Grits and Grillades

I wanted to make something reminiscent of our recent New Orleans trip (which was full of amazing food) and the first meal I ate there was Grits and Grillades for brunch on Christmas day. I had never experienced this dish before.but it was a recommendation from our server at the Creole House restaurant. I could not have been happier with this selection. It is tender slow cooked beef in this incredibly flavorful brown gravy with peppers & onions over creamy grits, and it is delicious. So I set out to recreate this rich meal.

Season the beef with creole seasoning then dredge each piece in flour. 

Brown the beef in a cast iron skillet and set aside. 

Saute the trinity (peppers, onions, & celery) in the drippings until soft, 5-10 mins. Add a tbsp of the seasoned flour and stir to coat the vegetables. Cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes stirring frequently.

Add the garlic and tomato and cook for 5 more mins then deglaze the pan with the red wine getting all of the browned bits. Add the beef broth or base & water, the Worcheshire, and the hot sauce and bring to a boil. Stir in the beef, cover, and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 1.5-2 hours, stirring occasionally, until meat is fork tender. 

When the meat is almost done, cook the grits according to their package, stirring occasionally. I always use at least half milk (or cream or half & half) in place of water when cooking mine to make them creamier. When the grits are done, remove from the heat and stir in the butter and cream cheese. This kind I used today really is not my favorite but was shockingly my only option that wasn't "instant" or "quick-cooking" so I used it. We much more prefer Trader Joe's grits which have a much larger grit, or Lakeside Stone ground yellow grits. 

Serve the grillades and gravy over the grits and garnish with green onions. All the flavor in this sauce with the tender meat & creamy grits make this one decadent meal to indulge in.

Grits and Grillades 

4 servings, 550 calories per serving

20 mins prep, 2.5 hours cooking time 

• 1.5 lbs thin sliced beef, top round or sirloin
• 1 small or 1/2 large onion
• 2 celery stalks
• 1/2 green bell pepper
• 1/2 yellow, orange, or red bell pepper
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic
• 1 small can diced tomatoes 
• 3 cups beef broth
• creole seasoning 
• all purpose flour
• 2 tbsp hot sauce
• 1 tbsp worcheshire 
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1 cup grits
• 4 cups milk
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp cream cheese