Cookbook author and recipe creator Katie Hale is a big fan of her Dutch oven. She uses it for everything from staples to comfort meals, from breakfast to dessert. And she wants to convert you to a Dutch oven lover too. With over 100 recipes to get you started, The Complete Dutch Oven Cookbook will give you the basics to learn to cook with a Dutch oven and to master a variety of recipes that will impress friends and family.
Hale starts with the basics of Dutch ovens, from how they’re made to the different shapes and sizes, so you know just what to get when you pick yours out. She also gives advice for keeping it in great shape and for how to stock your pantry and fridge so you’re ready to cook great things with it. And then it’s on to the recipes.
She starts with breakfasts, so you can start the day strong if you like a savory meal (Cheddar and Bacon Grits or Ham and Potato Breakfast Hash) or if you like a sweet start (Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal, Caramel Apple Money Bread, or Vanilla Bean Scones). Then she takes a detour to breads, so you can learn to make Quick-Rise Yeast Dinner Rolls, Classic Corn Bread, Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits, Rosemary Focaccia, Honey Oat Sandwich Bread, Brioche, or even an Artisan No-Knead Bread.
Then it’s off to sides, for Molasses Baked Beans, Scalloped Potatoes, Lemon-Garlic Green Beans, Creamed Sweet Corn, or Southern Corn Bread Dressing. Then it’s Soups and Stews like (one of my favorite meals) Chicken and Homemade Dumplings, Broccoli Cheddar Soup, Chunky Vegetable Soup, or Shredded Beef Chili with Sweet Potatoes.
If you’re not a meat eater, there are recipes throughout the book that are Vegetarian or Vegan, but there’s also an entire chapter that includes dishes like Black Bean Enchilada Bake, Chunky Ratatouille with Fresh Herbs, Deep-Dish Vegetable Pizza, Spinach Mushroom Risotto, Portabella Mushroom Pot Roast, or Three-Cheese Baked Macaroni and Cheese.
But if you do eat meat, there’s plenty here for you too. There’s a chapter on fish, with recipes like Baked Honey Dijon Salmon, Cajun Spiced Catfish, Crab Cakes with Spicy Garlic Aioli, Parmesan-Crusted Herbed Flounder, or Shrimp Scampi. There is an entire chapter for chicken dishes, like Coq au Vin, Chicken Paprikash, Chicken Pot Pie, Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bake, Coconut Curry Braised Chicken Thighs, or a Whole Roasted Chicken.
Then there’s the chapter on meat, which includes Barbecue Pulled Pork, Beef Lo Mein, Braised Short Ribs (also a favorite of mine), One-Pot Chili Mac, Baked Lasagna with Meat Sauce, Sirloin Tips with Mushroom Gravy, Roasted Pork Loin with Apples, or a Prime Rib of Beef.
And if you’re like me and have a sweet tooth, Hale is ready with ideas for dessert, like Baked Apple Dumplings, Cherry Dump Cake, Chocolate Walnut Brownies, Fresh Peach Cobbler, Mixed Berry Crisp, New York-Style Cheesecake, Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, or a Triple Chocolate Cake.
She even includes a chapter on staples, so you can use your Dutch Oven to make your own Chicken Bone Broth, Couscous, Creamy Polenta, Fluffy Jasmine Rice, Garlic and Italian Sausage Bolognese, Tomato Basil Marinara Sauce, Vegetable Broth, or Pinto Beans.
Hale’s love of Dutch ovens is obvious, as she shows off their usefulness and their versatility. I love the variety of recipes she offers, and I think it’s important that she included dessert and bread recipes. I do wish that there were more photos throughout, to show off the beautiful finished dishes that make me so hungry. The Complete Dutch Oven Cookbook is a great overview of Dutch oven cooking, with lots of bright ideas for beginner cooks or for those looking for an easier way to make almost anything in the kitchen.
Egalleys for The Complete Dutch Oven Cookbook were provided by Rockridge Press through the Callisto Media Publisher’s Club, with many thanks.
