Wow!  I actually ran out of onions this week!  But here’s one last recipe for those of you who still have a few left in the larder, borrowed from Long Way on a Little, which, of course, can be found for sale on this page.  The ebook version can be found here.

The chuck steak, ever affordable, is often overlooked by everyone except we farmers, who build up a back-stock of them in our freezers. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, because cooked using this super-slow method, it is tender and flavorful. Top it with the caramelized onions, and it is luscious.

Serves 4

1 (2–3-pound) bone-in chuck steak

1 batch Coriander-Cinnamon Spice Rub, see below

2 tablespoons lard, tallow, butter or olive oil

4 medium onions, sliced

Rub the steak all over with the spice rub. Cover and refrigerate at least two hours or, preferably, overnight. Allow it to come to room temperature before you cook it.

Preheat the oven to 170° F. Place the steak in a roasting pan and cook, uncovered, for 30–35 minutes per pound, or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 120 to 140 degrees.

Turn the oven off and allow the meat to rest and keep warm there while you prepare the onions (because you are working with a super-slow roasting temperature, you needn’t worry about overcooking the steak).*

Heat a large skillet over a medium flame, add the fat, and swirl to coat. Let it melt and add the onions. They should sizzle as they hit the pan. If they sputter or splatter, lower the flame. Stir well, coating the onions in the fat. Continue to cook 2–3 minutes longer, until the onions have given up two-thirds of their volume in water. Once they start to brown, lower the heat and allow them to caramelize by cooking slowly for15–20 minutes longer, stirring often. Lower the heat further if they start to burn.

Remove the bone and gristle from the steak, then slice the meat thinly across the grain. Top with the caramelized onions and serve.

*Remember that if you prefer to skip this step and have planned a day ahead, you can simply caramelize them in the slow cooker.  

 

Coriander-Cinnamon Spice Rub

This spice rub works well with poultry, beef, pork, and lamb

Makes about ¼ cup

2 teaspoons granulated garlic

2 teaspoons fine-ground unrefined (Celtic gray) sea salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 teaspoons paprika

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves