Pioneer Woman Dutch Oven Recipes

WINE-BRAISED CHICKEN WITH APRICOTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Add the olive oil to a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, place the chicken pieces skin-side down in a single layer in the pot. Cook on both sides, turning several times, until the skin is browned, about 4 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside.
• Add the garlic, carrot chunks and onion quarters, followed by the wine, stock, apricots and rosemary. Stir together, then return the chicken to the pot. Bring to the boil, cover and braise in the oven until the chicken and vegetables are tender, about 2 1/2 hours.
• Serve the chicken over Cheese Grits with the onions, carrots, garlic and apricots, making sure to get a spoonful or two of the cooking liquid. Garnish with parsley and serve.
• Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Slowly stir in the grits, then return to a boil and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Turn down the heat to low and stir in the Cheddar and cream cheese. Cook until the Cheddar is melted and the cream cheese is incorporated into the mixture, another 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the butter and keep warm until ready to serve.

PERFECT POT ROAST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
• Generously salt and pepper the chuck roast.
• Heat the olive oil in large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the halved onions to the pot, browning them on both sides. Remove the onions to a plate.
• Throw the carrots into the same very hot pot and toss them around a bit until slightly browned, about a minute or so. Reserve the carrots with the onions.
• If needed, add a bit more olive oil to the very hot pot. Place the meat in the pot and sear it for about a minute on all sides until it is nice and brown all over. Remove the roast to a plate.
• With the burner still on high, use either red wine or beef broth (about 1 cup) to deglaze the pot, scraping the bottom with a whisk. Place the roast back into the pot and add enough beef stock to cover the meat halfway.
• Add in the onions and the carrots, along with the fresh herbs.
• Put the lid on, then roast for 3 hours for a 3-pound roast. For a 4 to 5-pound roast, plan on 4 hours. The roast is ready when it's fall-apart tender.

BRAISED BRISKET AND VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Season the brisket on both sides with salt and pepper. In a Dutch over medium-high heat, brown the brisket in the olive oil on both sides for 6 to 8 minutes per side. Set aside.
• Add the onions, carrots and parsnips and saute for a minute or so until slightly browned. Add the broth, wine, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic and tomato paste and stir together. Put the brisket on top and place the whole bunches of rosemary and thyme around the brisket. Cover the pot, transfer to the oven and cook until the meat is fork-tender, about 5 hours.
• Remove the brisket from the pot and cover it in foil to rest for 10 minutes. Remove the herbs from the sauce and skim off any fat from the top. Slice the meat and return it to the pot to warm up. Sprinkle with the parsley before serving.

PIONEER WOMAN'S PERFECT POT ROAST

Steps:

• preheat oven to 275. Heat large pot or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add olive oil and let it get really hot.
• Salt and pepper the chuck roast on both sides. Cut the onions from root to tip, cut the ends off, and peel the skin off. Brown onions on both sides in dutch oven, then remove to a plate. Thoroughly wash carrots, chop and add to dutch oven and toss them around until slightly brown, about a minute or so.
• Remove the carrots and allow pot to become hot again.
• Sear roast about 1 minute per side and then remove to plate.
• Turn heat to high and deglaze the pot adding one cup of the beef broth.
• Add Meat back to pot, followed by carrots and onions. Pour beef broth into pot to cover the meat half way. Tuck thyme and rosemary into the broth, if you are using them.
• Cover pot and roast for 3-5 hours depending on the size of your roast. For a 3 pound roast, allow 3-3 1/2 hours, for a 4 to 5 pound roast, cook for 4 to 5 hours.
• When cooking time is over, check for doneness; insert a fork into meat, the fork should go in very easily and the meat should be very tender.
• Remove to cutting board and slice against the grain.
• Serve.
• Congratulations, you're a hero.