I just got a Le Creuset for xmas!

December 27, 2016 9:39 AM

7 1/4 qt, honey yellow, aka perfect. Gimme all your favorite dutch oven recipes.
posted by monologish to Food & Drink (29 answers total)

The best recipe: No-Knead Bread.
posted by ourobouros at 9:42 AM on December 27, 2016 [10 favorites]

Fine Cooking's recipe for Coq au Vin. This one uses white wine, which is a bit different, but frankly, this recipe is the entire reason I got a le creuset.
posted by janey47 at 9:46 AM on December 27, 2016 [1 favorite]

No-Knead in a dutch oven is delightful, but we screwed up a non-Creuset enameled cast-iron by not putting it into the oven while it pre-heated. We found out later from the Internet that dumping it into an oven that hot without any liquid in it can cause cracks like what we saw. But maybe that won't be a problem with your Le Creuset?

So now that cast iron is just used for no-knead.

We use our dutch oven to make the rice in this, which showcases the joys of enameled cast iron going from stovetop to oven. If doubling the amount (because y'know), it generally takes us closer to 40 minutes to cook the rice, 30 with the lid on, and then about 7-10 with the lid off and a good stir, so that the rice dries out a little. It makes the whole kitchen smell INCREDIBLE.
posted by joyceanmachine at 9:52 AM on December 27, 2016 [3 favorites]

This comes out amazing.
posted by ftm at 9:52 AM on December 27, 2016 [3 favorites]

This is my amusingly vulgar recipe for Caveman Chicken.

1 chicken, whole.
1 medium to large size onion, cut into chunks
1 lemon, in chunks. Two if you have small lemons.
Six slices of bacon
Some kind of fat - bacon grease, olive oil, coconut oil, some kind of paleo-approved fat is fine. Ghee. Butter. Whatever.
Salt, pepper.

I do mine in a dutch oven in the oven at 425. You can use whatever roasting/baking dish. Doesn't matter, but I love my dutch oven for this.

So 425, take your bird and make sure you've gotten out any organs and so on. Rub a couple table spoons of your chosen fat substance all over it along with salt and pepper. Stuff it with the onion and lemon. Spray your baking dish / tin foil/whatever, put the bird in. Nestle remaining onion and lemon around bird. If you are feeling froggy squeeze a little lemon juice on it. Take your bacon and lay it over the breast (which will be facing up) in a trellis pattern (some horizontal, some vertical) throw the bird in there for 20 minutes per pound (usually my birds need about 1.5 hours).

Take it out of the oven and marvel at how you are yanking out the bone from the drumstick. Eat like a fucking caveman. The end.
posted by Medieval Maven at 9:55 AM on December 27, 2016 [10 favorites]

Braised Oxtails (or braised anything, really).

For the most fun, check out this "Easy" Oven-Cooked Pulled Pork Recipe. I put scare quotes around "easy" because of the whole flambe aspect which, in my particular kitchen, requires careful tactical execution involving heat shields (aka cookie sheets) and welding mitts. This might be less exciting for you if you have vent hood that is mounted higher up than mine is. But it is seriously tasty. And fun.

Carmelized onions are so much easier in the oven (the first few steps of this recipe are basically the Cooks Illustrated method)

Then there are the old standards: your chili (I don't really use a recipe anymore), your beans.
posted by sparklemotion at 9:56 AM on December 27, 2016 [2 favorites]

Brisket, braised in beer.
posted by bunderful at 9:57 AM on December 27, 2016

The red sauce recipe ftm linked to is awesome. Also, we really like Chicken Paprikash.
posted by noneuclidean at 10:11 AM on December 27, 2016 [2 favorites]

I do fancy braised Brussels. Halve the brussels. Some extra virgin olive oil, tamari or shoyu, fresh pepper and sea salt, and aged balsamic in the pan, toss the brussels to coat. Cover and bake for about 20 mins at 350 F, then remove the cover and broil for 5 mins at 500 F (NB, my oven is convection so modify if necessary).

Add garlic, onions, or other spices to change the flavour profile. I typically do a few shakes of dry harissa but have also had good success with cider vinegar, ras al hanout, and fresh rosemary and sage. Other veg like celery and carrots go well with this.
posted by a halcyon day at 10:25 AM on December 27, 2016 [1 favorite]

We just received one as a gift this year, and the last thing I made in it was this pork red pozole stew.
posted by migurski at 10:27 AM on December 27, 2016 [1 favorite]

Cassoulet!
posted by Dr. Twist at 10:42 AM on December 27, 2016 [4 favorites]

https://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/4232-mexican-pulled-pork-carnitas
posted by humboldt32 at 11:16 AM on December 27, 2016 [1 favorite]

Literally any slow cooker recipe (especially stews or pot roasts) is going to be doable but better in the dutch oven. 275 degree oven, lid on but cracked slightly. Might need more liquid, either to start or near the end. Check and stir very periodically.
posted by supercres at 11:23 AM on December 27, 2016 [2 favorites]

