Easy Grillades

It's Finger-lickin' Good Recipes Friday!!!

I'm on the run, as I have "sick folk" this week. My dad had surgery and is in the hospital. I would greatly appreciate your prayers for him. 

I made this dish several weeks back and was saving this post for a Finger-lickin' Good Friday. I hope you'll enjoy! Larry, Logan and I really like it!

Grillades - Tender meat in a savory gravy!

Grillades - [gruh-LAHD; gree-YAHD]
1. French for "grilled (or broiled) food," usually meat.
2. A creole dish of pieces of pounded round steak seared in hot fat, then braised in a rich sauce with vegetables and tomatoes. Grillades is customarily served with grits.
~ Definition from Food Lover’s Companion On-line

“One of the things I find most interesting about grillades is that it is one of those dishes that has a place on all rungs of the social ladder. Grillades may be found on the sharecropper's breakfast table or on the grand buffets of New Orleans.”

~ Chef John Folse

Grillades, a dish made famous in New Orleans, is generally served at breakfast or brunch, but many folks enjoy eating it for supper, too. The meat used can vary to include beef, veal, or pork; any of which is tossed with flour and then slow cooked with vegetables to form a delectable meat sauce. Traditionally this sauce is served over grits, but it is also delicious over rice, mashed potatoes or hot biscuits!

There are many tales about the origins of grillades. Like many other Southern delicacies, consensus seems to be that grillades was born from the need to stretch a small portion of meat to feed the whole family. Give any good Southern cook a bit of protein, a portion of fat (be it butter, lard, bacon grease, Crisco or cooking oil -we’re usually not too picky), and a handful of flour, and we’ll make some type of meat and gravy dish that will stick to your bones and leave a smile on your face!

Here is a very simple version of grillades that I developed for my family. It has a lot of the great flavors of traditionally prepared grillades without a lot of prep work. It’s makes a great weeknight meal. Throw this in the pot, go about your chores, and an hour later you’ve got supper!

 

For this quick version of grillades, top round cut into strips by your butcher for fajitas or stir fry is a great way to go.

These precut strips will cost around 50¢ per pound more than an uncut steak. 

 

You might prefer tossing your meat strips and flour in a Ziploc bag, but I find a deep bowl works better for me in this particular application. Green onions provide a pretty garnish, a great flavor, and a nice texture to grillades, especially in the easy version that doesn't contain other fresh chopped veggies. 

Green onions provide a pretty garnish, a great flavor, and a nice texture to grillades, especially in the easy version that doesn't contain other fresh chopped veggies.

Easy Grillades 

olive oil
1 pound round steak cut into strips
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
all-purpose flour
1 (16-ounce) can beef broth
1 (15 ounce) can of stewed tomatoes with green peppers, celery and onions
Cajun seasoning, to taste
chopped green onions

Pour 2 tablespoons of oil to a cast iron Dutch oven and heat over medium heat.
Season meat strips with salt and pepper.
Place meat strips in a deep mixing bowl.
Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of flour.
Toss until meat is coated well with the flour, adding more flour if needed.
Brown meat strips in Dutch oven; remove and set aside.
Add additional oil to pan to equal about 3 tablespoons.
Whisk in 3 - 4 tablespoons of flour.
Cook over medium high heat until lightly browned.
Add broth and cook until mixture is thickened. 
Add the tomatoes and Cajun seasoning.
Bring to a boil, add meat strips, and reduce to simmer.
Place cover on Dutch oven and simmer for 45 - 60 minutes, or until meat is tender.
Spoon mixture over grits, mashed potatoes, rice or hot biscuits.
Garnish with chopped green onions.

Simple Cheese Grits

1 (14-ounce) can chicken broth
2  tablespoons  butter
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2  cup  uncooked quick-cooking grits
1  cup shredded cheddar cheese (White cheddar is my favorite!)
1/8 cup milk, half-and-half or cream (Optional, but makes grits nice and creamy!)

Sautee garlic in butter for a couple of minutes - until tender, but not browned .
Bring chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
Gradually whisk in grits, and return to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until thickened.

Add garlic mixture and cheese; stir until cheese is melted.
Whisk in milk, stirring until grits are creamy and smooth.
Serve immediately.