Nothing says winter more clearly than Dutch Oven Bacon Coq au Vin. It’s that hearty meal you need after hours of shoveling snow and cleaning off cars. It’s the meal you need to warm up the house. It’s the meal you need to get you to eat some vegetables. It’s just a great meal and that’s why it is a classic.
I make my Coq au Vin a little differently than others, I put a LOT of bacon into it. Maybe it’s just the americanized version of a french classic, but to me it’s just pure deliciousness. I used a smoky bacon and it really created a great tasting broth and chicken. For you french cuisine purists, there is no one “right” way to make this dish. Coq au Vin was known as a peasants dish, using an old rooster as the meat and what vegetables were available to fill it out. I know we put french cuisine on a pedestal but know that there is just as much variation with their food as there are variations here in the US with mac and cheese.
The first time I tried Coq au Vin was at Anthony Bourdain’s former residency Brasserie Les Halles. It was one of those bitter cold nights where the wind was whipping and the air was frigid. Tai and I had made reservations to go out to dinner (something we rarely do) and once inside decided we needed to eat something warm and filling. The Coq au Vin we had was perfect; the chicken so tender it slid off the bone and the vegetables soft enough to soak up the broth. It was perfect on that chilly day. Of course, this recipe is not anything like Anthony Bourdain’s recipe, it is definitely my twist on the dish.
I always talk about how much I love dutch oven cooking, but it has truly revolutionized how I cook. It’s ability to retain heat and cook evenly is unparalleled. And just like a crock pot, you can set it and forget it for a few hours while the flavors develop and intensify. Whenever I cook with my dutch oven I know it’s going to be a big meal and we weill have lots of leftovers, which are always a welcome thing in my house.
What are your favorite dutch oven recipes? Do you have a good coq au vin recipe/ Let me know in the comments section below!
Dutch Oven Bacon Coq au Vin
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 4 Chicken Legs
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1 Pound Bacon
- 3 Celery Stalks Minced
- 1 Onion Minced
- 4 Cups Red Wine
- 1/2 Cup Tomato Paste
- 1 Qt Chicken Stock
- 12 Sprigs Thyme
- 12 Sprigs Rosemary
- 3 Carrots Chopped
- 1 Pound Assorted Mushrooms
- 1/2 Pound Pearl Onions
Instructions
- In a dutch oven, heat oil on a medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place skin side down into the pan. Cook until chicken has browned, then remove.
- Slice bacon into 1 inch bits. Cook in the dutch oven until the fat has rendered out and bacon is cooked through. Drain excess fat.
- Add minced onion and celery. Cook until softened.
- Stir in red wine, tomato paste, and chicken stock. Return chicken to dutch oven and season with thyme and rosemary (additional salt and pepper to taste). Cook for 10 minutes covered.
- Add in vegetables and cook for another 15-20 minutes uncovered or until carrots and onions are softened and liquid has reduced. Enjoy!
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