Chuckwagon Beef Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing

Chuckwagon Beef Salad
with Hot Bacon Dressing

Serves 4

Chuckwagon Beef Salad

This is a real meal in itself, if you're not too hungry but want some meat. I think it makes a great lunch. We ate this all the time when I was growing up, with leftover steak.

1 pound top sirloin, cut 1 inch thick
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh oregano OR 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon fresh basil OR 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon fresh oregano OR 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon fresh parsley OR 1/2 teaspoon dried
8 cups washed and torn romaine lettuce
1 red bell pepper, seeded and halved
1 onion, sliced into thick rounds

Dressing:
4 strips bacon, fried crisp (reserve drippings)
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
Salt and pepper, to taste

To make the dressing, add flour to bacon drippings, over medium heat, stirring to dissolve. Add water, vinegar and sugar, stirring constantly. Cook to thicken. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Crumble bacon and add to the dressing.

Season the steak with salt, pepper and herbs. Grill the steak, red peppers and onions 4 to 6 inches from medium coals, 12 to 15 minutes (for medium rare), turning once.

Slice the steak diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick strips. Slice the red pepper into thin strips. Arrange the steak, peppers and onions over lettuce. Serve with warmed dressing.

Buy the Book!

Texas Cowboy Cooking
By Tom Perini
Time Life Books, 2000
Hardback, $24.95
Color photographs throughout
ISBN: 0-7370-2037-7
Recipe reprinted by permission.