Classic Chili
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Classic Chili
By: Marjorie Carey – allrecipes.com
“‘MOM’S CHILI was the best! She knew just the right ingredients to put her ‘stamp’ on it. I
could eat it with my eyes closed and know it was her recipe! It amazed me that she could put
it together in so little time.”
Prep Time:
10 Min
Cook Time:
1 Hr 50 Min
Ready In:
2 Hrs
Original Recipe Yields 10 servings
Ingredients
1 medium green pepper, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon cooking oil
2 pounds ground beef
2 (28 ounce) cans tomatoes, undrained, cut up
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup water
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
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1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 (16 ounce) cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
Directions
1. In a Dutch oven or large soup kettle, saute green pepper, onions and celery in oil until
tender, about 5 minutes.
2. Add ground beef and cook until browned; drain.
3. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, Worcestershire sauce and seasonings. Bring to a
boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
4. Add kidney beans.
5. Simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes longer.
LOOKING FOR A DUTCH OVEN FOR YOUR KITCHEN? SEE MY FULL REVIEW OF THE LE CREUSET
DUTCH OVEN.
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Le Creuset Cast Iron Mini Cocotte
Posted on by jim
A miniature round French Oven crafted from
the same quality materials as all Le Creuset
enameled cast iron cookware, this compact
1/3-quart design is ideal for preparing and
serving individual portions of dips, hors
d’oeuvres and desserts.
Cocotte is the French word for a Dutch oven
— and this Mini Cocotte offers all the
benefits of durable enameled cast iron in a
compact, stylish design that’s easily
presented alongside a place setting at the table. Whether starting with an appetizer of warm
spinach and artichoke dip or finishing a meal with individual portions of fruit cobbler, the Mini
Cocotte is a versatile and convenient solution for both preparation and serving.
Features
Even heat distribution and superior heat retention
Durable, nonreactive, nonporous satin black interior enamel
Colorful, long-lasting exterior enamel that resists chipping and cracking
Phenolic knob withstands temperatures up to 375°F
Available Colors
Capacity: 1/3 Qt.
Length: 5 1/4

Width: 4

Height: 3 1/2

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Weight: 1 3/4 lbs.
Piece count: 2
Interior Color: Satin Black
Material: Cast Iron
Recommended for: Individual Servings
Heat Source: Oven Cooking
Cleaning: Dishwasher Safe
Warranty: Lifetime
Country of origin: France
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My personal review of the Le
Creuset Dutch Oven
Posted on by jim
I love to cook and my wife and I enjoy watching cooking
shows on TV. One item we often see is a large cast iron or
enameled cast iron pot being used for braising, soups and
frying. Wanting to add one of these dutch ovens to our kitchen
so that we could make some of the amazing food we’ve seen,
I turned to the internet to find the right one. My extensive
research led me to the Le Creuset dutch oven.
—> Click here to buy a Le Creuset Dutch Oven from Amazon.
Why a Dutch oven?
Dutch ovens are made of heavy cast-iron, which is unparalleled for its heat distribution and
retention. This allows food to be cooked evenly and gently without hot spots at low
temperatures and is suitable for all heat sources. An enamel coating provides a long-lasting
exterior that resists chipping and cracking and the durable, nonreactive sand-colored interior
enamel provides a smooth surface for cooking.
Most often seen on cooking shows used for braising and deep frying, dutch ovens can also
be used for poaching, oven roasting and making stews, soups and sauces as well as cooking
beef roasts, every cut of pork available, whole and cut-up chicken, just about any kind of
meat you can think of.
One of the unexpected foods I learned about while doing the research is bread. Considered
one of the most difficult things to cook at home, artisan quality bread can be made in a Dutch
oven. No kneading, no fancy equipment or years of experience needed. See my write up
“Making artisan quality bread at home in a Le Creuset Dutch oven”.
Le Creuset Dutch Oven
Reviews, Tips and Recipes
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Dutch Oven
Le Creuset Dutch Oven – My personal review http://lecreusetdutchoven.net/le-creuset-dutch-oven/
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And for more information on what makes a Dutch oven so useful, see my write up “Dutch
Oven Cooking Benefits”.
Why a Le Creuset dutch oven?
The Le Creuset Dutch oven, or French ovens as Le Creuset (pronounced “Luh Cruhzay”) calls
them has been manufactured since 1925 in Northern France. They are known for their quality,
durability, and versatility and are considered a “must have” in a well equipped kitchen.
The Le Creuset dutch oven comes with a 101 year warranty on their cast iron products.
These dutch ovens have been around for a long time and are often considered heirloom
pieces which are handed down to the next generation.
Each Le Creuset dutch oven is cast in a one of a kind sand mold that is only used once. They
are hand finished, meaning an actual person sands, cleans, paints, inspects, etc each piece.
If a Dutch oven is found to be defective, it is melted down and the iron is recycled in the
creation of a new one.
The Le Creuset dutch oven is coated with enamel. Enamel coated cast iron has a few
benefits; 1 – Unlike with most cast iron cookware, the enamel eliminates the need to season
the cooking surface; 2 – The enamel allows you to cook and marinate with acidic foods such
as tomatoes and wine without reacting to the bare cast iron; 3 – They come in classic and
trend setting colors making them appealing enough to use as a serving dish.
Each Le Creuset Dutch oven has loop shaped handles that provide a sturdy gripping surface,
which is necessary due to the weight of cast iron. They also have high sides, making them
great for frying because the height reduces the amount of grease splatters.
HERE’S A GREAT VIDEO ABOUT HOW THE LE CREUSET DUTCH OVEN IS MADE.
Le Creuset Cast Iron Foundry
0:00 / 3:23
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Size (and shape) does matter!
The Le Creuset dutch oven comes in a variety
of sizes shapes. This allows you to pick an
appropriate size for your most common cooking
scenarios. Each size and shape has their
advantages and disadvantages, so to best
answer this question you must first determine
what you will be cooking most often and for
how many people.
In general, the 5 quart Le Creuset dutch oven is
good for cooking for 2 to 4 people, the 7 quart
is good for 4 to 6 people and the 9 quart for is
good for 6 to 8 people. These are the “round
number” versions of these sizes. For more
information and to see which shape is best for
you, see my write up, “Which is the best size Le Creuset Dutch Oven?”
What others are saying about the Le Creuset dutch oven…
The Le Creuset Dutch Oven has received rave reviews from with an average of 4.5 out of 5
from most reviewers on Amazon.
… With the Le Creuset dutch oven– you cook & serve all in one pan. And it cleans up super
easy, and even in the dishwasher for those who are lazy.
… The cast iron core of Le Creuset dutch oven gets hot and stays hot — Anyone can cook
French cuisine like Julia Child, even on a hot plate!
… It was worth every penny! Not only does this pot look beautiful on your stove top or dinner
table, the food cooks evenly and cleanup is a breeze.
… Extremely happy with the purchase.
What’s the catch?
Cast iron takes longer to heat up than stainless steel or aluminum. You will have to take this
in to consideration when planning a meal to finish cooking all at the same time. Exactly how
much longer is hard to say, each person’s experience will vary.
Cast iron pots are heavy, especially when filled with liquid. Kind of a no-brainer, but worth
mentioning. The 5.5 qt round dutch oven weighs 10.5 pounds when empty.
Though dishwasher-safe, the Le Creuset Dutch Oven should be hand washed for best
results.
Conclusion
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The Le Creuset dutch oven is becoming more popular, largely in part to their use on popular
cooking shows and by celebrity chefs. Their versatility makes them a wonderful tool in any
cook’s kitchen and the Le Creuset Dutch Oven is among the most widely used and most
popular.
For me personally, it comes down to the ease of use of the enameled Le Creuset dutch oven
(no seasoning necessary and easy to clean) as well as being able to cook acidic foods such
as my great grandmother’s tomato sauce that simmers for hours. It also doesn’t hurt that the
enamel comes in an array of attractive colors.
