Recipe - Hearty Beef 'n' Noodles

Hearty Beef 'n' Noodles

Thought I'd throw in a "non-exotic" recipe here. Normally, we all find and share some rather fancy stuff here (and I'm more guilty of that than most, I freely confess), but sometimes you really want a stick-to-your-ribs bowl of comfort food. 

I think you'll agree, this qualifies.

Now, that's not to say that this is "simple", at least in the process. It takes two days - four, if you need to make a fresh batch of Beef Bone Stock. Trust me, that bone stock is REALLY necessary to make this work. You end up with a more flavorful, unctuous bowl of wonderfulness, and you're missing out on something special if you skimp.

Also, note that this is a VERY beefy beef 'n' noodles recipe. 2.5 to 3 pounds of chuck roast is really necessary, and you slow-cook it the day before and let it chill overnight. That allows you to slice the beef while cold, and it holds together much better in the final product.

This is a favorite of Martha, who is 90 (my family "adopted" her about 50 years ago, she was my Mom's best friend). When she got out of the rehab facility after a nasty fall at home (don't worry, she didn't break anything, thank God, but she was away from home for nearly a month) I'd already restocked her freezer with several goodies that she likes, all low in salt (she's got high blood pressure and some heart issues), but high in protein. In the span of ten days, she polished off nearly an entire pot of this stuff! I just finished cooking a second batch, and she will get the WHOLE thing this time! 

This takes time, but it is worth it. I hope you'll agree once you try it.

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Ingredients

2.5 to 3 lbs Chuck Roast
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Black Pepper
1 Sweet Onion, Large
2 Tbsp. Canola Oil
1 Pint (16 oz) Unsalted Beef Stock (not broth) - I use Kitchen Basics (better flavor)

1 tsp. White Pepper
1 oz. Dehydrated Parsley (about a palm-full)
2-3 Tbsp (heaping) Corn Starch
1 Pint (16 oz) Beef Bone Stock (see recipe here)
3 Pints (48 oz) Unsalted Beef Stock
4 oz. Dehydrated Chopped Onion (about a palm-full)
1 16 oz. Bag Kluski-style Egg Noodles (I prefer Mrs. Weiss' brand)

Day One - Morning

Cut the chuck roast into large chunks. Pat dry with paper towel. Season VERY lightly with kosher salt and black pepper. Spray a large non-stick frying pan with Pam, bring up to heat. When hot, add Canola Oil and wait for the temp to return to at least 350 (I use a IR/laser thermometer). Place the chuck roast into the pan and sear. Cook for about 3 minutes per side. When fully browned, take from the pan and set aside on a plate. Add onions to the pan, and cook until browned (about 3-4 minutes). 

Spray a 4-quart crock pot with Pam. When the onions are done, dump them into the bottom of the crock pot, then arrange the browned chuck roast on top (this will let the onions caramelize while cooking). Deglaze the frying pan with a couple ounces of Unsalted Beef Stock, to get all the brown bits and nummies, then dump into the crock pot. Put in the rest of the pint of beef stock in. The beef will probably NOT be fully covered, and that's okay. Cook on HIGH in the crock pot for an hour, then switch to LOW for another 4-5 hours. At about the 3 hour mark, carefully re-arrange the meat so that the chunks on top are moved to the bottom. This will ensure all the meat is very tender.

At the end of the time, transfer the meat into a container, then pour the cooking juices and onions into a separate container. Place in the refrigerator overnight.

Day Two - Afternoon

Take the beef from the fridge, and cut into 1/4 slices/chunks, trimming off any fat or whang (gristle). Set aside for to add to the cooked noodles near the end of the process.

In a coffee cup, put in the white pepper, the dehydrated parsley, the corn starch, and 2 to 3 oz. of the unsalted beef stock. Stir to remove lumps and set aside (you should stir it a couple of times while you're cooking the noodles, so you fully hydrate the parsley and keep the corn starch from "hardening" at the bottom of the cup).

In a large, 6-8 quart enameled dutch oven, place the bone stock and the remaining unsalted beef stock. Also add the cooking juices/caramelized onions saved from the previous day. Throw in the dehydrated onions as well. Cook at medium-low for about 2 minutes to slowly heat the pot before cranking it up to high (reduces the risk of damage to an enameled dutch oven). When the stock is at a full rolling boil, add the Kluski noodles, a large handful at a time, and stir until the pot comes to a boil, then add another, etc., until you've emptied the entire bag. Cook for 16 to 17 minutes, stirring every 90 seconds or so. Be sure to stir, so that nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot. You'll notice in the last two minutes that the broth is about 3/4ths absorbed into the noodles. In the last 30 seconds, stir and then pour in the corn starch slurry and stir the pot constantly. When that thickens, add the sliced beef and fold into the noodles. Turn off the heat and cover for 15 minutes. Uncover and stir, and you'll notice more of the stock has been taken up by the Kluskies. Cover and wait another 30 minutes, and repeat the stir. 

At this point, it's "done". When dinner time rolls around, reheat until it's piping hot. You can serve it as is, or as my Mom used to do, pour over mashed potatoes.

Refrigerate the rest in separate containers. Freeze and vacuum-store if possible, it'll last a lot longer that way and you won't end up with freezer burn.

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