Cast Iron Holiday Dinner

We shared a couple recipes for cast iron skillet desserts recently, so we wanted to make sure we weren’t neglecting something important: the rest of the meal! Cooking the perfect holiday dinner can certainly be a challenge, but with a little help from your trusty Stargazer Cast Iron skillets and these easy-to-follow recipes, you can make your next holiday (or anytime) dinner a big hit.

Let’s get to it!

Boneless Rib Eye Roast with Garlic and Herbs

We’ll start with the main course. What’s better than a hearty, tender roast on a cold winter evening? Plus, you get the added bonus of filling your house with a divine aroma as this beauty cooks to perfection in your oven.

The Ingredients

• 1 boneless rib eye roast (3 1/2-4 pounds), tied
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt (or to taste)
• 2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper (or to taste)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 10 ounces pearl onions
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1/2 cup sherry
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium (or homemade) beef stock
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley
• 3-4 tablespoons heavy cream

Horseradish Cream

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1-2 tablespoons horseradish (or to taste)

The Steps

1. Make horseradish cream. In a bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, and horseradish. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use (at least 1 hour in advance).
2. Preheat oven to 350°F.
3. Pat roast completely dry with paper towels. Season generously on all sides with salt and pepper.
4. Place your Stargazer Cast Iron 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Once the pan is hot and the oil is almost smoking, sear roast on all sides until browned (including both ends). Carefully transfer pan the to the oven and roast for 1-1 1/2 hours, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into roast registers 130°F (for medium rare). Roast will continue to cook as it rests. Remove from oven and transfer roast to a plate, tent with aluminum foil, and allow roast to rest while you make the sauce.
5. Place the skillet back over medium heat. Carefully remove all but 2 tablespoons of grease. Add butter and cook for about 1 minute. Add onions and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Slowly add sherry to deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits on bottom of pan. Add the beef stock. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and add cook until sauce has thickened. Add rosemary, parsley and season with salt and pepper. Stir in heavy cream and continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes.
6. Once roast the has cooled, remove and discard strings and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices. Transfer back to the skillet and serve alongside horseradish cream.

Serves 4-6.

 

Skillet Hasselback Potatoes

Don't roll your eyes at meat and potatoes! These Hasselback potatoes are rich and buttery, with fresh herbs to brighten up a classic. Go ahead and take your potatoes to the next level.

The Ingredients

• 4 cloves garlic
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3-3 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes

The Steps

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F.
2. Using the back of a knife, smash garlic slightly. Add a bit of salt over it and continue to smash garlic into a paste. Set aside.
3. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in olive oil. Brush the sides and bottom of your Stargazer Cast Iron 10.5-inch skillet with the butter mixture, coating completely. To the pan of butter, add garlic, rosemary, parsley, and season with pepper.
4. Clean and scrub the potatoes. Pay completely dry. Trim a piece off bottom of each potato so that it sits flat on a cutting board. Slice potatoes into 1/4-inch thick slices, keeping each potato together after you slice it (this will help you transfer them to skillet). Arrange potatoes (slices) side by side, in a circular pattern, starting on outside of skillet and working your way into center. Brush the top and as much of the potatoes as you can with butter/oil mixture (reserving some for basting).
5. Bake the potatoes for 1 hour, basting every 15 minutes with reserved butter/oil mixture, until fork tender. Serve warm.

Serves 6-8.

 

Green Beans with Crispy Crumbs

Like Mom always says, remember to eat your greens! You'll make her proud with this next recipe.

The Ingredients

• 1 bunch fresh green beans, trimmed

Crispy Crumbs

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving
• 2-3 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs,
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

The Steps

1. Make crumbs. In a non-stick pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until breadcrumbs are nicely toasted. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add greens beans and cook for 3-5 minutes, just until beans turn bright green but still have a little snap to them. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl of ice water to cool. Drain well and pat dry. Transfer to a serving platter, drizzle with a bit of olive oil and top with breadcrumbs.

Serves 4.

 

That wasn’t so bad, was it? A few easy-to-follow recipes and you’ll be looking like a pro in no time. While these three dishes are great to serve around the holidays and winter time, don’t be afraid to make them any time of the year. Your taste buds (and your guests) will thank you!

What are some of your go-to dishes to cook on or around the holidays? Do you have any family favorites that you always make, no matter what? Give us a shout in the comments below! We’d love to chat more right now, but our roast is ready to come out. Team Stargazer, signing off... Oh, and don’t forget the milk and cookies! 🥛🍪

Photos by Jennifer Johnson | Recipes by The Coastal Table