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Category: Beef

Balsamic Skirt Steak with Polenta and Roasted Tomatoes

Balsamic Skirt Steak with Polenta and Roasted Tomatoes

4dde84bdec1119a955f9448b190429642 pints grape tomatoes
6 scallions, white and green parts separated and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
1 1/2 pounds skirt steak (cut into 2 or more pieces, if necessary, to fit in skillet)
1 cup balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large saucepan, set 4 cups water to boil. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss tomatoes with scallion whites and 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast until tomatoes are tender and some skins have split, 12 to 15 minutes; toss with scallion greens. Meanwhile, add 1 teaspoon salt to boiling water; gradually whisk in cornmeal. Simmer very gently over low heat, whisking occasionally, until polenta is thickened and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Whisk in butter and Parmesan, and keep warm over very low heat (whisk in some water just before serving if polenta becomes too thick). Heat remaining tablespoon oil in a large skillet over high. Season steak with salt and pepper; add to skillet. Cook, turning once, 6 to 8 minutes total for medium-rare. Transfer to a plate, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest, 5 to 10 minutes (reserve skillet). Add vinegar to skillet, and boil over high until reduced to 1/2 cup, 5 to 7 minutes; stir in any juices from resting steak. Slice steak, and serve with vinegar sauce, polenta, and tomatoes

Pacific Rim Short Ribs

Pacific Rim Short Ribs

3 pounds beef short ribs, cut into 3-inch lengths
1 (8-ounce) can pineapple chunks in own juice
1/3 C. sugar
1/3 C. Soy Sauce
3 T. Green Jalapeño Pepper Sauce
1 T. sesame oil
1 T. vegetable oil
1 green onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped

Place each rib, bone side down, on a cutting board and cut away excess fat with a sharp knife. Score each rib in a crisscross pattern, cutting meat halfway to bone. Combine pineapple with juice, sugar, Soy Sauce, Green Sauce, oils, green onion, garlic, and ginger in a food processor and process until smooth. Place ribs and pineapple mixture in a resealable plastic bag or large non-reactive dish. Close bag or cover dish and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, turning ribs occasionally. Preheat grill or broiler to medium. Remove ribs from marinade and place on a lightly greased grill or broiler pan. Reserve marinade. Cook ribs about 30 minutes, turning and basting often with marinade until ribs are well browned on all sides. Place any remaining marinade in a small saucepan and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Serve with ribs.

Chipotle Rubbed Texas Beef Brisket

Chipotle Rubbed Texas Beef Brisket

8858_1361137157_01 large purple onion
3 1/2 pound first-cut brisket
2 tablespoons paprika
2 minced chipotle peppers (canned)
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons apple cider
2 cups of your favorite barbecue sauce
Hamburger buns

Dice onion and place it in the bottom of the crockpot. Put brisket on top. In a medium sized bowl combine peppers, spices, sugar, Worcestershire, and vinegar. Rub the pepper mixture all over the meat. Cover crockpot and cook on low for 4 hours. About four hours in, pour BBQ sauce over the meat. Cook for 2-4 more hours or until meat shreds easily with a fork. Remove the brisket from the crockpot and put it on a cutting board. Use two forks and shred the meat. Place the shredded meat on a bun, add a little of the BBQ sauce and dig in!

North African Beef & Sweet Potato Stew

North African Beef & Sweet Potato Stew

North African Beef & Potato Stew

2 T. EVOO, divided
1 ½ lb. Boneless Beef Chuck, cut into 1 ½ “ pieces
1 C. Onion, coarsely chopped
3 cloves Garlic, minced
14.5oz. can diced Tomato with Green Pepper, Celery, and Onion
1 tsp. Cumin
½ tsp. Ginger
¼ tsp. Cinnamon
1 C. Water
2 Yams, peeled and cut into 1″ pieces
¾ C. Pitted Dates, halved crosswise
3 T. chopped Fresh Cilantro
½ tsp. Salt

Heat 1 T. oil in a deep skillet or pot over medium high heat. Add half beef and cook, turning often, until browned on all sides, 4-5 minutes. Transfer to large bowl; repeat with second half of meat and remaining oil. Stir the garlic and onion into the pot and cook, stirring, until garlic is toasted, about one minute. Add beef, tomatoes, cumin, ginger and water to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce to medium-low and simmer, covered, until onions are soft, about 45 minutes. Add yams and cook, stirring occasionally, until beef is very tender and yams are cooked through, 25-30 minutes longer. Stir in dates and cook a few minutes to heat them through. Remove from heat, stir in cilantro and salt, and serve. (You can replace the sweet spices with basil and oregano if desired).

