Grits and Grillades
Grits and Grillades is a classic Creole dish of tender meat simmered in a tomato-based gravy and served over creamy, cheesy grits. Perfect for feeding a crowd during Mardi Gras festivities - or any time of year.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
For the Grillades
- 8 (2- to 3-ounce) venison or beef top round or bottom round steaks, trimmed of fat
- kosher salt
- black pepper
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon Tony's Creole seasoning
- 3 Tablespoons avocado oil or vegetable oil, divided
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 3 celery ribs, diced
- 1 large bell pepper, diced
- 1 ½ Tablespoons minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground thyme
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons Worcerstershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 green onions, diced
For the Grits
- 3 Tablespoons butter, divided
- 2 Tablespoons yellow onion, diced
- kosher salt
- black pepper
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups half and half
- 1 cup stone-ground white grits
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 Tablespoons cream cheese
Instructions
- Using meat pounder, pound each steak to even ¼-inch thickness between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Then season the cutlets all over with salt and pepper.
- Whisk flour and Tony's seasoning together in shallow dish. Working with 1 cutlet at a time, dredge in seasoned flour, shaking off excess; transfer cutlets to plate.
- To a large heavy pot or a Dutch oven set over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of the oil. Once the oil is hot, transfer half of the meat to the pot and cook until browned on one side, about 2 minutes. Flip and continue cooking on the other side until browned, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate, then add another tablespoon of oil to the Dutch oven and brown the remaining cutlets and transfer to the plate.
- Add one tablespoon of butter to the Dutch oven, and once it has melted, stir in the onion, celery, and bell pepper, scraping up any browned bits that have stuck to the bottom. Sauté vegetables for about 3 minutes, stirring often. Stir in garlic, oregano, and thyme and cook for 1 minute more.
- Stir in the beef broth, again scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pot, then increase the heat to high to bring to a boil. Add the meat cutlets, diced tomatoes, bay leaves, Worcestershire, and cayenne pepper to the Dutch oven, making sure the meat is fully submerged. Bring back to a boil and then decrease the heat to low to maintain a simmer. Cook until the grillades are tender, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours. Remove and discard the bay leaves.
- Meanwhile prepare the grits: Set a medium (4-quart) saucepan over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of the butter. Once melted, add the onion and sauté, about 2 minutes. Season lightly with salt and black pepper, add the water and half and half, and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, watching to make sure the liquid doesn't boil over.
- Whisk in the grits, bring back up to a boil, then lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring frequently, until the grits just begin to thicken, about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover, and set aside for 10 minutes more.
- Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter, cheddar cheese, and cream cheese, and stir to combine. Season with a little more salt and black pepper if so desired.
- Divide the grits between 4 bowls or plates. Ladle over the grillades, top with diced green onions, and serve hot.