Where can I buy a Le Creuset Dutch Oven?
Amazon consistently has the best deals the Le Creuset dutch oven. At the moment they
include free shipping and from what I can tell when comparing prices with other online
merchants, Amazon currently has the best deal especially with the free shipping option. And
since Amazon does not have any brick and mortar stores, your purchase is tax free from
most states.
–> Click here to buy a Le Creuset Dutch Oven from Amazon.
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Dutch Oven Cooking Benefits
Posted on by jim
Dutch Oven Cooking Benefits
Anytime many people visualize Dutch oven cooking, they imagine those fatigued looking
pioneers cooking hunted animals or beans in those enormous black Dutch ovens. Even though
Dutch ovens had been useful for this sort of cooking they were useful for more than that and
the reality is, there are a number of advantages to Dutch oven cooking that many folks never
anticipate. This is a look at some of those advantages.
Dutch Ovens Are Versatile
One fantastic advantage of Dutch ovens is that they’re remarkably versatile. You can create
many dishes in them cooked in numerous various ways. Many are stunned to find out that you
can fry bacon and eggs, roast beef, make soups, stews and even casseroles and also bake
a cake or a cobbler or even biscuits in a Dutch oven. Yet, as unexpected as that may appear
you’re able to do all of that as well as cook stir fry too in the Dutch oven. The fact is, you will
discover hardly any foods that you are not able to make inside a Dutch oven.
Not only is it possible to create several different foods inside your Dutch oven but, you can
even utilize your Dutch oven to cook with an assortment of cooking sources. Dutch ovens can
be used to cook on top of your range, in the oven, over an open fire or over charcoals. You
may cook food using a Dutch oven along with your backyard bbq as well as on top of your
wood stove.
Dutch Ovens Can Save You Money And Time
Today more than ever folks are looking for ways to spend less and Dutch oven cooking will
help you to accomplish this without difficulty. Since Dutch ovens are intended for slow cooking
you can get some of those much less expensive cuts of meat and prepare savory meals
within your Dutch oven since the process of slow cooking will tenderize the meat and allow it
to become not just much easier to chew but, flavorsome at the same time. Plenty of people
are discovering that utilizing low priced cuts of meats in stews cooked on top of their wood
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burning stoves not only create a delectable and good supper but, at the same time saves on
their utility bills as well. Since they are burning the wood to heat up their homes anyway,
making use of the heat to prepare their meal makes perfect sense in addition to saving on
their utility bills.
Furthermore in case you are just creating budgets for their families, obtaining a couple of
Dutch ovens is an excellent method of conserving money on your cookware. Given that Dutch
ovens are so useful, families on a reasonably limited budget are discovering that by choosing
to acquire one or two Dutch ovens they are in fact not requiring to acquire various other pots
and pans that might add up to a large expense.
People are also finding that making use of Dutch ovens to prepare things such as soups,
stews and casseroles permits them to prepare ample food for many dishes at once. These
people simply make a big pot of soup or maybe a large amount of stew, serve supper for
their loved ones, and can still freeze enough for an additional meal or two which saves them
hours of food preparation time and provides a meal that’s not just nutritious and tasty but,
furthermore easy to warm later on.
Dutch Oven Cooking Is Enjoyable And Simple To Learn
An additional advantage to Dutch oven cooking is that it’s enjoyable as well as easy to learn.
Both men and women are discovering that they have a new interest in cooking food due to
the fact Dutch ovens deliver a sense of fun to food preparation. People are learning fresh
methods to create well balanced meals along with vegetarian dishes that look good and taste
superb and are really enjoyable to make. Men particularly enjoy the thrill they get baking
inside a Dutch oven and everybody loves discovering their own pioneering spirit when working
with their Dutch oven to prepare dinner over an open fire.
Supplying a more fun and interesting technique to prepare dinner also has lead to individuals
eating healthier overall. Now with preparing food more of an adventure than only a job many
households tend to be turning to fast foods much less and actual dishes a lot more. Even
young people delight in learning Dutch oven cooking once they learn that you can utilize this
useful cooking equipment to make incredible deep dish pizzas!
