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Old-Fashioned Potato-Beef Casserole

Source of Recipe

Trisha Yearwood on Food Network


Recipe Introduction

I saw her make this recipe on TV and thought it looked good. Just a straightforward, comforting casserole. I’m glad I read the comments on the website, though. The major comments were that the casserole was a bit bland (no wonder – the only seasoning is black pepper) and that 3 pounds of potatoes was too much. I’ve put in my own adjustments – including replacing the plain breadcrumb topping with French’s (formally Durkee – I still call them that) fried onions. Panko would probably work well, too.

List of Ingredients

2 lb. red potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
Salt
Vegetable oil, to coat pan
1 1/2 - 2 pound lean ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, smashed
2 pinches of Italian seasoning
2 t. Beef Better than Bouillon
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Black pepper
2 cups milk
2 cups grated sharp Cheddar
A few dashes hot sauce
A couple of scrapes of nutmeg
French’s Fried Onions



Recipe

Heat the oven to 350F. Grease a 6x9x2-inch baking dish.

Put the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water by 1-inch. Add a good pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Cook until tender, but not mushy – about 15 minutes. Drain and layer in the baking dish.

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef and drain. Add a little oil to the same pan and sauté the onions until translucent. In the last couple of minutes, add the garlic, Italian seasoning and Better than Bouillon and cook until the garlic is fragrant. Discard the garlic.

Add the butter to the pan and melt. Add the flour and stir to coat everything. When the roux has browned a little, whisk in the milk slowly. Stir and cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens. Season to taste with salt and pepper, hot sauce and a little nutmeg. Add the cheese a handful at a time, stirring. When all of the cheese has been incorporated add the beef and mix well.

Pour the beef mixture over the potatoes and bake for about 20 minutes – the casserole should be heated through and the edges bubbling. Top with the fried onions and bake about 5-10 minutes longer – until browned.

Serves 6-8.