A Steak Dinner For Cheap

Now, I know that you all have eaten meats from various places, and know that some are better than others.

Obviously.

But there is a way to turn frozen New York Strips - $6 a box at Wal-Mart - into a semi-appealing meal.

I know you don't believe me. But I'm gonna tell you how to do it.

First, get a casserole dish big enough for however many steaks you want to cook, plus liquid. Place the steaks in it; preferably thawed a little, but it's not necessary.

In a bowl, mix two to three beers; one packet of instant onion soup per beer; a can of mushrooms if you like; and a shot glass full of lemon juice. Mix it thoroughly, then pour over the steaks. Cover with tin foil.

Let the steaks marinate in the fridge overnight if thawed, two nights if frozen.

When ready, pre-heat the oven to 350, and once it's up and going, slap the casserole dish, steaks, marinade, and all, in and let it go for about 20 minutes.

While that's going, you have a decision to make: potatoes and gravy, or something else.

Since we're planning on having gravy fries tomorrow, we went with an Italian blend salad.

After 20 minutes at 350, flip the steaks over, set the heat down to 300, and cook another 15 minutes. Then remove the steaks from the oven, and serve. If you're making gravy, you can mix either cornstarch or flour with water in a jar, and mix it into the marinade in a skillet, frying it on low heat until it thickens slightly.

At any rate, I know you may not believe me, but beer is a near-flawless ingredient for cooking, folks. Natural meat tenderizer, and the flavor complements not only meats, but grains as well.

For this recipe I would choose Dos Equis or Tecate, although in this particular case we were forced to settle for 2 bottles of barely adequate Michelob Ultra Amber.

Enjoy!