Smothered Steak

Sometimes you just need a steak. This is a slightly different take on it.

Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients
3-4 potatoes mashed with cheddar cheese and bacon inside
olive oil
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
3 carrots
1/4 lb frozen peas
2 lbs beef roast, cubed
1/4 c flour
Salt and Pepper
2 Tbsp ketchup
3 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 box of beef stock
Rosemary
Thyme

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large pot sautee onion and carrot until softened, then add your garlic. Push to outer edge of pan. Dredge your meat in the flour and salt and pepper mixture. Brown in batches. Add all meat back to pan then add in ketchup, broth, worcestershire, and all spices. Simmer 10 to 12 minutes until thickened. Then spoon into ramekins of a large serving dish. Cover the top with your mashed potato mixture making sure to get it all the way to the edges. Sprinkle the top with more cheese. Bake your dish 25 minutes at 400 degrees.

Enjoy!


Vegetables.

Saute.

Deliciously softened.

Add your meat.

And flour.

Now the spices.

Look good yet?

Stock in.

Peas!


Cover it in mashed potatoes loaded with bacon and cheese.



Eat!

Beef Stroganoff

Everyone has their own version of this dish. Mine is... the best. Just teasing. Mine is a bit different, it's fresher and a bit lighter than some of the others I've tried. It has less sour cream and cream cheese as well. Be prepared to be hooked. The amount of meat is subjective to how much meat you want to give each individual. I tend to stay in the three pound range and that will feed 4 people very well.

Ingredients
2-4 lbs steak or chuck roast cubed (I prefer steak but that's just me)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 box of beef stock
1-2 c water (if you need to thin your sauce)
1 tsp yellow mustard
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
16 oz mushrooms, sliced
1/3 c Greek yogurt or sour cream
1/4 c white wine (optional)
Juice of 1 lemon (or half based on your taste)
Chopped parsley

In a large skillet (with lid) over medium heat melt butter and oil. Season meat with salt and pepper and brown in batches. After all meat is done and add in onion and garlic saute until tender. Add flour to pan stir in well, and cook about two minutes. Add in your thyme, bay leaf and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and stir in mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer covered for about an hour. A few minutes before serving add in mushrooms, wine, and Greek yogurt. Remove from heat and add in your lemon juice. Stir well. TASTE. Salt and pepper if necessary. Serve over noodles or rice. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley.


Browning the meat

Onions and garlic.

Flour

Spices and liquids in.

Almost done

Enjoy!

Beef Stew

Ingredients:
Olive Oil
2 Tbsp butter
2-3 lbs beef chuck roast cut into chunks, OR pre-cut stew meat
1 box beef stock
3-5 potatoes diced, I used Yukon Gold
4-5 medium-large carrots, diced
2 c sliced mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 large onion, diced
pinch dried thyme
pinch dried marjoram
Salt and Pepper
Dash of Worcestershire
2 bay leaves
1-2 Tbsp cornstarch


Assemble the troops.

Prep your veg.

Over medium heat melt your butter and olive oil.

Season your meat, salt and pepper. We're starting the flavor build here. Sear your beef. Caramelize all sides of your cubes. You're locking in flavor, make sure you don't omit this step. You do not need to cook the meat all the way through at this point. Caramelize and keep it medium rare or so. Don't move the meat around once you get it in. Let it bond to the pot, that's what creates the beautiful brown color. :) Leave it until you turn it. Make sure you leave all the stuff stuck to the bottom of the pan... that's important.
Yummmmmmmm
Add your onions, and garlic to the pot. Saute gently until the onions are turning translucent.

Add in your beef stock, gently scrape the bottom of your pot to release the wonderful browned bits of flavor. Then add in the rest of your ingredients excluding mushrooms and cornstarch. Potatoes, carrots, thyme, marjoram, bay leaves, & Worcestershire.Simmer about an hour and a half, stirring occasionally.


Pull about a cup of your liquid out of the pot and add in your cornstarch. Mix very well, you don't want any lumps! Then add back into your stew to thicken it.

Add in your mushrooms, and bring to a boil.Remove your bay leaves, and enjoy!