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).

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


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 13^th, 2009 at 9:42pm:


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

KD

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



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

Aart

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


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

KD

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

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......................

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

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.

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.

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,

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.