Merlot Beef Ragout

Merlot Beef Ragout

1 3/4 lb. lean, boneless beef stew meat, chuck or bottom round, trimmed of fat and cut into 1 1/2″ chunks
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3 T. olive oil
2 medium-size onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 14.5oz can diced peeled tomatoes, drained
1 C dry red wine, such as Merlot

Sprinkle the cubes of beef with salt and pepper. In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat the oil until very hot. Add half of the beef and brown on all sides, 3-4 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker. Repeat the browning with the remaining beef. Add the onions to the skillet and brown slightly over medium-high heat; add the garlic and cook just 15 seconds or so, then add the onions and garlic to the crock. Pour the tomatoes and wine into the sauté pan and raise the heat to high. Stir constantly while bringing to a boil, scraping up the browned bits accumulated on the bottom of the pan. Pour into the crock. Cover and cook on LOW 7-8 hours, until the meat is tender. During the last 45 minutes of cooking, check the consistency. If the juices are too thin for you, increase the heat to HIGH and leave the cover off, letting some of the moisture evaporate. Serve hot with rice.

Grilled Steaks with Blue Cheese Garlic Sauce Recipe

Grilled Steaks with Blue Cheese Garlic Sauce Recipe

4 Bfood-3-600x400eef Loin Tenderloin Steaks (Or other cut of beef)
Sea salt
Freshly cracked black pepper

1/4 cup crumbled Blue Cheese
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons milk or cream
1 tablespoon butter
2 garlic cloves, grated

Preheat grill. Bring steaks to room temperature. Add sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to both sides of steak. Place on grill and cook until desired doneness. For sauce, add crumbled blue cheese, Worcestershire sauce, milk, butter and garlic to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 2 – 3 minutes, or until cheese is mostly melted and sauce is very fragrant. Serve sauce over grilled steaks.

Sweet and Sour Brisket of Beef

Sweet and Sour Brisket of Beef

1 beef brisket (4 tEK0401_Brisket_jpg_rend_sni12col_landscapeo 5 pounds), trimmed of fat
1/4 C. all-purpose flour
1 packet onion soup mix (1.25 ounces)
1 can tomato soup (10.75 ounces)
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 T. light brown sugar
2 T. red wine vinegar

Pat the brisket dry with paper towels. Place the flour in a shallow bowl. Dredge the brisket in the flour, then shake off the excess. Place the brisket in a 4½ -to 6-quart slow cooker. Place the onion soup mix, tomato soup, and pepper in a small bowl with ¼ C. of water and stir to combine. Pour this mixture over the brisket. Cover the cooker and cook the beef on high heat until it is quite tender, 6 hours. Remove the brisket from the cooker and place it on a platter. Cover it loosely with aluminum foil to keep it warm. Strain the liquid that is left in the cooker. Spoon off as much fat as possible or use a gravy separator to remove the fat from the liquid. Pour the strained and defatted liquid into a 2-quart saucepan and heat over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and vinegar and stir until the sauce heats through and the brown sugar melts. Slice the brisket, pour enough sauce over it to moisten it, then serve the remaining sauce on the side.

Meaty Ziti

Meaty Ziti

1 pound ground beef round
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes or 1 (26-ounce) jar marinara sauce
1 clove garlic, crushed in a garlic press
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
8 ounces uncooked ziti (2 C.)
1 (9-ounce) package frozen creamed spinach, thawed
1 (8-ounce) package pre-shredded mozzarella cheese (2 C.)

Crumble ground beef into a nonreactive large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring and breaking up lumps with a wooden spoon, 4 to 5 minutes until beef browns all over and is cooked through. Stir in tomatoes or marinara sauce, garlic, oregano and basil. Spoon 1 C. meat sauce on bottom of a 3-quart glass or ceramic casserole. Arrange ziti in an even layer on top of sauce. Pour remaining meat sauce over ziti. Spread creamed spinach evenly over the top with a knife. Cover baking dish with aluminum foil. (Dish can be made up to 1 day in advance to this point. Refrigerate until baking time.) Bake ziti on center rack of preheated 375-degree oven 30 minutes until bubbling. Remove baking dish from oven and carefully remove aluminum foil and set aside. Scatter mozzarella evenly over top and re-cover dish with foil. Let ziti rest 10 minutes until cheese melts. Serve at once. Makes 6 to 8 minutes.

