Folks we tried Asto's, braised steak+onions, cooked today for dinner tomorrow, only difference is that I added celery, and done slowly in a clay pot (another hobby).

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Where can I find the recipe Michaelb, it looks great
Kev

Sooty this was posted in the Thora follow up pages, this is the basis of what we had tonight.
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Aart,
Dave told me you asked for the recipe for my Braised Steak & Onions cooked at Thora - her it is.
This recipe is very basic and very simple - it is one which relies on the method to bring out the flavours of the steak and onion, and doesn't use any other additives except gravy.  This is a dish our father used to cook when we were kids - Roel's wife Chris (my sister) cooks this beautifully.
Firstly you need some diced crap steak.   I think the crappier the better, although I don't like too much fat.   For Thora Dave bought a couple of packets of diced stewing or chuck steak (not sure what).   It certainly looked like crap, and that did just fine.    The better steak tends to fall apart when its cooked long, which I don't like - at Thora it cooked for at least 5 hours but still held together and was lovely and soft.    I like the diced, bite sized pieces, but Chris sometimes cuts hers about one and a half to two inches square.
The first part of the cooking you can't do in the camp oven.   The steak is browned in an open fry pay, and when I say browned I mean really seared - Chris reckons almost black.   And you can't just pile it all in together otherwise it just stews in its juices and doesn't sear properly.   At Thora I placed individual lpieces apart in the fry pan and turned them to make sure they were seared on all sides.   This way it doesn't produce juice,  it just sears dry. (very important)    Depending on how much steak you use, this might have to be done in two or more batches.   After each batch is seared, toss it into the camp oven.   When all the browning is finished the fry pan is laced with steak flavoured gunck.   Add some water and scrape and soak up all the gunck then pour this into the oven with the steak.   Add enough extra water to just cover the steak and let it cook away on the coals for at least two hours.   I think 3 hours is better, and as I said, at Thora it was 5 hours, fairly slow.
Use as much sliced and halved onion as you like - I put in a fair bit as it tends to cook away over a long period.    Because of this I also don't put it in for an hour or so.
The steak must be cooked until its nice and soft, so I don't think you can overdo it - the longer the better.
When its done (or nearly done), add the gravy or thickener and thicken (or reduce with the lid off) until its at the desired consistency.   I like it pretty thick if I'm having it on a roll or in bread, but sometimes a bit runnier if on a plate with vegies.
As I said, this is very simple, and if anone tries it I would like to know how it goes.
                                                             Ian

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Thanks, tried search but no success. Sounds great for a winter night feed with mashed veg and peas.

Kev

Michaelb wrote on Jul 12^th, 2009 at 4:48pm:

Folks we tried Asto's, braised steak+onions, cooked today for dinner tomorrow, only difference is that I added celery, and done slowly in a clay pot (another hobby).

That looks very good Michaelb..
It is much wetter than the one done at Thora.
I tried it as well..didn't look like the Thora one either.

Aart

Michaelb wrote on Jul 12^th, 2009 at 4:48pm:

and done slowly in a clay pot (another hobby).

Do you put this in a cold oven?
Do you have to soak in water first? Your pot looks glazed.
Mary Karlin in "Wood-Fired Cooking" covers clay pots.
I have two clay pots - SchlemmerTopf and Romertopf.
They need to be soaked in cold water for 10 minutes then put in a cold oven. A roast beef surrounded by medium washed potatoes, whole carrots and whole medium onions turns out a treat ;) at 425F for 2 hours.
Hummmmmm - thats a thought - Webber Kettle???

KD

Michaelb wrote on Jul 13^th, 2009 at 9:42pm:

Add some water

For a beef stew I only ever add a bottle of stout!
Used to be Carbine, but they dont make it anymore, so anything black will do.  Sheesh, add water :o

KD

Michaelb wrote on Jul 13^th, 2009 at 9:42pm:

When all the browning is finished the fry pan is laced with steak flavoured gunck. Add some water and scrape and soak up all the gunck then pour this into the oven with the steak.

Well you could deglaze the fry pan with stout I reckon ;)

KD

Kingsthorpe David wrote on Jul 22^nd, 2009 at 7:11pm:

Carbine

Carbine Stout...haven't had that in years.

