I have a Tramontina Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven that I call my Big Red Pot. It’s big, for sure, and it’s heavy. It weighs about as much as a pallet of cinder blocks, which is the main reason I don’t use it as often as I should. But when I do pull it out from the bottom cabinet, it always delivers great meals.

Dutch Ovens are a lot like Slow Cookers, except they are faster. You can quickly bring a Dutch Oven to the right temperature and what would take 6 hours on low in the slow cooker, can be accomplished in half the time in a cast iron pot.

The pots have great heat retention abilities and the ridges on the lids allow the collection and direction of moisture back into the food. It’s most versatile, producing a variety of tender and flavorful meats, soups, stews, bread, cobblers, and whatever you can imagine.

Last week I was going to slow cook some drumsticks for an easy meal, but I lost track of time by and wound up with not enough time for the slow cooker. No problem. Out came the Big Red Pot.

Here is a super easy recipe for BBQ Drumsticks in a Big Red Pot.

Put however many drumsticks you want (8 or 10) in the Dutch Oven – but first line the pot with a slow cooker liner which saves big time with clean-up.

Sprinkle the drumsticks with salt, pepper, and garlic powder and pour on a cup and a half of your favorite BBQ sauce – Sweet Baby Ray’s is hard to beat, but Buffalo Hot Wing sauce also works well if you like a little heat.

Turn the stove up until the sauce barely begins to bubble, then close the lid and keep it at the same temperature for a couple of hours.

When time is a factor, but you want the tenderness that a slow cooker delivers, get out the Big Red Pot.

Dutch Oven Drumsticks

8 or 10 drumsticks

S & P to taste

1 t garlic powder

1 ½ C BBQ Sauce (plus more when serving)