Browns Tailgating Recipes from the Backwoods: Cheese Steak Stew
By Backwoods
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Greetings from the Backwoods! Game Day is again drawing near and I am proud to bring you another of my favorites. As a lover of all things cheesy (humor included), I always enjoy this one. I prefer to prepare this in a slow cooker on low heat, stirring frequently. If you are tailgating, prepare ahead and please pay close attention when reheating as the cheese will burn easily.
Cheese Steak Stew:
- 1-pound steak (fajita style strips, stew meat, or cut into bite-size pieces)
- 1-small box Velveeta (or similar)
- 1-cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2-gallon milk (start with a quart and add to reach desired consistency)
- 1-large sweet onion (any variety will work-thinly sliced or diced)
- 2 to 3-cloves minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons steak sauce (A-1 or similar, I often use a bit more)
- 1-tablespoon butter
- 1-teaspoon cooking oil
- 1-tablespoon soy sauce
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Extras: Make it your own! Try adding any combination of the following: hot sauce, sliced jalapeños, mushrooms, broccoli, bell peppers, potatoes, or substitute steak with diced ham.
Prep: Chop or dice onion and garlic. Cut Velveeta into small pieces to allow quicker melting.
Cook: Combine one-quart milk, cheese (Velveeta & cheddar), garlic and 1-tablespoon of steak-sauce in slow cooker on low heat. I often use high heat to speed up the melting process. If you use high heat: stir frequently, watch carefully to avoid burning and don’t forget to turn it back down!
Combine butter, oil, soy sauce and onion in a large skillet, cook for 4-5 minutes on med-high heat until onion is soft. Add steak and remaining steak sauce and cook to your liking. Add steak and onion to ingredients in slow cooker and continue to heat. Add remaining milk until it reaches desired consistency. Continue heating to desired temperature. Do not allow stew to boil.
Notes: If you add too much milk, you can thicken stew by making a “roux” with equal parts butter and flour. I have used a tablespoon of each, but a little goes a long way, so don’t get too carried away. Melt butter in your skillet and add flour, cook until bubbly and stir into the stew.
Enjoy! Refrigerate leftovers and enjoy again!