Rice pilaf dishes that develop a crust on the bottom are flawless in a pot like this.
posted by quince at 11:34 AM on December 27, 2016

Christmas Eve, I whipped this up for my family: Pork and Green Chili Stew. N.B. It calls for a cup of water, but a cup of lighter (maybe Mexican) beer will add to the flavor.
posted by emelenjr at 12:10 PM on December 27, 2016

Jambalaya works well in one.
posted by typecloud at 12:39 PM on December 27, 2016

ANY bread where you want a nice substantial crust.
posted by the_blizz at 1:01 PM on December 27, 2016

I prefer this carnitas recipe over the ATK one linked above.
posted by slenderloris at 1:29 PM on December 27, 2016 [1 favorite]

Classic Beef Pot Roast with Pistachio Salt from 'The New Midwestern Table'
posted by gennessee at 2:38 PM on December 27, 2016 [1 favorite]

Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon! PDF from Knopf of original recipe; internetted w/ pics. It's terribly involved for regular (IMO), but I make it sometimes on Sundays in the winter when I'm around the house all day anyway.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 4:34 PM on December 27, 2016 [1 favorite]

Not only my favorite dutch oven meal but also my favorite "peasant" recipe: Chicken Paprikash. I make this in my Dutch oven and have yet to serve it to anyone who wasn't convinced as to its simple genius. Egg noodles and sour cream are a must; use more paprika than the dish calls for! It is simple but hearty winter nourishment.
posted by nightrecordings at 8:45 PM on December 27, 2016 [1 favorite]

FYI (related to the no knead bread recipe and a few others linked here), the phenolic (black) knob on the LC is only oven proof up to 375 F. You can cover it with aluminum foil, though I've heard that over time that might not do the trick to keep it from cracking. You can also easily take off the knob if you want to use high heat for a certain recipe, or buy a stainless steel knob (Le Creuset makes one).
posted by the thorn bushes have roses at 9:51 PM on December 27, 2016 [2 favorites]

I have the same Dutch oven, but in a different color and love it! Don't need to cook that much food very often so don't use it as much as I could, but it is great. Someone must really like you! I have tried a number of the recipes above (or similar) and have had good luck; This French chicken in a pot is one of my favorites. I have also used it for paella (I think this recipe, or one very similar) with great success.
posted by TedW at 5:33 AM on December 28, 2016 [1 favorite]

Beef stew is absolutely my favorite dutch oven food - I don't use a recipe, but: dredge beef cubes in flour and seasoning of your preference (I usually use Penzey's Smoked 4S or Lawry's) . Put the dutch oven on the stovetop, put a bit of fat in, and lightly brown the floured beef cubes on all sides. Remove the beef cubes, dice an onion, lightly sauté it, add several potatoes (cut into cubes about the same size as the beef) and carrots (cut into ~1-inch chunks). Add the beef cubes back on top; toss in a couple bay leaves (remove before eating), a tablespoon of sugar, and a bullion cube or equivalent amount of soup base, and pour over one small can of plain tomato sauce and 1-2 cups of red wine or dark beer. Salt and pepper liberally to taste. Cook at ~325F covered for 3-5 hours, checking every hour or so that it's not drying out. Serve with crusty bread. Enjoy.

Also, some peas, some green beans, or some tomato chunks can make a nice addition if you're not feeling like a purist.

Also seconding cassoulet, though I don't get to make that as often as my family is not big on beans. :-(
posted by jferg at 11:11 AM on December 28, 2016 [1 favorite]

I made this Ragu Bolognese recently for use in a lasagna and it was incredible. If you search the Serious Eats site you'll find even more elaborate versions of bolognese that will put your new cookware to good use.
posted by mmascolino at 2:14 PM on December 28, 2016

There's a really great book you should check out. All About Braising by Molly Stevens. Amazing recipes, very easy to follow, and tons of good information.
posted by switcheroo at 2:50 PM on December 28, 2016

As I have mentioned before, be careful with no-knead bread in a nice Le Creuset. Mine lost its glossy sheen following that recipe.

(Also see my link for previous suggestions)
posted by misterbrandt at 4:18 PM on December 28, 2016

Carbonnade flamande!
Which is the beer version of Boeuf bourguignon which uses wine.
Both dishes are really easy to make although a bit time consuming.
posted by SageLeVoid at 5:40 PM on December 28, 2016 [1 favorite]

Cochinita pibil is one of my go-to dishes, the citrus and banana leaves make it taste wonderful to me . Rick Bayless has a recipe (for a huge amount) but I usually go a little less from scratch and use El Yucateco brand achiote paste. Here's a recipe I've used minus the habeneros (ymmv). Actually, I don't use the vinegar either and I use white onions instead of red ones. I also slice an orange into rounds and cover the pork with them. Then I scatter the onion slices on top and along the sides and then wrap it in banana leaves (hojas de platanos).

When I make no-knead bread in mine I just take the knob off and stuff a rolled up piece of aluminum foil in the hole.
posted by Rufous-headed Towhee heehee at 12:38 AM on December 29, 2016