Slow Cooker Grillades

A classic New Orleans brunch dish gets the slow cooker treatment in this recipe.

Slow Cooker Grillades
Yields: 6 to 8 servings
 
Ingredients
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning*, divided
  • 2 pounds chuck steak, cut against the grain into ½-inch-thick slices
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
  • 1½ cups chopped yellow onion (about 1 large onion)
  • ¾ cup chopped carrot (about 2 medium carrots)
  • ½ cup chopped celery (about 2 stalks)
  • ½ cup chopped green bell pepper (about 1 medium bell pepper)
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1 (10.5-ounce) can beef consommé
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • Creamy Cheese Grits, to serve (recipe follows)
  • Garnish: chopped fresh parsley, ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. In a large shallow bowl, stir together flour and 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning. Place beef slices in flour mixture, turning to coat.
  2. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add beef to skillet, and cook until browned, about 2 minutes per side; add additional oil, 1 tablespoon at a time, if necessary, between batches. Transfer beef to a 5-to 6-quart slow cooker.
  3. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet. Add onion, carrot, celery, bell pepper, and garlic; cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer onion mixture to cooker.
  4. Add tomatoes, consommé, tomato paste, vinegar, Worcestershire, bay leaves, Italian seasoning, and remaining 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning to cooker. Cover and cook on high until beef is tender, 3 to 4 hours. Serve over Creamy Cheese Grits. Garnish with parsley and black pepper, if desired.
Notes
*We used Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning.

Creamy Cheese Grits
Yields: about 3 cups
 
Ingredients
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups whole milk, plus more if needed
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup stone-ground yellow grits
  • 1 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Instructions
  1. In a medium saucepan, bring broth, milk, butter, garlic, and salt to a boil over medium-high heat. Gradually whisk in grits; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook, whisking occasionally, until grits are thickened, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat; gradually whisk in cheese. (Whisk in 2 to 4 tablespoons warm milk if grits become too thick.) Serve immediately.