Main Dishes

Lasagna IV - Dutch Oven Lasagna - 2015
​​​​​Recipe courtesy of Ben Wozny

INGREDIENTS
  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • 1/2 lb hot Italian sausage
  • 1 23-oz jar spaghetti sauce
  • 1 lb shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 1/4 cups ricotta cheese
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 13 or so oven-ready lasagna noodles -- 9 oz. Barilla's (or regular noodles - see note below)
  • 1 1/2 tsp crushed oregano
  • 1 cup hot water (ONLY if not using oven-ready or pre-cooked noodles)

​PREPARATION
Preheat a 12" dutch oven over 20 coals until hot.  Brown the ground beef and Italian sausage.  
When done, transfer the browned meat into a mixing bowl, add the spaghetti sauce, and mix well.  
In another mixing bowl, beat the three eggs.  Add the cottage or ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, and oregano.  Mix well.

Layer the lasagna in the dutch oven as follows:
  • Break up four lasagna noodles and spread them out in the bottom of the dutch oven.  
  • Spread about one third of the meat mixture over the noodles.  
  • Spread half of the cheese mixture over the meat mixture.  
  • Break up 5 lasagna noodles and distribute them evenly over the cheese mixture.  
  • Spread half of the remaining meat mixture over the noodles.  
  • Spread the remaining cheese mixture over the meat mixture.  
  • Break up the four remaining lasagna noodles and distribute them evenly over the cheese mixture.  
  • Top with the remaining meat mixture.  
  • Pour the hot water around the inside edges of the dutch oven (ONLY if not using oven-ready or pre-cooked noodles)

​Cover the dutch oven and bake with 12 briquettes bottom heat and 12 briquettes top heat for approximately 60 minutes, or until noodles are soft and the lasagna is hot and bubbly.  

Notes: This recipe works great with the oven-ready noodles. You can also pre-cook regular lasagna noodles if you prefer, and likewise omit the water from the recipe. If using regular, uncooked lasagna noodles, then add hot water as noted above and expect to add 15 minutes of cooking time. ​
Ben and his buddies with Troop 62 made this recipe at a monthly gathering of the local Lone Star Dutch Oven Society chapter. And it came out great!
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