To get in the spirit of the holidays, we are sharing a seasonal Dutch Oven recipe from Cee Dub’s Ethnic and Regional Dutch Oven Cookin’ that will perfectly compliment all of this season’s warm family gatherings and blustery snow days.

Directions: In a large mixing bowl, stir the apples, cranberries, and tapioca together. Pour the honey over the top and stir to mix. Let the mixture set for 20-30 minutes while you start your charcoal briquets and make the pastry. For the pastry, cut cream cheese and butter into the flour and work dough into a ball. Chill for at least an hour. Roll out in a circle about 11 inches in diameter on a floured cutting board or pastry cloth. Pour the apple and cranberry mixture into a 12″ Dutch oven and sprinkle with the grated orange rind and ginger. Dot the filling with butter and dust with cinnamon and nutmeg to taste. Place cobbler pastry over the filling and bake for approximately 1 hour with 6-8 briquets underneath and 22-24 on the lid*.

 

*For Wilderness River Outfitters‘ natural fire technique, build a very large fire with high-quality wood, such as pine driftwood in a vessel such as a fire pan that you are able to scoop the coals out of. Once there are little-to-no flames and a coal bed, using a fire shovel place a small pile on the bottom and completely cover the lid of the dutch oven. If your Dutch oven does not have legs, make sure you use flat, even height rocks or crushed cans to allow air flow. With natural coals, you need to be more attentive with the heat management than with briquettes, and sometimes you will need to completely reset the coals. While charcoal briquettes get hotter while they cook, a layer of ash with natural coals can cause an insulating ash layer that prevents consistent heating.