Summer is coming to an end and the crisp air of Autumn will be here in no time. One of my favorite parts of the seasons changing is making heartier and more comforting foods. I'm one of those people who cannot bring myself to eat soups and stews in the heat, but I love hot dishes when the weather cools down. I use my dutch oven so much in the fall and winter that it has a permanent place on the stove, so dutch oven recipes are a must as I enter cooler weather.
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Dutch ovens are the ultimate versatile kitchen product. It's essentially a large bottomed pan that can be used with or without the lid. Dutch ovens can withstand high temperatures, making them the perfect item to stick into the oven. They're also great for one pot meal nights. You can throw all of your ingredients in the dutch oven and simmer it on the stove or pop it in the oven.
Nothing is more comforting than walking into the kitchen to the smells of freshly braised meat and sauce. Dutch ovens are especially useful for braising meats. Cast iron dutch ovens have great heat retention and create an even distribution of heat. You can easily sear a piece of meat, then add liquids and pop it in the oven to braise for a few hours.
There are countless dutch oven recipes, but we've rounded up our favorite recipes to use when the seasons change.
Beef and Barley Soup
WOE
Warm, filling, and loaded with hearty chunks of beef round, this beef and barley soup is a great way to add fiber into your dinner without resorting to prunes. Tender potatoes and carrots are mixed with juicy bits of beef and toothsome barley for a complete meal after raking leaves or tending to the garden.
Get the recipe here.
Beef Stew
Lyndsay Cordell
When the cold sets in, a big bowl of beef stew is the perfect way to warm up. The meat is first seared over hot oil in the dutch oven. Fresh thyme is added, along with potato, celery, and carrots. Tomato sauce, tomato paste, red wine, and Worcestershire add a depth of flavor to the entire stew. Once everything is added, pop the dutch oven into the oven, until the meat is fork tender.
Get the recipe here.
Pozole Verde
Slice of Jess
Pozole verde is a Mexican soup made with hominy, tomatillos, and spicy peppers. It's the perfect fall dish, as tomatillos and peppers are still in season. Everything is cooked in the dutch oven, including the chicken and hominy. This soup is spicy, but if you prefer to tone down the heat, remove the ribs and seeds from the chiles before cooking.
Get the recipe here.
Chicken and Dumplings
Garnished Plate
Chicken and dumplings are so simple to make but so good. Chicken, carrots, and celery are sautéed in a dutch oven until cooked. Seasonings, chicken broth, and cream are added for a creamy consistency. The dumpling dough is mixed separately then dropped into the soup to finish cooking. Once cooked, ladle it into bowls and enjoy the piping hot and fluffy dumplings.
Get the recipe here.
Tortellini Soup with Sausage
Scrambled Chefs
Soup is a great weeknight meal because it takes little prep time and tastes better the longer it cooks. Sausage is cooked down in the dutch oven with beef broth and seasonings. Once sausage is cooked, the soup simmers for an hour. Store bought tortellini and heavy cream is added and cooked for 10 minutes. This soup is best served with a loaf of crusty bread.
Get the recipe here.
Osso Buco
Porter Road
Osso buco sounds fancy, but it's quite simple to make at home. Osso buco is a dish made from braised beef shank. The beef shank is seared in a dutch oven until browned on all sides. Carrots, beef stock, tomatoes, and wine are added to the meat and the meat braises in the oven for 3 hours. It's traditionally served over polenta, but mashed potatoes make a great base to sop up the juice.
Get the recipe here.
Firehouse Chili
Adventures of a Nurse
Chili is synonymous with fall. It's warm, comforting, and usually served with a warm piece of cornbread. This chili cooks all together in the dutch oven, so the flavors from the beef and beans meld together. Once the chili cooks for one hour, it's ready to serve. If you're not a fan of beans, you can omit them. If you want to make this vegetarian, remove the meat, and add in your favorite veggies.
Get the recipe here.
