Creole Beef Grillades

I woke up cold and reached for a blanket that wasn't there. The summer heat continued well into fall so I had't pulled the blankets out of the closet. Unable to warm up, I got out of bed, looked at the clock, and I was instantly happy. Not just about finally getting cooler weather but because I realized I'd slept through the night for the first time in months! It was after 6 A.M. Hooray! My usual night time routine was to wake up at 3-4 A.M. no matter the time I went to bed...and I STAY awake. I'm completely unable to fall back to sleep. It sucks! 


But today, I felt renewed and rested. Also, I was excited because I was home from school today. No PTA. No volunteering. No meetings. No problems. No people. Just time for me! Time in my kitchen. Time in my home. Time to tend to the things that I enjoy...Time to cook!And cooking is what I did. 
I made these ridiculously delicious Creole Beef Grillades. I experimented with this idea a few weeks ago with a cheap cut of beef and it turned out amazing.

I see a lot of affordable cuts of beef at the grocery store but I'm always unsure as how to cook them and have them taste good. Of course braising is the only way that came to mind for cheap cuts but I wanted something with a flavorful punch that's not spicy hot.  I tend to make food spicy for flavor, but I didn't want this meal to be spicy...I wanted my kids to eat it. Creole flavors came to mind. So with a full shaker of Creole seasoning in my cupboard and some beef chuck steaks, this is what I came up with.  
The ultimate cold weather comfort food. Happy Fall!  

Creole Beef Grillades

Serves 6

6-8 beef chuck steaks
1 c. flour with a generous amount of Creole seasoning (for dredging)
3 T olive oil, divided
1/2 c. medium onion, diced
1/2 c. red bell pepper, diced 
1/2 c. celery, diced 
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. red wine
3 T tomato paste
2 c. beef broth
2-3 bay leaves
2 T Creole Seasoning
pepper (to taste)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Dredge steaks in flour/Creole seasoning mixture and set aside.

In a large skillet, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, onion, celery, red bell pepper and garlic and saute until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove vegetables from pan and set aside. Add remaining 2 T olive oil to the skillet and over high heat, brown the steaks about 5 minutes on each side. Remove steaks from skillet and place in a roasting pan.

Prepare Braising Gravy 
De-glaze the skillet with red wine, scraping any bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the tomato paste, beef broth, bay leaves, Creole Seasoning and sauteed vegetables and heat to a simmer. About 8-10 minutes. 
Pour the gravy mixture over browned steaks in the roasting pan. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 1.5-2 hours or until meat is tender. (Time will vary depending on the thickness of the steaks.) 

Remove from oven. Let rest for 10 minutes and serve over mashed potatoes or Grits for authentic Creole fare. Generously ladle gravy over the top and enjoy!
 
Other recipes to try:
Braised Short Ribs             Honey Butter Chicken               Greek Meatballs

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