Cowboy Grill & Cast Iron Holiday Recipes

Recipe by Jonny Morrison

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This round-up is a full Holiday-inspired meal that’s perfect for any occasion. The pork tenderloin with pear reduction reminds you of celebrations, but serve it any time and, if you’re feeling fancy, adjust it with a different seasonal reduction of your choice. The sweet potato casserole from Brianne Del a Cruz is a thanksgiving must but is so good that I could eat it every day, seriously. The broccoli is a hearty holiday staple, but the citrus and anchovies add a brightness that makes it great for a summertime side. And the apple crisp is a dessert that feels like a mix between apple crisps and apple pie but is so easy you could make it a regular staple.

How to Make
Open Fire Holiday Recipes

Brie with Honey & Rosemary

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Ingredients

• 8 ounces of brie (about one rind)
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 Rosemary sprig, leaves chopped
• 1 Baguette, sliced in 1” pieces

Instructions

1. Place the brie in a small cast iron skillet and heat for 10 minutes to soften the cheese to melty goodness.
2. Slice the baguette into 1” rounds for serving.
3. Remove rosemary leaves from the sprig and roughly chop.
4. Remove the cheese from the heat, drizzle with honey and sprinkle with rosemary.
5. Serve alongside the sliced baguette as an appetizer while you continue to cook.

Truss Pork Tenderloin

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Ingredients

• 4 pounds Pork Tenderloin (about 2 pork tenderloins)
• Kitchen twine
• Salt & pepper

Instructions

1. Season the pork with salt and pepper.
2. Unroll a long strand of kitchen twine (about twice the length of the tenderloin) and lay it down in your working space. Set your tenderloin on top of the twine, vertically near the top of one side, and tie a knot about ½ inch down from the top of the tenderloin. Make sure it’s tight and secure. Next, take the remaining twine and create a loop. Use your hand to hold and guide the loop - slide it around the opposite end of the tenderloin bringing it about ½ inch away from the first looped knot. Again, make sure the loop is tight. Repeat the process until the entire tenderloin is trussed. When you're done, cut the twine and tie a knot with the last loop to secure it.
3. Hang the pork tenderloin on a Cowboy Grill for about 20 minutes to absorb some smoke and slowly come up to temperature.
4. Carefully remove the tenderloin from the hook and place it directly on the grill. Tenderloin can cook quickly, especially if it’s already been absorbing smoke. Turn the pork regularly so that each side can brown. I’d recommend using a meat thermometer and checking the temperature after 10 minutes. Pull the tenderloin at 135, as it will rise to temperature.
5. Transfer pork to a serving platter. Remove the truss and slice the pork into 1 inch rounds. Cover with pear reduction and serve.

Pear & Balsamic Reduction

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Ingredients

• 2 pears, ripe but firm; cored and sliced (or diced for preference)
• ½ cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 sprig of rosemary

Instructions

1. Add a small splash of olive oil to a small saucepan. Add pears and cook until softened and slightly browned.
2. Stir in balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, and rosemary. Simmer until thickened and the sauce coats the back of the spoon. (Watch your heat, you don’t want the sauce boiling.)
3. Discard rosemary, remove from heat and pour over the sliced tenderloin.

Charred Broccoli Stir-Fry

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Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds broccoli (about 2 large heads of broccoli)
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium red onion, cut lengthwise into ½” thick slices
• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 6 oil-packed anchovy filets
• 2 ounces Parmesan, finely grated (about 1/3 cup)
• Lemon wedges (for serving)

Instructions

1. Using your hands, break the broccoli heads into bite-sized pieces. Discard the tough and woody part of the broccoli stem.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet or campfire long handle wok. Wait until the oil is shimmering, then add broccoli. Toss it occasionally until bright green and lightly charred (about 3 minutes). Transfer to a plate and season with salt.
3. Heat the remaining two tablespoons of oil in the same wok. Cook onion and garlic, stirring often, until onion begins to soften (about 3 minutes).
4. Add the anchovies and cook. It can be helpful to break apart the anchovies with a spoon. Cook until garlic is beginning to turn golden around the edges (about 2 minutes).
5. Return broccoli to skillet, coat with oil, and cook until tender and the broccoli chars to your desired preference.
6. Once the broccoli is tender, cover it in parmesan cheese.
7. Serve with lemon wedges.

Sweet Potato Casserole

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Ingredients

Sweet Potato Casserole

• 3 ½ cups of mashed sweet potatoes/yams (about 3 medium to large)
• 2 eggs, well beaten
• ½ cup cream or coconut cream
• ½ cup softened butter
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/3 teaspoon nutmeg

Pecan Crumble (For Sweet Potato Casserole)

• 1 1/8 cups brown sugar
• ¼ cup flour (all-purpose gluten-free flour or coconut flour works well, too)
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 ¼ finely chopped pecans

Instructions

Sweet Potato Casserole

1. Cut potatoes in large chunks and boil until soft (about 20 minutes).
2. While potatoes are boiling, mix all the ingredients for the pecan crumble topping in a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. When potatoes are soft, remove skin, then mash.
4. Mix eggs, cream, butter, sugar, vanilla, and nutmeg with mashed potatoes in a large mixing bowl.
5. Scoop into a 12” cast iron skillet with a lid or a Dutch oven.
6. Dish pecan topping on top of sweet potatoes and spread evenly.
7. Place the covered skillet into the fire and lightly cover it with coals. Bake for an hour or until lightly browned. Be cautious of how close the skillet is to the fire. The fireside will cook faster - you can rotate the skillet every 25-30 minutes to maintain an even bake.
8. Carefully remove from the fire and serve.

Pecan Crumble

1. While potatoes are boiling, mix all the ingredients for the pecan crumble topping in a medium bowl. Set aside.
2. When potatoes are soft, remove skin, then mash.
3. Mix eggs, cream, butter, sugar, vanilla, and nutmeg with mashed potatoes in a large mixing bowl.
4. Scoop into a 12" cast iron skillet with a lid or a Dutch oven.
5. Dish pecan topping on top of sweet potatoes and spread evenly.

Dutch Oven Apple Crisp

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Ingredients

• 8 gala apples (hollowed out)
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon (or more to taste)
• 1 cup of oats
• Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream (for serving)

Instructions

1. Using a spoon, hollow out the core of each apple. Leave the bottom of the apple in tack so that it can hold the crisp. Set aside.
2. Warm honey over the stove; this will help with mixing.
3. Once the honey is warmed, mix it with oats and cinnamon in a medium-sized bowl.
4. Spoon oat & honey mix into each apple.
5. Place the apples in a Dutch oven, cover them with the lid, and place them in the fire covered lightly in coals.
6. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until apples reach desired texture.
7. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon.
8. Serve warm.

* To add texture and flavor to this recipe, you can make a little extra pecan crumble and add it to your apple filling.

Materials

12” Cast Iron Skillet
6” Cast Iron Skillet
Dutch Oven
Cowboy Grill
Enamel Mixing Bowls
Enamel Saucepan
No. 8 Chef Knife
No. 7 Nakiri Knife
No. 9 Bread Knife
Cowboy Grill Carving Fork
Cowboy Grill S-Hook and Chain Set
Cowboy Grill Coal Shovel
Long Handle Wok