Poor Mans Mock Roast! An Aussie Pensioners experiment with chuck steak!

Explanation: Hi ATS hungry viewers!

Tonight I went to my local shops [woolworths] and I had very limited funds [$21.oo] and most of my funds were for a packet of smokes [$13.25] so I had to be very picky about what I bought!

At home I already had several tins of potatoes and a whole bag of onions PLUS olive oil and a baking tray.

NOTE: I ALWAYS have aluminium (tin) foil!

I bought the following aside from the packet of smokes ...

1 plastic bag cost: $0.15

2lts Milk [for my coffee] cost: $2.oo

Chuck Steak [300grams aprox] cost: $2.55

Premade Gravy [on special] cost: $2.25

Total cost [inc smokes] cost $20.20

And here is how OL cooked the steak up ...

Preheat [fanforced oven] to 150C

Line baking tray with foil.

Oil tray lightly with olive oil.

Drain tin of potatoes ... cutting big ones in half or thirds.

Cut 1 small onion into slices.

Place chuck steak on baking tray, to one side, and flip it over [this oils both sides].

Place potatoes and sliced onion onto tray in other side away from steak.

Turn oven up to 200C and put tray in top of oven.

Set timer for 25mins.

At 25min mark ... I noticed there was a lot of fluid in bottom of tray that had come out of the onion and the steak.

I carefully drained that off [OL recommends scooping it out with a spoon ..but I just carefully tilted tray into kitchen sink and that worked ... I did not try remove every last drop and I recommend leaving a small amount of juice]

I used pair of tongs to turn the steak over and I used a spatula to turn the onions and potatoes.

Set timer for 10mins, close oven and wait.

At 5mins to go I cut the corner off the premade gravy packet and I microwaved it for 1min and then let it cool and rest for few mins.

When the oven timer went off, I turned the oven off and I immediately plated up my food covering onions and potatoes in gravy.

I added a little salt and pepper to season my steak.

The steak was very tender and very yummy!

Personal Disclosure: Next time I may try roll the chuck steak into a roast form and see how that goes.

But for less than $10 I had a full oven baked meal that tasted awesome.

If anybody tries this method I would be very interested in reading your opinionsand critisms etc.

You pay $13.25 for pack of smokes? Where you live???? I though $5.10 was bad!

Anyway, sounds like a great 1 person meal...I make mine in the crock pot while at work, but this sounds great if I don't have time to prepare the crockpot during my lunch.

reply to post by tinker9917


Oh yea! Love my crock pot! By cheap, tough meat, throw in some seasonings and veggies, and you got one awesome meal!

Originally posted by tinker9917
You pay $13.25 for pack of smokes? Where you live???? I though $5.10 was bad!

That's what I was gonna say.

That's seriously rediculous. How much is a carton? $200?

Originally posted by liquiddrewl
Can I have my 12 seconds back?

This isn't YouTube. Go away.

reply to post by OmegaLogos


I like the way you think and cook! I'm always looking to make a purse from a sows ear!

and most of my funds were for a packet of smokes [$13.25]

You're not doing it right. I buy rolling tobacco for $1.99 per package, roll it with rolling papers or a page from an old bible, (hehe), for a good drag. If you like, you can buy a pack of filters for a fraction of the price of cigs, and save a bundle. I'd say there's 4x's the amount of tobacco in one of these packages that in a pack of cigarettes.

Originally posted by seeker1963
reply to post by tinker9917

 

Oh yea! Love my crock pot! By cheap, tough meat, throw in some seasonings and veggies, and you got one awesome meal!

That's the way to go with tough meat like (in the U.S.) bottom round. Always slow cook with seasonings you have available.

reply to post by OmegaLogos


That sounds really good OL! I have a piece of steak in the fridge that I might need to take out for dinner after my mishap.

I was making a really delicious quiche with bacon, artichoke and spinach with some garlic herb feta and the casserole dish BROKE in the oven while cooking. I heard a pop and when I checked it was cracked like a pizza pie! Good thing I keep a pan on the bottom rack otherwise it would have been really messy.

I have everything for this and I don't really make steak all that much. I usually leave that for the men This sounds simple and quick. I am so hungry right now esp since i was expecting to eat. I need to go boil some potatoes and slice some more onion. Every thing else will be good to go just after I clean out the mess in the oven.

Thanks OL! You saved my dinner!

Originally posted by windword
reply to post by OmegaLogos

 

I like the way you think and cook! I'm always looking to make a purse from a sows ear!

and most of my funds were for a packet of smokes [$13.25]

You're not doing it right. I buy rolling tobacco for $1.99 per package, roll it with rolling papers or a page from an old bible, (hehe), for a good drag. If you like, you can buy a pack of filters for a fraction of the price of cigs, and save a bundle. I'd say there's 4x's the amount of tobacco in one of these packages that in a pack of cigarettes.

Yeah dude where we live (Australia), 30 grams of rolling tobacco is twenty odd dollars.

reply to post by ThedeadeyesofCharlieSheen


Yikes! I pay $1.99 for 0.75 oz. here in southern California. What is that, like 21 grams? Where are you? Is it that way all over Australia? Why is it so darn expensive, tax, shortage or taboo?

in inner city sydney, you pay $18.00 for a 20pk. for a small bag of swag you are looking at $25-$30, for a big bag? i haven't been brave or rich enough to find out lately

just as sad is what we pay for booze... or tomatoes... or anything really...

reply to post by windword


It's pretty much across Australia and it's all tax related.

I think folks pay over the odds for fags in Canada too. Think I'd be climbing the walls paying that amount in Oz.

On the subject of meat though, it's a bit sad that even the cheapest of meat cuts saw a rise in price thanks to celeb chefs making them fashionable. Probably the only thing value for money now is a ham hock, at least you can get a couple of meals out of one if you're thrifty enough.