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nutty's braised steak

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Cold weather is well and truly upon us around now and it's the perfect time for Nutty's Braised Steak in a rich gravy with shallots, leeks and whole chestnut mushrooms, which are absolutely delicious. I made this in my pressure cooker, but, it can be braised on a stove top, or even in the oven on long, low and slow. Nutty's Braised Steak is delcious with a creamy mash and vegetables of your choice. This is super quick to put together once your vegetables are prepared.

Click the Method tab below to see a step-by-step guide on how to make Nutty's Braised Steak along with some pictures as guidance.

braised steak mash and veg plated

ingredients

Here's what you need :¬)

serves 4

  • 2 x 250g packs of lean braising (4)steaks
  • 2 large garlic cloves — slightly crushed
  • 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 4 eschallon shallots peeled & sliced in half (lenghways)
  • 1 leek sliced into 5mm disks
  • 12 - 16 chestnut mushrooms, cleaned and stalks trimmed
  • 1 Indian, or 2 English bay leaves
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard for each beef steak
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns crushed
  • 1 tsp Himalayan sea salt
  • 4 tsp thyme leaves
  • 1 OXO™ beef stock cube crushed
  • 1 OXO™ vegetable stock cube crushed
  • 1 tsp Worcester sauce
  • 1 dessert spoon plain flour
  • 1 dessert spoon Bisto™ powder
  • 1 dessert spoon butter
  • 15 - 20 Indian long peppers (optional)
  • 1 Tbsp tomato puree
  • 1 pint water

method

There's just a little veg' to prepare for this dish and once you've got that job done, the rest is a breaze to put together. Just clean the mushrooms with some kitchen paper to remove any soil, then trim the stalks and pull them out of the mushrooms, so that they lay flat on each side as you fry them — put the stalks in to fry with the mushrooms! Then, you just need to pre-brown everything:- shallots, leeks, mushrooms and steak, putting everything into your chosen cooking pot as you go, then make the gravy / sauce and add that to the pot too.

Indian Long Peppers

I bought these Indian Long Peppers a little while ago, for a specific recipe that I had in mind at the time, but, I never thought very much of them. However, I thought I'd give them another go and added them to this recipe. I'm so glad I did, they have a very subtle flavour, but definitely add a lovely warming and welcome heat to the dish, the kind of heat that makes you glow from the inside out :-) They're not exactly edible when cooked, so you will have to fish them out and / or warn your diners about them! They soften up a little when cooked and have a slight floral note to them when chewed — I had to do that! Just to really get a handle on exactly what they were, so, even though I say they're optional, it's well worth using them if you can, I think I had to order mine on-line, as I couldn't find them in my usual stores. You could use whole black peppercorns as a substitute, but the heat from them will be a little more ferocious.

With all that in mind, get all of your ingredients ready, so you have everything to hand and to make sure you don't miss anything, which is so easily done!

ingredients
ingredients
  1. heat a large heavy based frying pan & add oil
  2. add the bay leaf to the pan then
  3. place your shallots into the pan. Once browned on one side turn over
  4. add in the leeks — allow to brown slightly & turn over
leeks & shallots browning
leeks and shallots
  1. tip out into the cooking pot*
  2. add your whole mushrooms — just fry each side
  3. tip out into the cooking pot

*This can be your pressure cooker pot, a large sauce pan, or, even a casserole dish — the choice is yours. As a rough guide:- pressure cooker — 30 minutes, large sauce pan — 2 hours, casserole dish — 2 hours

  1. coat each steak with a tsp of Dijon mustard on one side
  2. place two steaks (mustard side down) into a hot frying pan along with two crushed garlic cloves, allow the steaks to brown & coat the other side with mustard, then flip & repeat
brown your steaks
mustard coated steak frying
  1. add your salt & pepper to the cooking pot & stir through
  2. remove your two browned steaks from the frying pan & put them into the cooking pot
  3. add your long peppers to the frying pan with the second steaks if using
Indian long peppers
indian long peppers on a plate
  1. place your other two steaks into the frying pan and allow them to brown on both sides
  2. remove your second browned steaks & long pepper to the cooking pot — don't wash the pan!
  3. mix Bisto and flour together in a jug or mug and add a little water while mixing until you have a smooth gravy paste
  4. using the same pan that you browned the steaks in, add a little butter to the pan, then add the gravy paste and water
make the gravy
gravy in a pan
  1. mix rapidly until it combines & begins to thicken, then add your veg & beef stock cubes
  2. add the thyme, tomato puree & Worcester sauce to the cooking pot & top with your gravy
everything in the cooking pot
steak and gravy in pressure cooker
  1. cover and cook in the pressure cooker on meat setting for 30 minutes, or, if you are using large sauce pan — 2 hours, or, in a casserole dish — 2 hours
serving suggestion
braised steak mash and veg plated
braised steak, mash & veg...

Serving suggestion

Mashed potatoes, sliced carrots & cabbage — wheres my fork?

That ultimate, melt in your mouth steak, with a sumptuously rich and incredibly tasty warming gravy that will soften the hearts of all, guaranteed. This dish is not about the tender succulant steak it is all about sauce! A bit of effort pays huge dividends Nutty :-P xxx