Mushroom-Stuffed Chuck Steak

While I pride myself on from-scratch meals with fresh and natural ingredients, I too have ramen noodle soup, boxed mac 'n' cheese and hot dogs in my pantry. Try as I might, convincing my daughters, Zoe (7) and Kalie (3), to try everything on my weekly menu is a challenge. There are rules however: you must try it before you proclaim "I don't like it."

Admittedly, my daughters aren't epicureans, but Zoe's eager request for a third helping of my mushroom-stuffed chuck steak was all the endorsement I needed to go public with this recipe. It's not perfect yet. There are a few modifications I'll make next time (and I've noted them below), but I feel confident enough to post it here.

First, a few notes about my cooking style. 1) I season my savory creations liberally with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper and taste as I go (unless I'm working with raw meat or other ingredients that might carry foodborne pathogens before being cooked). I find that seasoning each layer of the dish as it's built yields tastier food. 2) I measure in palmfuls and handfuls and pinches and sprinkles, so bear with me. I'll try to be precise as much as possible to ensure consistency. One final note: Don't feel constrained by my recipe. Experiment and modify to your heart's content and then let us all know how it went!

MUSHROOM-STUFFED CHUCK STEAK

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 3 to 4 pound chuck steak
• Beef broth or stock (1 can should do it)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 8 ounces brown mushrooms
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs (the grocery store variety in a can are fine)
• 1/2 cup freshly-grated parmesan cheese
• Handful of fresh, flat leaf parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Essential Tools:

• Aluminum foil
• Carving knife (very sharp)
• Cutting board
• Food processor
• Heavy-bottomed skillet
• Meat-flattening tool
• Plastic wrap
• Small casserole dish
• Toothpicks

How To:

Liberally sprinkle the chuck steak with sea salt and several grinds of black pepper. Measure out about 36" of plastic wrap. Lay the chuck steak on one end of the plastic wrap and fold the excess over the meat. With your favorite agression-relieving, meat-flattening kitchen tool (meat mallet or rolling pin) pound the steak until it is  approximately 1/4" think.

In a food processor (essential for this recipe), pulse the mushrooms until minced. Chop the onion and mince the garlic. Heat half the olive oil in the heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and onion, season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and cook until softened. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds until it is fragrant. Remove the skillet from the heat.

Put the mushroom mixture back in the food processor with the bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley, basil and butter. Sprinkle these ingredients with a generous pinch of sea salt and several grinds of black pepper. Process until the ingredients are well-combined and minced. Taste and adjust the seasonings if necessary and let it cool slightly until it is cool enough to handle.

Spread the mushroom filling on the chuck steak and roll it into a log (ala Buche de Noel) and a secure with toothpicks so it holds it's shape. Pour the all-purpose flour onto a plate and carefully roll the meat in the flour. Measure the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet and brown the entire log. Remove it to a cutting board.

Sharpen your best carving knife (even if you don't think it needs it) and carefully slice the rolled steak into four pinwheels. Run a toothpick or two through each pinwheel to help them hold their shape during cooking. Then, carefully lay them in a buttered 9"x7" (or similar-sized) casserole dish. Pour enough beef stock or broth around the pinwheels so the liquid comes about halfway up the meat. (I simply can't give you a precise measurement of beef broth or stock. It will depend on the size of your pinwheels and the casserole dish.) Cover with aluminum foil and braise in a 300 degree oven until the meat is tender, 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Enjoy!

Notes on recipe modifications: When I made this dish, I did not slice the steak into pinwheels. I left it rolled like a log and baked it in a covered casserole on a rack. The meat came out reasonably tender (Hubby says middle-of-the-road tenderness), but I think the tenderness would have been improved if it had been braised, hence the modification above. If you have other suggestions, please post them. I can't wait for your feedback.

Yours truly,

The Domestic Foodie