Aart

Clay pot cooking:

http://www.roemertopf.de/english/

KD

TBF wrote on Jul 22^nd, 2009 at 7:14pm:

Carbine Stout...haven't had that in years.

And you will never have another................

KD

Kingsthorpe David wrote on Jul 22^nd, 2009 at 7:27pm:

TBF wrote on Jul 22nd, 2009 at 7:14pm: Carbine Stout...haven't had that in years. And you will never have another................ KD

I know...but it did have a good flavour

Pot luckNovember 2, 2004


What's old is new again as this primitive form of cooking finds favour in the most modern of kitchens. By Clare Kermond.

It could be the fondue set of the new millennium, that quirky cooking gadget everyone has to have, the perfect talking point for any dinner party. Like fondue, claypot cooking was big in the '70s. And now it's back.

Browse through the shelves of most cookware shops and it seems every country's claypot is different:

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/11/01/1099262774733.html?from=storyrhs

Hey Derek - better start a Clay Pot section just near Cooking in a Cobb ;D ;D ;D ;D

KD

btw KD is having fun tonight, I am on holidays to Tuesday 4 Aug AND DONT NEED TO SET MY ALARM CLOCK FOR 4AM TOMORROW! :)
Bet I still wake up at 4am...................... >:(

TBF wrote on Jul 22^nd, 2009 at 7:29pm:

I know...but it did have a good flavour

I have 3/4 of a bottle left over from cooking sitting in my freezer - der ya reckon I should put it on eBay TBF? Sorry folks it is legless!
I added the 1/4 to some gravy over a year ago then forgot about it.

KD

Kingsthorpe David wrote on Jul 22^nd, 2009 at 7:42pm:

der ya reckon I should put it on eBay TBF? Sorry folks it is legless!

;D ;D ;D ;D

Kingsthorpe David wrote on Jul 22^nd, 2009 at 7:34pm:

btw KD is having fun tonight, I am on holidays to Tuesday 4 Aug AND DONT NEED TO SET MY ALARM CLOCK FOR 4AM TOMORROW!

KD
Enjoy the time off mate.
I have to wait till late September for 2 weeks off.
Mrs TBF has me lined up for some serious work around the house.

Aart

KD I have found that the best clay pots come from Bendigo pottery, it is all in the lid design and how the pot opening at the top is configured-round and rolled, I have a Roemertopf and also a schlemmertopf, but my preference is still the Bendigo Pottery ones.

I will slow cook with these on the hooded BBQ or the webber, they just need to be away from direct heat, on the BBq put the pot on a stand to the right and have the left burner on.

This might be classed as a camp oven in some situations, but the durability is questionable.

http://www.bendigopottery.com.au/cart-01.asp?ID=106

Clay or ceramic pot cooking is not everyone's cup of tea, but it does add dimension.

Forgot to mention I have never paid full price for these, last one I got was from the salvos @ $6.00 but must be Bendigo Pottery, as they are dated and have the initials of the specific maker on the base.

Michaelb wrote on Jul 23^rd, 2009 at 12:05pm:

KD I have found that the best clay pots come from Bendigo pottery

This looks an interesting pot, made between 1972/79 according to seller:
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=380139903523

Gawd, Rastas got me into Jaffles and Cobbs and now this................

KD

KD that is the same coloration as the one I brought from the salvos, no longer made in that color.

Sorry about that, but gota spend the kids inheritance on something.

Michaelb wrote on Jul 23^rd, 2009 at 4:53pm:

Sorry about that, but gota spend the kids inheritance on something.

Are you bidding?  Dont want to bid against you.

KD

KD paid $ 6.50 for this,

You know the ultimate camp oven would be cast iron, but made in the shape of a bendigo pot,

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Michael
your picture shows the exact style Bendigo pot my proud husband brought back from a trip as a gift for me over twenty years ago.  I love it and it cooks beautifully although I have only used it in the home electric oven.  I do find it a bit heavy to handle, but not more than CO's of course, and the resulting casseroles etc make up for having to take care of how I lift it out of the oven.  The inside cleans well too.

LJ, good to see I am not alone in my clay pot adventures, we use ours on the BBQ and in the webber as well as the elect oven. away from direct heat of course.