds
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 TBL Garlic Powder
- 1 TBL Onion Powder
- 2 TBL Smoked Paprika or Regular Paprika
- 1 TBL Dry Thyme
- 1 TBL Rubbed Sage or a bit less (or more) of ground sage
Instructions
Pre Cook Brine
- A few days before you plan to cook the roast, pick up a nice pork roast from the market and bring it home to brine.
- Using a large zipper bag, pour in enough beer that would keep the pork roast submerged in the brine. We usually use 3 pints (three 16-ounce beers) or 48 ounces. 48 ounces divided by twelve is four. We will use 4 tablespoons of salt with those 3 pints to create our brine. By the way, 48 ounces is four 12-ounce beers.
- Place the roast into the brine and zipper up the bag. Place the bag holding the brining pork roast in a container large enough to “catch” any spillage while in your refrigerator.
- Let the roast brine for 2-5 days or even a bit longer.
Day of the Cook
- About 8-9 hours before “dinner time,” prepare your roast per this recipe. Then let it cook for 7-8 hours.
- Preheat your oven to 200°F / 95°C
- Place a few paper towels in the bottom of a tray, plate, or bowl. Remove the dripping roast from the brine and set it on top of the paper towels in the tray, plate, or bowl.
- Pat the roast dry. Just a once or twice over will do the trick.
Create your Coffee Dry Rub in a Separate Bowl
- Add the ½ Cup of Dry Coffee Grounds
- Add the 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- Add the 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
- Add the 1 Tablespoon Onion Powder
- Add the 2 Tablespoons Smoked Paprika
- Add the 1 Tablespoon Dry Thyme
- Add the 1 Tablespoon Rubbed Sage
Prepare the Roast for the Oven
- Apply a thin layer of mustard to the roast.
- Apply the Coffee Dry Rub to the Roast by rolling the mustard-covered roast in the dry rub.
- Set a trivet in the bottom of your Dutch oven (optional)
- Place the coffee-crusted pork roast on the trivets in (or the bottom of the) Dutch oven. Cover the pot with the lid.
- Place the covered, coffee-crusted pork roast in the oven for 6-8 hours (sometimes less and sometimes longer).
6-7 Hours Later
- Remove the roast from the oven. Have a fork at the ready before lifting the lid. Check for fork-tenderness.
- Leave the roast to rest until you are ready to eat.
- Pour over the broth and fat that remains in the Dutch oven and into a hot-safe storage container like a wide-mouth canning jar.
Notes
Prepare your self for the roast to go in with that red color of the dry coffee rub and come out of the oven so black it’ll look burned. You want this roast to look black when you pull it out of the oven about 6-8 hours after you put it in there.
Don’t check on the roast until you are ready to check for fork-tenderness.
What to Expect
There are two products that you will end up with at the end of your cook:
A Dark, Coffee Crusted, Fork-Tender Pork Roast
A Cup (or less) to a Quart (or more) of dark, coffee-looking broth.
WE WANT BOTH!
Nutrition
Serving: 4ozCalories: 164kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 22gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 1150mgPotassium: 458mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0.3gVitamin A: 965IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 41mgIron: 2mg
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