Another kitchen chemistry success!
Sep. 15th, 2013 08:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ramblin_rosieIn a quest for better food with minimal prep effort and cleanup, I recently came across Marie Callender's Steak with Roasted Potatoes frozen dinner, which is basically chunks of roasted steak over oven-roasted potatoes and served with mushroom gravy and a side of green bean casserole. The casserole isn't to my taste, but the main is, although I find the gravy spicier than I like. Yet I couldn't help finding it a bit wasteful to spend so much money on a dinner that I couldn't eat all of and seemed like something I could make myself--and would make myself, if using the Crock-Pot didn't involve so much scrubbing in the cleanup.
And then I remembered that there's such a thing as Crock-Pot liners.
This is not an exact replica of the MC recipe by any means, but it's close enough for me. (I've actually made beef tips this way for a long time minus the mushrooms; that was the part I had to experiment with.) Folks with specific dietary needs may need to adjust certain parts of it, but I think it should be adaptable enough for most folks.
Beef Tips with Mushrooms
(measurements are approximate; brands are what I use but may not be available everywhere)
1 lb. stew meat (or cubed beef cut of your choice)
1/2 lb. sliced mushrooms
1/2 small bag new potatoes
1/2 small bag baby carrots
4 c. water
Dried onion to taste
6 cubes (or 1 packet) Wyler's beef bullion
2 packets Pioneer Brown Gravy mix
1. Place the bullion in the bottom of the Crock-Pot. Add a layer each of potatoes, carrots, meat, and onions. Because the potatoes and carrots are already small, they don't need to be cut up further.
2. Add the water, which should mostly cover the meat.
3. Place the mushrooms on top of the meat. (This order is important because the cooked mushrooms' texture will be more like sauteed than if they remain in the water the whole time. If you don't mind sauteeing, though, you can keep the mushrooms out and follow the gravy packet instructions for Rich Mushroom Gravy.)
4. Cover the Crock-Pot and turn it on. Cook until meat is tender--approx. 4 hrs on High if meat is fresh, closer to 6 hrs. if frozen.
5. Remove 3 c. of pan juices to use as the hot liquid for the gravy. Prepare gravy according to package directions.
Serve over noodles or rice if you want the carrots and potatoes on the side, or serve over cut-up potatoes. Serves 4-6.
A variant that I may try is adding a bit of red grape juice to the gravy (instead of burgundy), but it's plenty rich even without that. :)
And then I remembered that there's such a thing as Crock-Pot liners.
This is not an exact replica of the MC recipe by any means, but it's close enough for me. (I've actually made beef tips this way for a long time minus the mushrooms; that was the part I had to experiment with.) Folks with specific dietary needs may need to adjust certain parts of it, but I think it should be adaptable enough for most folks.
Beef Tips with Mushrooms
(measurements are approximate; brands are what I use but may not be available everywhere)
1 lb. stew meat (or cubed beef cut of your choice)
1/2 lb. sliced mushrooms
1/2 small bag new potatoes
1/2 small bag baby carrots
4 c. water
Dried onion to taste
6 cubes (or 1 packet) Wyler's beef bullion
2 packets Pioneer Brown Gravy mix
1. Place the bullion in the bottom of the Crock-Pot. Add a layer each of potatoes, carrots, meat, and onions. Because the potatoes and carrots are already small, they don't need to be cut up further.
2. Add the water, which should mostly cover the meat.
3. Place the mushrooms on top of the meat. (This order is important because the cooked mushrooms' texture will be more like sauteed than if they remain in the water the whole time. If you don't mind sauteeing, though, you can keep the mushrooms out and follow the gravy packet instructions for Rich Mushroom Gravy.)
4. Cover the Crock-Pot and turn it on. Cook until meat is tender--approx. 4 hrs on High if meat is fresh, closer to 6 hrs. if frozen.
5. Remove 3 c. of pan juices to use as the hot liquid for the gravy. Prepare gravy according to package directions.
Serve over noodles or rice if you want the carrots and potatoes on the side, or serve over cut-up potatoes. Serves 4-6.
A variant that I may try is adding a bit of red grape juice to the gravy (instead of burgundy), but it's plenty rich even without that. :)
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no subject
Date: 2013-09-16 01:52 am (UTC)I totally agree! I'm going to bookmark your recipe, which I'd like to try sometime.
no subject
Date: 2013-09-16 07:29 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-09-18 01:05 am (UTC)Hugs,
Big Sis