Sunday Dinner for Reasonable Prices

[Großer Kriegschwein]

Ladies and Gents,

I thought I'd get started on something near and dear to my heart, Sunday dinner options that will not break your wallet, taste good and give people a chance to have a good American meal with the family (I have 2 year old twins, so I like cooking things that they may eat too, of course that is truly a toss-up depending on their moods).

We cook on Saturday (for football season) during the fall and Sunday's the rest of the year.

I buy my spices out of the 99 cent bin at Walmart when I can. I keep my own beef & chicken stocks in the deep freezer and only make them every three months or so. But I use Knorrs beef and chicken bullion cubes when I'm out. Spices I always keep on hand are basil (zatarans is the cheapest I've found), onion powder (in bulk), oregano, Cavenders (both leaded and unleaded), garlic powder and garlic salt, paprika, chili powder, white pepper, Tony's, ranch packets, salt & pepper.


Pork sirloin end roast

You'll need:

A Dutch oven (or an oven proof pot with a lid)

Oven at 325

Pork Sirloin End Roast (got a 2lb one for $2.30 and that seems to be a really reasonable cut of pork)

Today I made my own Italian seasoning with garlic powder, basil, oregano, Cavenders (unleaded white pepper, crushed red pepper and a little salt. This is trial and error on what YOUR taste buds like.

1/2 medium yellow onion thinly sliced (I sliced them so him they were nearly translucent)

3-4 carrots, peeled and chopped to about 2-3 inches long

4 medium potatoes, rinsed, scrubbed and quartered with skin on.

14 oz of beef broth


Rinse off pork roast and cut 6 deep small holes in it, stuff some of the onion in the holes and place in the Dutch oven. Liberally coat the pork roast with spices and rub it in. Pour the broth around it and layer the remaining vegetables around the roast.

Cover with lid and put in 325 oven for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Once roast is done, pour liquid in pan and reduce, add corn starch or flour and whisk until thickened. Pour back over roast and vegetables and serve.


Enjoy. 

[DeltaBoy]

Great Idea plus you could do this and make lunch for the week.

[HogimusMaximus]

This is a great thread idea.

[Großer Kriegschwein]

Ladies and Gents,

Sorry I took the week off. Was busy at home with the baby twins, but offer this gem from our youth as an olive branch for being a malingerer.

Lets explore the cube steak today.

Cube steak scared the bejesus out of me at Grandma's house. However, if you process it at home from a bottom round cut steak, it tastes better and less chewy (technically you don't even know if it is just one piece of meat if you buy it already "cubed").

I use a meat tenderizing tool similar to the attached photo. (Deni 48 Blade Tenderizer or the like)

Bottom line is that bottom round has much more connective tissue than other more typical tender portions of steak (ie...New York Strip, Porterhouse, ect). So when you tenderize it with a tool like the one above, it cuts through the connective tissues (you hit every inch of the steak 3-5 times, front and back). Once that is done, slow cooking will make it melt like butter after slow cooking (stewing) which is required for childhood dishes we remember and not the Frankensteined "mystery meat" we find in the grocery store.

Now. Knowing the above. we can progress to dishes like Chicken-Fried Steak, Swiss Steak, and Country-Style Steak and make a little sense of it.

Swiss Steak

Ingredients

2 lbs of beef bottom round, trimmed
2 teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper
3/4 cup of flour
1/4 cup bacon drippings
1 large onion
2 cloves of garlic or 2 teaspoons of garlic powder
2 stalks of celery
1 tablepoon tomato paste
1 can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon Worcestershire
1 1/2 cups of beef broth

Cut the meat with the grain into 1/2-inch thick slices (if not already cut) and season on both sides with the salt and pepper. Place the flour into a pie pan. Dredge the pieces of meat on both sides in the flour mixture. Tenderize the meat using a needling device, until each slice is 1/4-inch thick. Dredge the slices on both sides once more and set aside.

Add enough of the bacon drippings or vegetable oil to just cover the bottom of a 4 to 5-quart Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the steaks to the pan, being careful not to overcrowd. Cook until golden brown on both sides, approximately 2 minutes per side. Remove the steaks to a plate and repeat until all of the steaks have been browned.

Remove the last steaks from the pot and add the onions, garlic, and celery. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir to combine. Next add the tomatoes, paprika, oregano, Worcestershire sauce and beef broth and stir to combine. Return the meat to the pot, submerging it in the liquid. Cover the pot and place it in the oven on the middle rack. Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the meat is tender and falling apart.


Hopefully you enjoy. Will add country-fried steak tomorrow.

[Drops the mike and walks off the stage]

[DeltaBoy]

Yum yum.

[Großer Kriegschwein]

Yum yum.

I'll be adding the Texas state dish in Chicken-fried steak tomorrow. Figure you'd like that.

[PorkRinds]

My mom made this Swiss steak as I was growing up.  It's awesome.

[DeltaBoy]

I'll be adding the Texas state dish in Chicken-fried steak tomorrow. Figure you'd like that.

Brother the J&M and White River Cafe in Clarendon severed Chicken fried steak 20 years before I ever crossed the Red River to go to the Cotton Bowl. I consider it a Southern Dish not exclusive to Texas.

[Großer Kriegschwein]

Brother the J&M and White River Cafe in Clarendon severed Chicken fried steak 20 years before I ever crossed the Red River to go to the Cotton Bowl. I consider it a Southern Dish not exclusive to Texas.

The crazy statistic that I found is that there are 800,000 servings of Chicken Fried Steak served in that state every day.

It originated in the central hills of Texas during a time when many Germans were moving in. Germans make a similar dish of veal, but due to availability, they started making it with regular beef. It is the unofficial state dish of Texas.

[DeltaBoy]

The crazy statistic that I found is that there are 800,000 servings of Chicken Fried Steak served in that state every day.

It originated in the central hills of Texas during a time when many Germans were moving in. Germans make a similar dish of veal, but due to availability, they started making it with regular beef. It is the unofficial state dish of Texas.

Yes it a true German dish and unlike in Arkansas it not on every cafe menu like it is down her.

[DeltaBoy]

Pork Shoulder Roast work great with the recipe too.

[ricepig]

My mom made this Swiss steak as I was growing up.  It's awesome.

Yeah, my mom used to pound the crap out of that piece of meat with the edge of a plate. It and mashed potatoes, yum yum.

[DeltaBoy]

Cooked a Beef Roast on Sat evening with Onions and Mushrooms plus a Brown Gravy packet and a packet of Ranch.

[PorkRinds]

Cooked a Beef Roast on Sat evening with Onions and Mushrooms plus a Brown Gravy packet and a packet of Ranch.

Next time sneak the peppers in.  The girls won't know any different, and it's way better!

[Hog_Swanson]

Next time sneak the peppers in.  The girls won't know any different, and it's way better!

They aren't the hot peppers, but they are the one ingredient that made all the difference in the world.

[PorkRinds]

They aren't the hot peppers, but they are the one ingredient that made all the difference in the world.

yep. They add no heat. Only flavor.

[DeltaBoy]

Thanks for that information,  Pot Roast has gotten to be Sunday favorite cause you have Supper that night or supper later in the week.   Monday night we reheated the left over roast and made some rice and green beans and had a hot supper in 15 minutes.

[DeltaBoy]

Cooked a smaller Roast Sat and it was gone by Sunday Morning.  Wife grapped a package of Country cut Pork ribs Sunday so I will pulling out the Craigs I picked up at Christmas this week and cooking them up.  The Crockpot is king.

[DeltaBoy]

Pot Roast is one way to eat good at home and save a buck to boot.