The renewed interest in Dutch oven cooking has many people learning the many fantastic
features that this type of cooking can give. Not only are you able to help save time and
money using this type of cooking but, cooking food in a Dutch oven can make food
preparation enjoyable again for the whole family.
LOOKING FOR A DUTCH OVEN FOR YOUR KITCHEN? SEE MY FULL REVIEW OF THE LE CREUSET
DUTCH OVEN.
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Le Creuset Cooking and Cleaning
Tips
Posted on by jim
Le Creuset Cooking and Cleaning Tips
Over time I have collected various tips and tricks to using Le Creuset enameled cast iron
cookware which are listed below. The obvious things that apply to all cookware such as using
pot holders or not adding cold water to hot pots or pans have been left out. The tips below
are specific to enameled cast iron.
Comments are welcome, especially if you have a tip to add.
Cooking
Le Creuset cast iron cookware can be used with all heat sources including gas, electric, glass
cook tops, induction heating, and ovens fired by gas, oil, coal or wood. When using any
glass-topped stove, never slide the pan as this may damage the stovetop or the base of the
pan.
Cast iron retains heat so efficiently that using high heat will cause food to burn or stick. This
may take some getting sued to but, medium or low heat will provide the best results for
cooking, including frying and searing. Allow the pan to heat gradually and thoroughly for even
and efficient cooking results. Once the pan is hot, almost all cooking can be continued on
lower settings.
High heat should only be used for boiling water, or for reducing stocks or sauces. High heat
should never be used to preheat a pan before lowering the heat for cooking.
The black, phenolic knob in the lid of the Le Creuset’s dutch oven is heat resistant up to
375 F. If needed, these can be replaced with a stainless steel knob, though I have read that
people have not had any issues with the knobs up to 450 . Better safe than sorry in my
estimation.
0
0
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Use wooden or plastic utensils instead of metal when cooking as metal spatulas, whisks, etc
can scratch the enamel, which can lead to cracking and chipping. Hand mixers should never
be used.
The enamel surface is impermeable and therefore ideal for raw or cooked food storage, and
for marinating with acidic ingredients such as wine.
Cleaning
Unlike regular cast iron, the enamel creates a non-permeable surface so it doesn’t need
seasoning. Because of this, it’s OK to use soap and water to clean your pots. Le Creuset
recommends filling the pan with hot water and allowing to soak for 15 to 20 minutes before
washing.
Nylon or soft abrasive pads or brushes can be used to remove food that remains stuck. Do
not use steel wool or harsh abrasives such as comet or bleach. I’d even avoid Soft Scrub.
Instead, consider Le Creuset’s Cookware Cleaner. Simply apply, let it dry and wipe away.
All pans with integral cast iron, phenolic handles (the black plastic type) or stainless steel
knobs can be washed in the dishwasher. However, frequent dishwashing may cause the color
of the enamel finish to dull over time. This is not harmful and will not impair performance, but
if you want your Le Creuset to keep its beautiful color, keep dishwasher use to a minimum.
For burned on or otherwise super stubborn stuck on food users have suggested making a
paste of baking soda and vinegar, letting that sit on the tough to clean area and then
scrubbing off with a sponge. Others have suggested lemon and salt to use as a safer
abrasive.
Buying a Le Creuset dutch oven is an investment in quality cookware, that if well cared for,
can be passed down to future generations. Be good to your tools and they will be good to
you.
LOOKING FOR A DUTCH OVEN FOR YOUR KITCHEN? SEE MY FULL REVIEW OF THE LE CREUSET
DUTCH OVEN.
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Le Creuset Recipes
Posted on by jim
Le Creuset is loved world wide for its high quality, style and ability to help you create amazing
food. But this cookware doesn’t do the cooking for you. So just what can you cook with your
beautiful enameled cast iron? We’ve put together a list of cookbooks that have some tasty Le
Creuset recipes written by chefs with extensive knowledge and explained simply for easy use
at home.
