Over the course of the past 3 holiday seasons, we’ve had a lot of fun creating home cooked meals in a handful of different ways. Everyone cooks over the Holidays; it’s tradition, right? Well, it is around our kitchen and this story highlights how we’ve enjoyed cooking these meals more than just what the meal was. What ever happened to the good old days? It’s one thing to say you’re from a city or a town, but what if you delivered where you were from with such compassion for that place; those who asked felt it too? We believe that food and the land it’s grown or raised on provides this deeper understanding of place for those who choose to dig a litter deeper. If it nourishes your soul than typically we’re more apt to want to share that emotion with others. Our farmers, ranchers, craft brewers, friends and family feel this way too. We’ve cooked on smokers, wood fired pizza ovens, even the most simple campfire pit. Christmas 2017 brought on a whole new plan. This season a 500-pound cast iron cauldron landed in the backyard. Made by a company called Cowboy Cauldron, this behemoth of an open fire vessel puts most primitive style ovens we’ve used to shame. By no means do you need a 500-pound cast iron cauldron to make Christmas Eve dinner, but damn was it fun! This year we did 17 pounds of beef, a mix of rib roast and tenderloin steaks. Side dishes included sautéed wintergreens and Yukon gold potatoes. Everything was cooked on the cauldron and the temps only got colder as the sun went down. 30 people filtered in and out of the warm confines of our small kitchen in Denver, Colorado, catching a moment to see dinner over the fire. We were unsure of how the dropping temps would effect the cooking times for so much food, although we kept a close eye on the coals and reloaded the fire regularly to keep it stoked and as hot as possible. This was what made that night special, the unknowns. It was a neat dance we had going on with vegetables and meat around the cauldron’s cook grate. Coals needed to be managed from one side, while the roast and potatoes stayed put, allowing for that caramelized char that open fire provides so well. When it was all said and done, the entire process took 5-6 hours. The fire is the most important component of this style of cooking and we spent 2 hours just working coals to make it right. Once food was ready to go, it was game on the holiday feast unfolded. Happy Holidays everyone! We hope you’ve been cooking up a storm with your friends and family too. Try something new this season; we think you’ll amaze yourself! If you come across the opportunity to cook on a Cowboy Cauldron, have a blast, it’s incredibly fun and engaging.
*Our meat, dairy and eggs were sourced from Sky Pilot Farm for this feast. Sky Pilot Farm is located in Longmont, CO. Check them out! *Our potatoes were sourced from Full Circle Farm in Longmont, CO * All of our herbs were sourced from Osage Gardens in New Castle, CO
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AuthorCHEF Z & COACH HR Archives
June 2022
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