So welcome to a new recipe series that will happen with some modest regularity. This time around, instead of sending Ryan into the breach with tried, and untried, recipes where his own inexperience is the greatest test, we’ll be sending one of our more experienced cooks into the wild unknowns. This week, as an apology for the late Podcast and Recipe posts (and the fact that Ryan isn’t actually make stew) I present the grand experiment, Steak and Potato Casserole!

A WARNING: THIS RECIPE TAKES THE BETTER PART OF 2 HOURS TO COOK, PLAN ACCORDINGLY

tsp = teaspoon

Tbsp = Tablespoon

lbs = Pounds

Mince = chop into very small pieces

Diced = You chop the thing into roughly square like shapes

Sliced = Cut into thin broad strips (usually circles)

Saute = cook with oil

Reserve = Hold on/Don’t discard. Usually a liquid that is normally considered waste.

Ingredients

Main Dish:

• Veggie/Olive Oil for Cooking
• 1.5 Lbs of Beef-Round steak – Cut the beef into thin but long strips
• 1.5 Large Onions – Sliced
• 1 Can of Diced Tomato – Drained but ‘reserve’ [save] the liquid in a bowl
• 2-3 Carrots – Sliced
• 1 Green Pepper – Cut into strips
• 1.5 Lbs (or 2-3 medium) Potatoes

Sauce

• 2 Tbspn of Flour
• 1 cup of beef stock
• 1 Tbspn of Worcestershire Sauce (approx.)
• 1 Tbspn of Soy Sauce (approx.)
• Salt to Taste

Necessary Equipment

• Fry Pan/Skillet
• 3-Quart Casserole Dish
• Knives
• Cutting Board
• Oven [Yeah I’m stretching] – Preheat to 350 Degrees Fahrenheit, or 300 Degrees Fahrenheit for a convention Oven

Instructions

1. Preheat the Oven to 350/300 Degrees Fahrenheit
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the beef strips and saute until they are browned on the outside (this is real quick). Remove the beef from the pan without removing any of the fats/liquids left behind.
3. Saute the Onions in the same skillet, until they are golden brown (add more oil if necessary). Remove the Onion without removing any of the fats or liquids.
4. In the Casserole dish, layer the Beef, onions, carrots, green pepper, and tomatoes
5. Stir the flour into the remaining fats in the skillet and cook for 1 min (if possible, I was low on fats so I had to skip the step)
6. Gradually Stir in the Beef Stock, and reserved Tomato Juice and bring to a Boil
7. Once at a Boil, stir in the Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and Salt
8. Pour the hot sauce over the stuff in the Casserole dish.
9. Put the potatoes atop
10. Cover the casserole with tin foil or a lid and Bake at 350/300 Fahrenheit for 1-1.5 Hours (I did 1 at 350)
11. Then Remove the cover/tin foil and increase the oven heat to 400/350 (I did 375) for 45mins or until the potatoes are tender and Golden Brown.
12. 2 hours and change later, congrats! You have what was basically slow-cooked meat.

Some thoughts:

• This is a really long dish to prepare. Be warned and prepared for that.
• I think this could stand with adding something to give the potatoes flavour, Oregano is a family favorite. They’re not really flavour-less because this dish creates a lot of liquid to cook/soak everything but a bit more
• This dish is really a lot more like a bizarre way to boil a bunch of meats and veggies together, and while it comes out tasty, a more dense binding agent or even cheese could make it a better cohesive dish.
• Also this toughens the meat up, most people wouldn’t mind but I can’t stand tough meat