We’ve also searched the internet for the best and most highly rated, classic and popular Le
Creuset recipes and have listed them here. There are links at the bottom of this webpage as
well as in the Recipes section. Have a recipe you’d like to recommend? Send us an email and
we’ll add it to our list.
Le Creuset Recipes – Cookbooks
——————————————————————————————————————–
All About Braising – Molly Stevens – Purchase from Amazon
AMAZON.COM REVIEW
Braising–cooking food slowly and at low temperatures in a closed pot with a little liquid–
produces deeply flavorful food. Molly Stevens’s All About Braising is a definitive exploration
of this soul-satisfying approach to food. With 125 simple recipes for braises of all kinds–from
meat and poultry through seafood and vegetables, plus a thorough anatomy of technique
(Stevens explores oven versus stovetop braising, for example)–the book will please cooks at
every skill level.
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——————————————————————————————————————–
Glorious One-Pot Meals – Elizabeth Yarnell – Purchase from Amazon
REVIEW
“When I hear ‘crisp vegetables, tender meats, incredible flavor, ONE pot, and ready in less
than thirty minutes,’ I say COUNT ME IN! That’s my Quick Fix mantra! Who doesn’t cherish
strategies that deliver wholesome, family-friendly meals in just minutes? All in one pot, which
makes for easy cleanup. Glorious One-Pot Meals offers tons of variety, from the fabulously
ordinary to the incredibly extraordinary.
—Robin Miller, host of Food Network’s “Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller”
——————————————————————————————————————–
The Dutch Oven Cookbook – Sharon Kramis & Julie Kramis-Hearne – Purchase from
Amazon
REVIEW
This is one of the best cookbooks that I have ever purchased. The recipes are simple to
follow and do not call for exotic ingredients. The recipes we tried have all come out excellent
and I wouldn’t adjust any of the ingredients, cooking times or amounts. Well worth the money!
It looks like it will get plenty of use in our house.
—R.Blais, Amazon.com customer review
——————————————————————————————————————–
My Bread – Jim Lahey – Purchase from Amazon
REVIEW
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“Starred Review. The founder of New York’s Sullivan Street Bakery, Lahey started a
revolution in 2006 with his no-knead dough technique, in which flour, yeast, salt and water are
mixed together quickly, left alone for 12 hours, then baked in a Dutch oven. The bakingaverse
found themselves suddenly capable of bread-making with a minimum of skill and fuss,
opening a world of possibilities. … Once readers have mastered his basic dough (which won’t
take long), they’re on their way to crafting homemade pizza, ciabatta, foccacia and rye as
well as more playful variations such as peanut butter and jelly bread.
——————————————————————————————————————–
Le Creuset recipes from around the internet
THESE RECIPES ARE NOT NECESSARILY SPECIFIC TO LE CREUSET COOKWARE, BUT WILL
QUICKLY BECOME SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE LE CREUSET RECIPES
Making artisan quality bread at home in a dutch oven – The basic bread dough taken
from Jim Lahey’s book. This bread is the foundation for which most of his other bread is built.
This is certainly one of the most interesting Le Creuset recipes.
Dutch Oven Chicken Soup – A great recipe for making the classic home cooked soup
staple.
Easy Dutch Oven Sweet and Sour Brisket – Easy + Brisket = One of the better, if even a
bit unconventional, Le Creuset recipes.
Blood Mary Short Ribs – Ribs may not be the first thing you think of when looking through
Le Creuset recipes, but braising the BBQ favorite is a great way to prepare them.
Classic Chili – Though a bare cast iron dutch oven comes to mind for chili, using an
enameled cast iron dutch oven will prevent any reaction with the tomatoes and prevent any
unwanted, metallic taste. Keep this in mind when looking at other dutch oven or Le Creuset
recipes.
Beer Braised Irish Stew and Colcannon – Beef stew meets corned beef and cabbage (and
beer!). One of the more tasty Le Creuset recipes inspired by the Irish classic.
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