Sunday, May 13, 2012

Stewed Beef with Creamy Cheddar Grits

Our fantastic friends, Joey and Cali, had us over to their house a couple of weekends ago for dinner and board games.  Cali made us a delicious meal she found on The Pioneer Woman, and we loved it so much I had to make it again!  It is a fall-apart-in-your-mouth, tender beef dish served over silky, cheesy grits.  Can you get much better than that?  I submit that you cannot :)  Thanks again for having us over, Cali!







1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter
1.5 lbs. stew meat
2 cups low-sodium beef broth
3 cloves minced garlic
1/2 Tbps. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 onion, finely diced
1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
2 Tbsp. canned chilis in adobo (optional-use only if you like spice!)
2 cups stone-ground grits (a.k.a. polenta)
3 cups low-sodium chicken or beef broth
1.5 cups water
1 cup fat-free half-and-half
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese


To make the meat, heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large pot over high heat. Throw in stew meat and brown for 1 minute, then add chipotle peppers, beef broth, garlic, cumin, and chili powder. Stir, then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, then cover and simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the meat is fall-apart tender and the liquid is thick. (Watch the meat occasionally and add more beef broth as needed.)


In the last hour of cooking time, make the grits: Heat remaining 1 tablespoon of both oil and butter. Add diced onion, bell pepper, and chilies and cook for five minutes or so. Pour in grits, then add chicken (or beef) broth and water. Stir, then bring to a boil . Reduce the heat to low, then cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 30 minutes, add half-and-half. Cook for another 20 to 30 minutes, or until grits are tender. Remove from heat and stir in grated cheese.


Serve a pile of grits with stewed meat (liquid and all) over the top. Sprinkle on sliced green onion for color.

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