Steak and Gravy from Made in Louisiana

Using 7-steaks from Three Twelve Grass Fed Beef

There is nothing, nothing more comforting to me than a bowl of rice and gravy. I'll take it in any form, chicken, meatball, roast — you name it, I've made It, and I love it. When people think of Louisiana's cuisine, they fairly go to the Cajun and Creole classics. But, I'm willing to bet that this Cajun classic is one of the most commonly made Louisiana meals. It's simple, albeit time-consuming, and it's reliably delicious.

When I visited Three Twelve Grass Fed Beef for my new series, Made in Louisiana, I knew exactly what I wanted to make with their high-quality, grass-fed cuts: steak and gravy. Check out the full episode here (or at the bottom of this page!) for visual instructions.

This recipe includes some unnecessary steps that I often skip, as you are welcome to. But, the result — with the help of grass-fed beef — is deliciously worth the time.

Grass-Fed Steak and Gravy

INGREDIENTS (4-6 Servings)

• 2-3 lbs. of fatty stew meat, like 7-steaks, chuck roast, short rib, oxtail, rump roast, etc.

  • Depending on the size of the beef and the available cooking time, you may need to cut the beef into 2-3 pieces

• 1 large onion

• 1 large green bell pepper

• 2 ribs of celery

• 5 cloves of garlic

• 1-2 tablespoons of oil, beef tallow (rendered fat) or a mix of both

• 2 tablespoons of flour

• 6 cups of your cooking liquid of choice

  • beef stock, beef broth, bouillon

• 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce

• 1 teaspoon of hot sauce

• 1/4 to 1/2 a teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and Cajun seasoning

• salt, to taste

• Louisiana-grown rice, to serve

For this recipe, you'll want to use a large, heavy-bottomed pot with a good-fitting lid.

DIRECTIONS

1. (Optional) Render a few trimmings of beef fat (about an ounce) in the pot by placing the trimmings in a cold pot and turning the heat to medium. Allow the fat to render for 15-20 minutes. Remove the leftover solid fat pieces with a slotted spoon or tongs, leaving as much rendered fat in the pan as possible.

2. Meanwhile, chop the onion, green bell pepper, celery and garlic.

3. Add additional oil to the beef tallow, if needed, to total 1-2 tablespoons. Brown the beef over medium-high heat on each side for 2-3 minutes, or until a dark crust is formed. A layer of fond/gratin/grimeese should form on the bottom of the pan. Once browned, remove the beef and set aside in a bowl or plate to catch any juices.

4. Add the chopped veggies to the pan and sauté over medium-low heat, starting with the lid on, for 10 minutes. Then, sauté the veggies uncovered for 5-10 more minutes, until soft. The water evaporating from the veggies should begin to lift the fond.

5. (Optional) Add 2 tablespoons of flour to the veggies, if a thicker consistency is desired. Toast the flour for 1-2 minutes.

6. Deglaze the pot by adding 4 cups of cooking liquid, while scraping the bottom.

7. Season with Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, cajun seasoning, salt, and anything else you'd like.

8. Return the beef to the pot, along with any juices that have gathered. Ensure the meat is fully submerged in the cooking liquid. Add more, if needed.

9. Bring the pot to a simmer, then lower the heat to medium-low. Simmer for as long as you have but at least three hours. I prefer to simmer the gravy covered until the last hour of cooking time. If the gravy over-reduces or becomes too thick, add some of the leftover cooking liquid. If the gravy is too thin, simmer uncovered for additional time.

10. Once the meat is fall-apart tender and the gravy is at your desired consistency, taste for seasoning and serve over white rice. Enjoy!

Did you make this? Let me know in the comments, or tag me at @jillian.blair on Instagram or @withlovejillianblair on TikTok or Facebook.