Grillades & Grits with Beef Round Steak and Bell Pepper

Ingredients

• 1½ lb Beef Round Steak, pounded to ¼ inch and cut into palm-size pieces
• 3 tbsp neutral oil
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 Bell Pepper, diced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
• 2½ cups beef stock
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup stone-ground grits
• 4 cups water or milk
• 3 tbsp butter
• Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Season and brown the Beef Round Steak in oil in batches over high heat, 90 seconds a side. Do not crowd the pan or you will steam it gray. Set the meat aside.
2. Whisk the flour into the drippings, adding more oil if the pan is dry, and cook to a milk-chocolate roux — 8 to 10 minutes of constant stirring. Walk away and you start over.
3. Add onion, Bell Pepper, and celery to the roux and stir 5 minutes, then garlic, tomatoes, stock, Worcestershire, thyme, and bay. Return the meat, cover, and simmer 50 minutes until fork-tender.
4. Meanwhile, whisk the grits into boiling salted water or milk, drop to the lowest heat, and cook 30–40 minutes, stirring often, until creamy with no chalky bite. Finish with butter.
5. Spoon the grits into shallow bowls, lay the grillades on top, and flood the whole thing with gravy. Rest 5 minutes so it stops trying to burn you.