Grillades & Grits

• 1 3-pound chuck roast, cut into 1" pieces
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• Garlic powder
• 1/3  cup  all-purpose flour, plus 1/4 cup
• 4  tablespoon  bacon grease
• 4  tablespoon  cooking oil
• 1 large bell pepper, chopped
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1  cup  celery, diced
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• 3  tablespoon  oil
• 4  cup  beef broth or water
• 3 bay leaves
• 1  teaspoon  dried thyme
• 2  tablespoon  Paula Deen's Hot Sauce
• 1  teaspoon  salt
• 1  tablespoon  Worcestershire sauce
• 1  teaspoon  dried basil
• 5 medium or 4 large fresh tomatoes, peeled and quartered
• 1 10-ounce can extra hot stewed tomatoes (recommended: Ro-Tel)
• 1/2  cup  fresh chopped parsley
• cooking spray

Season beef with kosher salt, black pepper and garlic powder. Dust beef with about 1/3 cup flour and toss lightly. Spray a cast iron Dutch oven with cooking spray. Heat 4 tablespoons of bacon grease and 4 tablespoons of cooking oil (you may use all bacon grease, all solid shortening, or all cooking oil if desired). Brown meat in hot fat and remove to a large bowl using a slotted spoon. Leaving fat in Dutch oven, saute bell pepper, onions, celery, and garlic. Brown vegetables and remove to bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving fat in the pot.

Add or take away to total 3 tablespoons of fat to make your roux. To make roux, add about 1/4 cup of flour, stirring constantly and slowly until flour is a nice deep brown, being careful not to burn the flour. Slowly add 4 cups of beef broth or water and stir. Bring to a simmer and add back beef and vegetables. Add bay leaves, thyme, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt, dried basil and stir. Add fresh tomatoes and 1 can extra hot tomatoes. Simmer for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Just before serving, remove bay leaves and stir in 1/2 cup chopped parsley. Serve over your favorite hot buttered grits.

Yield: about 8 servings
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Ease of preparation: Easy

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen