Oven Beef Hash — The Warm Bowl That Got Me Through an Ice Storm

The ice storm came through Monday night and by Tuesday morning Prattville looked like it had been wrapped in plastic. Black ice on the roads, a thin crust of white on every surface, the kind of conditions that shut Alabama down completely because we are not equipped for it and we know it. The daycare closed Tuesday and Wednesday. I stayed in my apartment and cooked.

I made a big braised pot of short ribs, which felt like the right thing to do when it is twenty-eight degrees and the wind is hitting the windows. Bone-in short ribs seasoned, seared hard in batches until deeply browned on all sides, then a braise with red wine, beef broth, aromatics, and a few smashed garlic cloves. Into the oven at 325 for three hours. The result was the kind of tender that does not feel real, the kind where the meat falls from the bone and the braising liquid has reduced to something glossy and rich. I served it over egg noodles with the sauce spooned generously over everything.

I ate the first bowl standing at my stove because I could not wait to sit down. That is how I know something turned out right.

I called Gloria Tuesday morning to check on them. James had already shoveled the front steps, which I told him was unnecessary and he told me he had been shoveling steps since before I was born. They were fine. Gloria laughed about the ice. She said Prattville acts like snow is the end of civilization. She is not wrong. By Thursday the temperature was back in the fifties and we all proceeded as if nothing had happened.

If you find yourself snowed — or iced — in with nowhere to be and a full afternoon ahead of you, this is the recipe to reach for. The oven does most of the work, the smell fills the whole apartment, and by the time it’s done you’ve got something deeply satisfying waiting for you. It’s the kind of dish that makes twenty-eight degrees feel like an excuse rather than a problem.

Oven Beef Hash

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 50 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs beef chuck or leftover roast beef, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup low-sodium beef broth
• 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven. Heat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish or large oven-safe skillet with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.
2. Par-cook the potatoes. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the diced potatoes and cook for 5 minutes until just slightly tender but not soft. Drain well and set aside.
3. Brown the beef. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef cubes in a single layer and sear without stirring for 2—3 minutes until browned on one side. Stir and cook another 2 minutes. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
4. Soften the vegetables. In the same skillet over medium heat, add the onion and bell pepper. Cook for 4—5 minutes until softened, scraping up any browned bits from the beef. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
5. Combine and season. Add the par-cooked potatoes to the baking dish with the beef. Spoon the cooked onion mixture over the top. Drizzle with Worcestershire sauce, sprinkle with smoked paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper. Pour the beef broth evenly over everything and stir gently to combine.
6. Bake uncovered. Transfer to the oven and bake uncovered for 35—40 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the potatoes are fully tender, the beef is cooked through, and the top edges are lightly crisped.
7. Rest and serve. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve directly from the baking dish.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 410 | Protein: 34g | Fat: 16g | Carbs: 28g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 520mg