One way I save money on groceries is to use what I have on hand and create new recipes from those ingredients. It may all seem like odd combinations at first, but I find a way to make it work. I am not afraid to stray from the traditional, make substitutions or experiment with something new.
This week, I found a bone-in chuck steak for just under $2. I had to find a way to turn this into a family meal.
Typically, as it gets closer to shopping day, my supply of produce will dwindle. I might only have a couple of stalks of celery, a quarter of a head of cabbage or just one carrot left from the bunch. Instead of letting this produce go to waste, or to compost, I will find a way to use it. This has resulted in many a delicious recipe in my household.
This time, when I took stock of my lagniappe produce and realized I had some parsnips, sweet potatoes, onions and celery, I thought that I could put all of that together with the chuck steak to make a kind of "stew".
The end result was a recipe for "Crockpot Chuck Steak with Root Vegetables" and I estimate the entire meal only cost me about $4 to make.
Crockpot Chuck Steak with Root Vegetables
One Chuck Steak
2 parsnips (peeled and cubed)
2 sweet potatoes (peeled and cubed)
2 small onions (cut in half and sliced)
4 stalks of celery (sliced)
1 or 2 cloves of garlic (crushed)
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh herbs such as rosemary or thyme
(I have these herbs in my garden, but you can add whatever herbs you have on hand)
Brown chuck steak in a skillet and render off some of the fat. Move the steak to a cutting board, and reserve browned bits and juices in the skillet. Add the vegetables (except the garlic) to the skillet and saute on low until the onions start to become translucent.
While the vegetables are cooking, cut away the bones from the steak and trim away the extra fat. Cube the steak and place in crockpot. Once the vegetables are ready, add the vegetables to the crockpot and add salt and pepper. Now add just enough liquid (water or broth) to cover.
Cook on low for 4-6 hours. About 30 minutes before the end of cooking time, stir in the garlic, herbs, and adjust the seasoning to your taste.
Serve over rice or with a side of potatoes.
