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10.5″ Cast Iron Skillet

By brent.weichel on

Fried Potatoes

Ingredients
  • Approximately 1.5-2.0 Lbs of Russet Potatoes
  • 4 Tbsp Butter (Cut into 3 Tbsp and 1 Tbps)
  • 1/2 tsp Coarse Ground Black Pepper
  • 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 3/4 tsp Kosher Salt (1/2 tsp Alderwood Smoked Sea Salt works too)
  • 1/4 tsp Chipotle Chile Powder (Feel free to add more)
  • 1/2 tsp Chopped Chives or Dried Parsley
  • 1/8 tsp Morton & Basset Paprika
  • Recommended: 1-2 Tbsp Minced Shallots or Onion

Instructions
  1. Peel and cut the potatoes into 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch cubes.
  2. In a small mixing bowl, blend the Coarse Ground Black Pepper, Garlic Powder, Kosher Salt, Chipotle Chili Powder, and the Chopped Chives/Dried Parsley.
  3. Add 3 Tbsp Butter to the cast-iron on high heat.
  4. Once the butter has completely melted, add the paprika and mix.
  5. Add the cubed potatoes and mix to coat the potatoes with the butter.
  6. Rotate every 2-3 minutes until the potatoes become browned.
  7. Reduce heat to medium and add 1 Tbsp Butter to the pan.
  8. Cover the pan and rotate every 2-3 minutes.
  9. Once the potatoes have softened (you can check with a fork), remove the lid and add the spices.
  10. If the potatoes haven’t completely softened, you can add another tablespoon of butter and cover for another 2 minutes.
  11. After the cover has been removed, let them cook for another 3-5 minutes. (Here is where we’d add our shallots)
  12. Dish them out and top with Sour Cream and Green Onion.

Spicy Beef Tips ‘n Gravy

Ingredients
  • 1.25 Lbs Stew Beef
  • 1 Habanero/Carolina Reaper Pepper
  • 1/2 yellow onion
  • 1/2 Tbsp Kosher Salt or Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
  • 2 Tbsp Better Than Bouillon: Roast Beef
  • 1/4 Cup House of Tsang: Szechuan Spicy Sauce
  • 4 Hearts of Celery
  • 1 Lbs Russet Potatoes
  • 1/3 Lbs Carrot

Instructions
  1. Make a decision on how spicy you’re going. If you’ve chosen the Carolina Reaper route, you’ll want to add the minced pepper right away. If you’re taking the Habanero route, you can add it later in the cooking to make it spicier. However, if you’re just here for the habanero flavor, you can add it right at the beginning.
  2. Cut the stew beef into 0.5-1.0 cm (1/4 – 1/2 inch) pieces.
  3. Mince the onion and the pepper of choice.
  4. Cut the celery into 0.5 cm (1/4 inch) pieces and add to a small pan.
  5. Peel and then cut the potatoes into 2-2.5 cm (about 1 inch) pieces.
  6. Cut the carrot into 0.5 cm pieces.
  7. Place the potatoes and carrots into a 2 Quart pot and cover with water.
  8. Add a small amount of oil to the pan with the celery, and oil a separate medium sized pan.
  9. Add the cut stew beef and onion to the oiled medium sized pan.
    10. If you’ve chosen Carolina Reaper as your pepper, add it now.
  10. Add the Kosher salt or MSG to beef in the medium pan.
  11. Turn on the heat! High heat for the beef, medium low heat for the celery, and high heat for the potatoes and carrots.
  12. Set out the colander/strainer for the potatoes and carrots.
  13. As the beef cooks, water will be pulled out. It’s when most of the water has been boiled off that we’ll want to add the Roast Beef paste and the Szechuan Spicy Sauce.
  14. Once the water from the beef has reached its peak, this is typically when I like to add the minced Habanero.
  15. Mix in the paste and the sauce with the beef and reduce heat to low.
  16. After you’ve got a uniform gravy, mix in the celery.
  17. The potatoes and carrots should be done about now; you can check with a fork, the potatoes should come off a fork with ease.
  18. Strain the potatoes and carrots and lay them out as your foundation on your plates for the beef tips.
  19. I like to sprinkle some coarse ground black pepper on the potatoes and carrots before covering with the beef tips.
  20. Eat and enjoy!