Bought Big Green...Dutch Oven (For French Chicken)

3Pedals6Speeds

Last week I posted a recipe for French Chicken in a dutch oven that turned out amazing. http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=1018490&catid=1

RRP posted earlier tonight that he'd tried it also and was similarly pleased, despite the fact he went off-recipe and excluded the rosemary. I state this with jealousy as my bride gets all out of sorts when I don't follow recipes! Here's RRP's experience. http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=1021358&catid=1

The point of my post is that it was so good that my bride observed that we can't cook a chicken large enough to feed all 3 of my teenaged boys (and still eat ourselves). I recalled in a recent post some said they'd found a generic large DO at Marshalls (don't recall the post), so I stopped in there tonight to see what I found. Amid all the $200 Le Creuset DO's was the discount Kitchen Aid 6qt beauty you see pictured below, in BGE green even!

We got this treasure for only $39, even less than the Lodge enameled DO (5qt) I already have. I've searched online, and it appears this is a discontinued model that normally sold for nearly $150. If you have a use for one, you might want to check your local Marshall's, TJ Maxx, Home Goods store (they're all part of the same group), or similar retailer.



I really like the solid looking hardware inside the lid. I also notice the textured surface where the lid meets the pot looks the same as the Lodge.

elzbth

Thanks for posting - I will hit TJMax on the way home tomorrow!

RRP

LOL - just a small correction here...the recipe you posted listed the rosemary as being OPTIONAL which does not mean MANDATORY even to soup Nazis! I even went back to my copy of Cook's Illustrated Jan '08 where that recipe came from to verify the "optional" label and yup...it was there!

BTW - Glad you found such a good buy on your DO!

3Pedals6Speeds

Ha ha. I'm just kidding.

I was glad to see your post, it helped me make the case that our experience wasn't an isolated success, and that we needed another enameled DO. One of my son's, who appears to be allergic to leftovers, asked tonight "if there's any of *that* chicken left" and took a pass on the fried turkey leftovers we had from New year's Day.

PattyO

Those nobbies, by the way, are to collect condensation and drip back onto the food product instead of running back down the sides. Off to Marshall's tomorrow. I usually say give me a $15 dollar bill and take me to Marshalls. This time I'll ask for TWO $15 dollar bills.
Oh I hope they have one. I hope they have a green one.

RRP

With my way of thinking any chicken remaining from that recipe is not a "left over" but instead a "make ahead"! :laugh: In our case it's just the two of us and that 5# yard bird produced enough for yet a second wonderful evening meal...with side dishes of course.

Florida Grillin Girl

Yes, I made it tonight - WITH the rosemary. It came out great, so thank you for posting it . I have a teenage son who thinks the egg is overrated (huh???), and he loved the chicken breast when cooked this way.

As for the DO, I bought a 6 qt. one at Marshall's that has the little knobs on the inside lid, but when you cover with foil as the recipe says, those little knobs do exactly nothing. It's still a cool DO though and a great deal for the money, I paid $40 on markdown for mine.

3Pedals6Speeds

Florida Grillin Girl wrote:

As for the DO, I bought a 6 qt. one at Marshall's that has the little knobs on the inside lid, but when you cover with foil as the recipe says, those little knobs do exactly nothing. It's still a cool DO though and a great deal for the money, I paid $40 on markdown for mine.

I've reread the original recipe from "America's Test Kitchen" and I see that they use the aluminum foil to ensure that all the different DO's (and pots) they used had a uniformly sealed lid. I'm thinking a good DO probably doesn't need this to get a good seal, but at the least could be modified to use strips of foil, and only ring the edge of the pot. That should provide just as much 'gasket', but allow the top to do it's thing. One difference though might be an even less crisp skin from the juices dropping back onto the bird during cooking.

Photo Egg

Found same model a few weeks ago. They also had the oval but it was a few dollars more.
Got mine for $17 on close out.
Very nice pot

Florida Grillin Girl

The skin on the breast was not crisp, but I take it off so that doesn't matter. Next time, I will use your suggestion and just put the foil around the outside edge of the pot. Thanks for that suggestion. My son loved the chicken and the jus was great!

Captain Paul

Darian:

That DO roast likes great!! What temperature and how long did you cook it? Ingredients? Mushrooms, carrots, and celery... no onions?

Photo Egg

Good catch.
Yes, had onion out and forgot to add.
Original post below.

http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=1011226&catid=1

Captain Paul

Thanks Darian! Comfort food....yum Can't wait to try it!

soulfish

the foil is intended to collect steam and allow the condensed moisture to drip onto the food, rather than flow down the side of the pot. that's the basic principle of braising. the convex shape of the lid with the bumps is intended to accomplish the same result. lining the rim of the pot with foil serves no purpose, unless the lid is poorly fitted. i could be wrong of course. just wanted to chirp in on a subject of interest. enjoy your chickens. i should get over to TJ or Marshalls and have a look.

3Pedals6Speeds

soulfish wrote:

the foil is intended to collect steam and allow the condensed moisture to drip onto the food, rather than flow down the side of the pot. that's the basic principle of braising. the convex shape of the lid with the bumps is intended to accomplish the same result. lining the rim of the pot with foil serves no purpose, unless the lid is poorly fitted. i could be wrong of course. just wanted to chirp in on a subject of interest. enjoy your chickens. i should get over to TJ or Marshalls and have a look.

As mentioned above, America's Test Kitchen used it as a way to ensure all pot (DO and otherwise) maintained a good seal. I'm of the mind it isn't needed with a cast iron DO, but haven't tested to ensure the same outcome without it.

Little Steven

3Pedals6Speeds,

There is a classic French method, that I can't remember the name of, that calls for a "rope" of dough to be placed around the meeting edges of the DO and also for dough to be placed over the steam vent.

Steve

RRP

We went to our local Marshalls in Peoria, IL this morning. What we noticed as we came in the front door was a big "going out of business" sign and that all merchandise would be marked down another 20%. I found a display of 4 of those Kitchen Aide DOs so I latched on to one! As I smiled from ear to ear the printing on the box caught my eye. These were only 3.5 quart sizes - bummer! 3.5 is barely bigger than a large sauce pan! Sooooo, I put it down and looked to see what else they had. I scored a square cast iron griddle pan for a discounted price of $12 so at least I wasn't skunked!

RRP

BTW in that same strip shopping center that only consists of 7 stores at the other end from Marshalls is a TJ Maxx! I always wondered why a company which owns both of those similar type stores would put them practically side by side less than 100 yards apart! We went down there today also and they too had the KA 3.5 qt DO.

Desert Oasis Woman

Darian,
can you see if they have an oval at a ridiculously low price and snag one for me?
Thanks!

Desert Oasis Woman

You are the BEST!