Cowboy Casserole

Ingredients

• 2 lb 80/20 ground chuck
• 1 yellow onion (Large)
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup (Use one whole can; can size was not stated)
• 0.5 can cream-style corn (Use half of the can; can size was not stated)
• all-purpose flour (Add enough to thicken the cream-corn mixture; amount not stated)
• 8 oz sour cream (Use an 8-ounce container, divided between the layers)
• cheddar cheese (Use a generous sprinkling for the middle and top layers; amount not stated)
• 2 cans refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (Canned biscuits; amount per can was not stated)
• garlic powder (Sprinkle over the biscuits; amount not stated)
• black pepper (Sprinkle over the biscuits; amount not stated)

Steps

1. 1

   Heat a 12-inch Dutch oven. If cooking at home instead, use a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or a 9-by-13-inch casserole pan and preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. 2

   Add the ground chuck to the hot Dutch oven and break it up as it cooks. Brown it until it is about three-fourths cooked.

3. 3

   Add the chopped yellow onion and continue cooking so it absorbs some of the beef flavor and softens.

4. 4

   Move the meat to one side of the Dutch oven so the rendered grease collects on the lower side. Remove as much grease as possible.

5. 5

   Remove about half of the cooked meat and set it aside. Level the remaining meat across the bottom of the Dutch oven.

6. 6

   Add the can of cream of mushroom soup to the meat remaining in the Dutch oven and mix it in. Level the mixture again.

7. 7

   Add half of the cream-style corn and stir it into the bottom meat layer.

8. 8

   Add enough flour to thicken the cream-corn mixture slightly, then stir until it reaches the desired thicker consistency. The source notes that flour is needed for cream-style corn but generally is not needed for drained regular corn.

9. 9

   Spread a layer of sour cream over the mixture without disturbing the layers too much; use dollops if that is easier.

10. 10

    Sprinkle a generous layer of cheddar cheese over the sour cream.

11. 11

    Return the reserved meat to the Dutch oven and spread it out as evenly as possible.

12. 12

    Spread the remaining sour cream over the meat layer.

13. 13

    Sprinkle the remaining half-can of cream-style corn over the sour cream.

14. 14

    Add another layer of cheddar cheese over the corn.

15. 15

    Arrange the canned biscuits over the top. Use two cans as needed to cover the casserole, and gently press the biscuits down so they stay in place while cooking.

16. 16

    Sprinkle the biscuit topping with garlic powder and black pepper.

17. 17

    For Dutch oven cooking, place the pot on a trivet with heat around the outside edge underneath rather than directly beneath the center, and place heat on top. Cook over approximately medium heat until the casserole is simmering and bubbling from the bottom up, the cheese is melted, and the biscuits have risen and browned on top. Check periodically and rearrange or remove top coals if the biscuits are close to burning.

18. 18

    For oven cooking, bake at 350°F until the casserole is hot and bubbling and the biscuits are risen and browned.

19. 19

    Remove from the heat and let the casserole cool before serving so it can set up and come out of the pan more cleanly.

Notes

The source describes the casserole as versatile: the vegetable layer can be varied with drained corn, black-eyed peas, beans, or hominy. Exact amounts for the flour, cheddar cheese, garlic powder, black pepper, and biscuit cans were not stated. Dutch oven cooking time was not specified; cook until the stated visual cues are reached.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• casserole
• one-pot
• American
• Dutch oven
• baked
• beef
• family-style