These recipes are very special to me, it's what we grew up eating and it reminds me of a better time uncomplicated by everything I know to be true today. The cube steak & gravy comes from Great-Grandmama Mary, who used to make it for the family when everyone was out camping or hunting, so it came to be known as "Camp Dish". It's amazing how good something so simple can be if you take your time with it! I've put my own stank on it and do it slightly different than she did, because I like big, bold flavors. Braising the meat is what makes it so tender. When I used to cook peas or greens, I would always try to get fresh ones as they're plentiful around these parts, but you can make a really good meal with frozen greens and canned beans or peas. I know, I know - fresh really is better, but it's time consuming and the truth is if you're a decent cook you can make anything taste good. What I've learned to do now is to take fewer ingredients and less time to make something just as good, and for those of you who don't live in an area where you can get things like smoked ham hocks you'll be able to replicate this stuff without them.
Great Grandmama Mary's Cube Steak & Gravy
Blackeyed Peas
- 4 cube steaks
- salt, pepper, garlic powder
- 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 cup flour
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 large bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
- 4-5 stalks of celery, sliced
- 1 can diced tomatoes with juice
- 1 can beef broth
- 2 tbsp. worcestershire sauce
- Season both sides of the cube steaks with the salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then dredge in the flour
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium high heat until almost smoking, then brown both sides of the cube steaks. Set the browned steaks aside in a covered dish.
- Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery to the pan and saute until they are slightly browned and softened a bit, then slide them over to half of the pan.
- Place two of the cube steaks on the empty side of the pan, cover with the vegetables. Repeat with the other two steaks.
- Pour the tomatoes (with their juice) and the beef broth over the pan, sprinkle with the worcestershire sauce.
- Allow the liquid in the pan to come to a boil, then cover with a heavy lid and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for approximately an hour.
- Remove the lid and taste to see if you need to adjust the seasoning with salt and/or pepper. I like the gravy to be nice and thick, so I take the meat out and cover it again, raise the heat to high and reduce it all until it's the consistency I want.
- Serve over rice.
Turnip or Collard Greens
- 2 cans blackeyed peas
- 1 tbsp. ham soup base (Vigo is a good substitute for the Superior)
- 1 tsp. worcestershire sauce
- 1-2 tsp. pepper sauce (I prefer Trappey's, which for you non-southerners is pronounced (Trap-pays", Crystal pepper sauce is a nice second choice. Frank's Red Hot is pretty good as well.)
- fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over high heat until boiling, cover and reduce heat to a simmer for 20-30 minutes.
- 2 bags frozen, chopped greens
- 1/2 lb. smoked ham, ham hocks, or neckbones (I use both hocks and neckbones at the same time)
- 2 tsp. worcestershire sauce
- 1-2 tsp. pepper sauce or crushed red pepper flakes
- fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over high heat until boiling, cover and reduce heat to a simmer for an hour at least.
