How to make Dutch-oven Baked Apples

DUTCH BEGINNER
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Servings: 8-10
Total time: 1 hour

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What you’ll need:

• ½ cup rolled oats
• 3/4 cup brown sugar divided into ½ cup and 1/4 cups
• 4 Tbs. butter, room temperature
• 1 Tbs. ground cinnamon
• 1 Tbs. fresh lemon zest
• ½ tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup diced dried cherries
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 9 crisp apples, such as Gala or Braeburn
• ½ cup apple juice
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (approximately two large lemons)

What you’ll do:

1. Fire up a chimney of charcoal. Prepare a 12-inch camp Dutch oven by spreading a light coat of oil around the bottom and sides of the oven.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add rolled oats, ½ cup brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, lemon zest, nutmeg, dried cherries and pecans. Mix until all ingredients are distributed evenly.
3. Prepare apples. Using a small paring knife, remove the stem and top of the core. Hollow out the center of the apple with a small spoon or a melon baller. Scoop out the center of the apple until the cavity is about 2-inches wide at the middle of the apple. Make sure to remove all of the seeds and veins. If the apple doesn’t sit up straight, slice a thin piece off of the bottom but keep the cavity of the apple intact. Remove about 1/2 of an inch from the top opening of the apple to help prevent the skin splitting open.
4. Place the apples into the prepared camp Dutch oven. Pour the lemon juice into each apple. Roll the apple around so that the lemon juice covers all exposed apple flesh. Pour remaining lemon juice into the bottom of the oven.
5. Fill the cavity of each apple with the oat mixture.
6. Pour the apple juice into the bottom of the Dutch oven.
7. Sprinkle remaining brown sugar over the stuffed apples and into the lemon and apple juice in the bottom of the oven. Place the lid on the oven. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. After 25 minutes, baste apples with juice in the bottom of the oven.
8. Bake until apples are tender. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Recipe by Steve and Leslie Lovett, authors of texasironchef.com.