- 1-1/2 to 2 pounds of any cheap piece
of beef
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 3 tablespoons bacon grease or oil
- 2 cups hot tap water
- 1/2 cup milk
The first thing you do is buy your beef.
Look in the meat section and choose the meat
which is the cheapest per pound. The shape
of the meat doesn't matter because you will
be cutting it up when you get home. If you
find stew meat then you can use it too. It
will be cut into smaller chunks than if you
did it at home, but that won't matter much.
At home, cut the meat into large cubes. I
try to cut 12 cubes, so each person can have
two cubes per serving. You can cut them
however you like though, smaller or bigger
as you see fit. Cut off the fat while you're
at it, to make a tastier dish. When the meat
is in cubes or chunks, set it aside. In a
bowl, combine the flour, salt and pepper.
Place the meat in the bowl and toss it in
the flour, coating it on all sides.
Meanwhile, heat up the fat in a large
skillet over medium heat. Place the coated
chunks of beef into the hot fat. Brown them
on all sides. This will take about 10
minutes of cooking. Save the leftover flour
in the bowl. You will use it later for the
gravy. After the meat is well browned, add
the tap water. Bring the meat to a boil.
Reduce the heat so the water barely simmers.
Cover the pan with a lid or a pizza pan.
Allow it to simmer for 2 hours. If the water
simmers away, add more as you see fit. After
two hours, the meat should be tender. In a
pint size canning jar, or other container
with a good lid, combine the remaining flour
and the milk. Screw the lid to the jar on
tightly and shake it until the flour is
completely dissolved in the milk. Then pour
this into the skillet on the stove, to
thicken the gravy. Stir it up and bring it
to a boil, continue cooking for a full
minute. If the gravy is too thick, add a
water until it is the consistency you like.
Serve over mashed potatoes or cooked rice.
This stuff is so rich and so good. It is
simple too, just coat the meat in flour, fry
it up, simmer 'til tender and thicken the
gravy. The recipe is worth it for the gravy
alone. Scrumptious.
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