Grillades and Smashed Potatoes

Grillades and Grits. This is a terrific, hearty meal that is generally eaten at breakfast or brunch in New Orleans. Grillades (pronounced GREE-yahds) like many other great recipes from New Orleans, comes from meager times, when a piece of meat needed to be stretched to feed a whole family. Jim and I definitely ate this until we really could not eat it anymore. This recipe could feed an army!

I began with a three pound chuck roast that I cut into one inch pieces.

Using SPOG (Salt, Pepper, Onion Powder and Garlic Powder) I seasoned the beef.

Then dusted the beef with about 1/3 cup flour and tossed lightly to coat.

Spray a cast iron dutch oven with cooking spray.

Heat 4 tablespoons of bacon grease and 4 tablespoons of cooking oil, or you could use all bacon grease, all solid shortening, or all cooking oil if desired.

Brown meat in batches and remove to a large bowl using a slotted spoon.

Set meat aside, and leave fat in dutch oven.

Slice and dice a large bell pepper.

Chop two medium onions. These were from my latest CSA (Community Supported Agriculture.)

Chop up one cup of celery.

Next, saute the bell pepper, onions, celery, and 3 minced cloves of garlic.

When they look like this, remove to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Add or take away grease to total 3 tablespoons of fat left in the dutch oven.

I keep chicken and beef bouillon in the pantry for cases like this. I made up 4 cups of beef broth by dissolving the bouillon in hot water. Set aside.

To make a roux, add about 1/4 cup of flour to the hot grease in the dutch oven.

Stir constantly and slowly until flour is a nice deep brown, being careful not to burn the flour.

I usually shew Jim out of the kitchen so I can concentrate on making the roux. Slowly add the four cups of beef broth and stir.

Bring to a simmer.

Now add back the beef.

And add back the sauteed vegetables.

Add 3-4 bay leaves,

A sprig of thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme),

2 tablespoons of hot sauce,

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce,

1 teaspoon dried basil.

I added two 14-oz cans of diced tomatoes.

For added "heat" I added a chopped jalapeno and this other pepper. Simply chopped up with seeds and threw it all in.

Stir together and simmer for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

After letting it simmer, I fished out the bay leaves and the thyme sprigs.

Paula serves these over buttered grits. I served over simple smashed potatoes.

This was a really good meal, better for entertaining a crowd than just for two people...unless you don't mind eating leftovers for ever. You should also allow some time to make this dish, although it is easy to put together, it takes about 30-45 minutes to chop and brown and then another hour and 15 minutes to let the entire dish simmer. This meal reminded me of a beef stew, and the spice I added was hardly noticeable. It added lots of hearty flavor, but I could hardly say it was a spicy stew. Over the next few days, Jim and I ate the Grillades over all sorts of starches like rice, potatoes and grits. It was probably best over the buttered grits like Paula recommended.

Paula Deens' Grillades and Grits Recipe
1 (3-pound) chuck roast, cut into 1-inch pieces
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Garlic powder
Cooking spray
1/3 cup all-purpose flour, plus 1/4 cup
4 tablespoons bacon grease
4 tablespoons cooking oil
1 large bell pepper, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
1 cup diced celery
3 large cloves garlic, minced
4 cups beef broth or water
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons hot sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
5 medium or 4 large fresh tomatoes, peeled and quartered
1 (10-ounce) can extra hot stewed tomatoes (recommended: Ro-Tel)
1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley leaves

Directions
Season beef with kosher salt, black pepper and garlic powder. Dust beef with about 1/3 cup flour and toss lightly. Spray a cast iron Dutch oven with cooking spray. Heat 4 tablespoons of bacon grease and 4 tablespoons of cooking oil (you may use all bacon grease, all solid shortening, or all cooking oil if desired). Brown meat in hot fat and remove to a large bowl using a slotted spoon. Leaving fat in Dutch oven, saute bell pepper, onions, celery, and garlic. Brown vegetables and remove to bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving fat in the pot.

Add or take away to total 3 tablespoons of fat to make your roux. To make roux, add about 1/4 cup of flour, stirring constantly and slowly until flour is a nice deep brown, being careful not to burn the flour. Slowly add 4 cups of beef broth or water and stir. Bring to a simmer and add back beef and vegetables. Add bay leaves, thyme, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt, dried basil and stir. Add fresh tomatoes and 1 can extra hot tomatoes. Simmer for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Just before serving, remove bay leaves and stir in 1/2 cup chopped parsley. Serve over your favorite hot buttered grits.