Cooking With Cast Iron And Cold Beer

COOKING WITH CAST IRON AND COLD BEER
 
By:
Richard D. McGehee
 
When I cook I tend to make enough food to feed a family of four. I can’t help it. I have cooked that way, ever since I first learned how all those many years ago in my mother’s kitchen. I loved cooking with Mom after school, before Dad came home and after my homework was finished-or so I would tell her.
When I first started my cooking lessons, Mom kept a close eye on me while I got the feel of the stove. I had a tendency to cook everything on HI heat. It took me many carbon-dinners before I realized that everything cooks at its own time and temperature.
 
 “Sometimes you can’t rush perfection,” Mom would say.
Once I mastered that concept, and Mom was certain I wouldn’t burn the house down, I was given free rein over the kitchen. Some evenings I cooked the family dinner before Mom even had a chance to step foot inside the kitchen.
 
I found comfort and a kind of escape from the rigors of school and everyday life while I cooked. Cooking became a sort of therapy for me, especially when I was given the chance to cook over an open fire with a Cast Iron Dutch oven or two.
 
Cooking over an open fire with Dutch ovens is a life-changing experience. If you have never cooked with cast iron you are really missing out. Cooking with a Dutch oven all boils down to a simple rule that my parents passed on to me: “Balanced slow heat will give you the best results.”
 
One of my favorite things to make in a Dutch oven is my own version of mac-and-cheese. There are many different recipes for macaroni and cheese, but I think you will be hard pressed to find a better tasting dish than the one I am about to share with you. In order to prepare my Mac-and-Cheese, you will need the following:
 
1. Four different one-pound bricks of cheese. I use Pepper Jack, Colby Jack,
Green Onion, and Swiss. The choice of cheeses is completely up to you.
 
2. One pound of hamburger or boneless chicken breast, or tuna fish or crab; the choice of meat is up to you.
 
3. One package of Bacon.
 
4. One Green Pepper.
 
5. One bundle of Green Onions or Chives (your choice).
 
6. One pound of shell noodles or noodles of your choice.
 
7. One package of sliced Mushrooms. You will need to wash them thoroughly.
 
8. One good sized bottle of your choice of cooking oil. No, you will not be using the entire bottle unless you really like cooking oil.
 
9. One can of Budweiser. Now, you can use another brand of beer but you must remember Bud is the King of Beers for a reason; it tastes better.
 
10. Two large cast iron Dutch ovens 12 inches or bigger.
 
11. One large cast iron skillet.
 
Once you have all the items assembled, start with your cheeses and one of the 12-inch Dutch ovens. We are going to use a range to cook on this time instead of an open fire; it’s just easier. Place your Dutch oven on one of your burners and set it to LOW. Add all of your cheese bricks to the Dutch oven and let them melt for at least an hour and a half before you move on to the next step.
 
Check your cheese quite often while it melts to make sure it doesn’t burn. Next begin boiling your noodles. Place the noodles into the remaining 12-inch Dutch oven and just enough water to barley cover the noodles. Once the water is added, put the Dutch oven on an open burner and turn it to HI.
Once the noodles are in place, crack open your Budweiser and add it to the noodles. If you’re worried about getting drunk, don’t the alcohol will boil out of the beer while the noodles cook.
 
Once you have your noodles and cheese going, start on the second to last step. Let’s start this step with prep work. You will need to chop up your veggies and bacon into manageable sizes.
Once your chopping is complete, place your cast iron skillet on an open burner and adjust the temperature depending on your range. Add just enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Once again, the amount of oil is adjustable, depending on your tastes.
 
The first thing you will want to cook in your skillet is the meats; always meat first. Throw in your hamburger or chicken and bacon cooking, until it is completely done; no pink meat.
 
Next add your chopped veggies. Sauté the meat and veggie mixture until the veggies are cooked to your liking. I prefer my veggies to be soft but still a little crunchy.
 
Once your sautéed mixture is done, your noodles are drained, and your cheese is melted it is time to combine them. Once everything is combined into one Dutch oven, stir it up well making sure the cheese bonds with everything.
 
Always remember the words of advice my mother would give us after she finished cooking.
 
“The Lord helps those who help themselves. Dig in.”