Milk-Can Supper
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Traditionally, cowboys layered vegetables and meat (usually sausage) into a giant milk can, then cooked it over an open fire to feed large groups of cowhands. To bring this all-in-one dish into the home kitchen, we opted to use a Dutch oven but keep the basic technique of layering ingredients according to cooking time. Browning the Bratwurst first created flavorful fond. We lined the bottom of the pot with sturdy red potatoes to protect the other vegetables from burning, and we added the quick-cooking green bell peppers halfway through cooking. Traditional lager as a cooking liquid gave our meat-and-potatoes meal toasty depth. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.
SERVES 6 TO 8
If your Dutch oven is slightly smaller than 8 quarts, the lid may not close all the way when you start cooking. But as the contents of the pot cook, they will decrease in volume, so you’ll soon be able to clamp on the lid. Use small red potatoes, measuring 1 to 2 inches in diameter. Light-bodied American lagers, such as Budweiser, work best in this recipe.
1 |
tablespoon vegetable oil |
2½ |
pounds bratwurst (10 sausages) |
2 |
pounds small red potatoes, unpeeled |
1 |
head green cabbage (2 pounds), cored and cut into 8 wedges |
3 |
ears corn, husks and silk removed, ears cut into 3 pieces |
6 |
carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces |
1 |
onion, halved and cut through root end into 8 wedges |
4 |
garlic cloves, peeled and smashed |
10 |
sprigs fresh thyme |
2 |
bay leaves |
Salt and pepper |
|
1½ |
cups beer |
2 |
green bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1-inch-wide strips |
1. Heat oil in 8-quart Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add bratwurst and cook until browned all over, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove pot from heat. Transfer bratwurst to cutting board and halve crosswise.
2. Place potatoes in single layer in now-empty Dutch oven. Arrange cabbage wedges in single layer on top of potatoes. Layer corn, carrots, onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper over cabbage. Pour beer over vegetables and arrange browned bratwursts on top.
3. Bring to boil over medium-high heat (wisps of steam will be visible). Cover, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add bell peppers and continue to simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. (Use long skewer to test potatoes for doneness.)
4. Transfer bratwurst and vegetables to large serving platter (or roasting pan, if your platter isn’t large enough); discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Pour 1 cup cooking liquid over platter. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, passing remaining cooking liquid separately.