BEEF ESSENTIALS: SCRUMMY BEEF & MUSHROOMS

Beef Essentials: Scrummy Beef & Mushrooms image

I went into the walk-in, and I found some chuck charcoal steaks, and some mushrooms hiding in the corner. They were calling out to me, and saying: Please, do something with us... So, I came up with this recipe. It's fairly straightforward, and has a lot of great flavor. I served mine with garlic mashed taters, and I was...

Provided by Andy Anderson !

Categories Beef

Time 1h5m

Number Of Ingredients 18

Ingredients

PLAN/PURCHASE
1 lb charcoal chuck steak
1/4 c flour, all-purpose variety
8 oz white or brown button mushrooms
1 Tbsp sweet butter, unsalted
1 Tbsp grapeseed oil
1/2 c red wine, dry variety
1 c chicken stock, not broth
1 Tbsp capers with juice
1 tsp hungarian paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
salt, kosher variety, to taste
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
THE SLURRY
2 Tbsp flour, all-purpose variety
3 Tbsp water
ADDITIONAL ITEMS
flat egg noodles or potato as a side

Steps:

1. PREP/PREPARE
2. Chef's Note: Why am I using a charcoal chuck steak? In my opinion, this is the best steak to use: 1. It's inexpensive (cheap). 2. It's chock full of flavor. 3. It was born to braise.
3. Gather your Ingredients (mise en place).
4. Cut the steak into cubes, and then clean, stem, and quarter the mushrooms.
5. Add the flour to a bowl, and season with a bit of salt, and pepper.
6. Toss the beef in the flour.
7. Add the butter and grapeseed oil to a large sauté pan over medium heat.
8. Add the floured beef chunks to the pan.
9. Cook until browned on all sides, about 5 - 7 minutes.
10. Remove the beef and reserve.
11. Add the mushrooms to the pan.
12. Sauté until they soften and begin to release their moisture.
13. Chef's Note: You may need to add some additional butter or oil to the pan. In fact, you probably will.
14. Chef's Note: When you add the mushrooms, you are adding them to a pan that has fonds on the bottom of the pan. Fonds are those brown bits of flavor left over from cooking the beef. You have to be very careful that you don't burn those yummy brown bits. So, as you cook the mushrooms reduce the heat as necessary, and even take the pan off the heat to keep those fonds from burning. This is a crucial step in the process. DO NOT BURN THOSE FONDS.
15. Add the red wine and chicken stock to the pan, and then use a wooden spoon to scrape up those brown bits (fonds) on the bottom of the pan, and incorporate them into the sauce.
16. Chef's Note: If you are not using the wine, do two things: 1. Change the chicken stock to beef stock. 2. Substitute the wine with an equal amount of beef stock.
17. Return the beef to the pan, then add the capers, paprika, and cumin, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
18. Chef's Tip: When I serve this dish in the Winter months, when Jack Frost is knocking at the door, I'll add a bit of cayenne to give it some warmth.
19. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and allow the ingredients to lightly simmer until the beef cubes are tender, about 30 to 45 minutes.
20. Chef's Note: If the sauce it not thick enough for you combine the flour and water together to make a slurry, add it to the pan, and cook for an additional 5 - 7 minutes.
21. PLATE/PRESENT
22. Serve this dish over some nice flat egg noodles, or maybe with a baked or mashed potatoes, Enjoy.
23. Keep the faith, and keep cooking.