Cajun/Creole · main

Grillades and Grits

Name: Grillades and Grits
Prep time: 35 min
Total time: 5 h 35 min
Cuisine: Cajun/Creole
Ingredients: 1 1/2 lbs beef round; 1 cup stone-ground grits; 1 large onion, diced; 3 stalks celery, diced; 1 green bell pepper, diced; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes; 1 cup beef broth; 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning; 1 tsp thyme; 2 bay leaves; 1/4 cup flour; 3 tbsp oil; 4 green onions, sliced; 1/4 cup parsley, chopped

Grillades and Grits reads umami 7.8, richness 6.0 and allium 3.6 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Cajun/Creole main, about 5 hr 35 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 8.1 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 2.3 / 10
Sour & Bright — 1.9 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 1.9 / 10
Rich & Fat — 6.2 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 4.1 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.8 · Richness 6.0 · Allium 3.6 · Salinity 3.1 · Herbaceous 2.7 · Warm Spice 1.8 · Sweetness 1.8 · Earthy 1.7 · Sourness 1.6 · Fruity 1.6 · Heat 1.3 · Bitterness 1.3 · Floral 0.9 · Nutty 0.8 · Citrus 0.8

What's in it (15)

1 1/2 lbs beef round
1 cup stone-ground grits
1 large onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 cup beef broth
2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
1 tsp thyme
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup flour
3 tbsp oil
4 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup parsley, chopped

Time & effort: about 5 hr 35 min (35 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 132 kcal, 9 g protein, 4.8 g fat, 13.6 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (2 steps)

Pound meat thin, season with Cajun spice and flour, and brown in batches in hot oil. Sauté the trinity and garlic in the drippings, add tomatoes, broth, thyme, and bay, then return the meat and braise covered for 1–1.5 hours until very tender.
Serve the tomato-braised meat over rich, butter-enriched stone-ground grits garnished with green onions.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Carne Guisada with Warm Tortillas — Tex-Mex
Kefta Tagine with Eggs (Tagine Kefta Mkaouara) — Moroccan
Cajun Smothered Beef Tips over Rice — Cajun/Creole · Cajun
Beef and Barley Stew — American
Pea Soup with Pork (Ärtsoppa) — Scandinavian

Keep reading: what umami, richness, allium mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.