Milk-Can Supper
From Cook's Country
Traditionally, cowboys layered a mishmash of vegetables and meat (usually sausage) into a giant milk can and then cooked it over an open fire to feed the hungry masses. We opted for a Dutch oven instead but kept the basic technique: longer-cooking vegetables like potatoes and cabbage go on the bottom, closest to the heat, followed by more delicate onions and carrots. Green bell peppers are added halfway through the cooking time. Bratwurst was our sausage of choice, and we opted to brown it first to add flavor and create fond. Beer is the classic cooking liquid, and we enhance it with garlic, bay leaves, and thyme.
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.
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RECIPE
Mexican Street Corn -
EQUIPMENT
Dutch Ovens -
TASTE TEST
All-Purpose Vegetable Oils