Yield: 6 servings
Calories: 366
Fat: 16g
Fiber: 3g

Beef with Soy Mustard Glaze

Beef with Soy Mustard Glaze

picj1oGwe1/4 C. Soy Sauce
2 T. Dijon mustard
1 T. lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tsp. minced fresh ginger root
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary, optional
6 8oz rib-eye steaks

Combine glaze ingredients in blender; cover and blend until smooth. Brush both sides of steaks with mixture. Grill or broil 4 minutes; turn over and brush with remaining sauce. Cook 4 minutes longer (for med-rare) or to desired doneness.

Steak with Gremolata

Steak with Gremolata

steak with gremolataWhen served with a bowl of cool, fresh fruit, cucumber rounds, and sliced avocado, this steak makes an ideal summer meal. In her recipe, Erin calls for hanger steak, a cut my local market only stocks frozen. Because I wanted dinner in an hour, my butcher recommended flat iron steak instead. Rib eye makes a great option, too.

1-1/2 pounds flat iron steak, hanger steak, or rib eye
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup flat-leaf parsley
Zest of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves, smashed and minced
Olive oil, for brushing

Pat the steak dry with paper towels. Sprinkle both sides generously with salt. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before grilling. On a cutting board, mound the parsley, lemon zest, and garlic. Mince together, then transfer to a small bowl. Season to taste. Preheat a grill to medium-high heat (400°F to 450°F). Scrape the grates completely clean. Brush the steak lightly with olive oil on both sides, then transfer to the hot grill. Grill with the lid shut until done to your liking, about 8 minutes per side for medium-rare, turning once. Remove from the grill and season again lightly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the gremolata on top, pressing gently. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Slice against the grain and serve.

Cider-Braised Pork, Parsnip, and Shiitake Galettes

Cider-Braised Pork, Parsnip, and Shiitake Galettes

141023ciderporkgalette-121Braised Pork Ingredients
3-4 pounds of pork shoulder
1.5 teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons of butter, divided
2 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
4 cloves of garlic, sliced
1.5 pounds of parsnips, sliced into bite-sized chunks
10 medium-sized shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 large yellow onion, diced roughly
2 celery stalks, chopped finely
1 tablespoon of flour
1.5 cups of hard cider (I used a local favorite, Reverend Nat’s)
2 cups of beef stock
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon of dried thyme

Braised Pork Method: Heat a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the dutch oven. While dutch oven is heating, pat pork shoulder dry on all sides and season with salt and pepper. Add it to the dutch oven and brown on all sides. Work in batches and be careful not to overcrowd the meat. Once browned nicely on all sides, remove the pork and set aside on a plate. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Add garlic, parsnips, mushrooms, onion, and celery to the dutch oven. (You will likely have to work in batches as you don’t want to steam the veggies by putting too many in at once.) Cook over medium heat until parsnips are turning golden brown on the sides and the other veggies have begun to wilt, about 10 minutes. If it looks like they’re starting to dry out, add the remaining butter and olive oil. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of flour over the sautéed veggies and toss to coat. Return the pork to the dutch oven. Add cider, beef stock, and herbs to the dutch oven, making sure the liquid covers (or nearly covers) the meat. Cover with a lid and place in preheated oven to cook for 3 hours, turning meat once halfway through. While pork is in oven, begin work on the galette dough (see recipe below.) Once the meat and vegetables are finished cooking, remove from the oven. Pull pork from the dutch oven and slice into bite sized pieces. Meanwhile, if the liquid in the dutch oven has not thickened, spend 5-10 minutes reducing it over medium heat until it is thick enough to coat a spoon. Return meat to vegetable mixture.

Galette Dough Ingredients:

2.5 cups of all purpose flour
½ teaspoon of sea salt
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) of frozen butter
½ cup of heavy cream
½ cup of ice water

Galette Dough Method: Blend the flour and salt in a large bowl. Using a microplane, grate the frozen butter over the top of the flour and use your hands to work it into the flour until it begins to look coarse. In a small bowl, mix together the cream and water and immediately (since water is cold) add to the flour mixture. Using your hands, mix the liquid into the flour/butter mixture until you begin to see large lumps forming. If it is too sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time until dough is no longer sticky. Pull pieces together into a ball, wrap with plastic wrap and let chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 24 hours. Remove from the refrigerator and separate into 8 pieces. Roll out the dough into thin circles that are about 6-8” in diameter and lay flat on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Add several spoonfuls of the pork to the center of the galette, leaving about 2 inches around the sides. Fold up the sides, pinching to seal as you go, to encase the pork in the dough. Beat 2 egg yolks with ¼ cup of water. Brush galette dough with beaten egg and water mixture and bake at 400 degrees F for 35-40 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

Glazed All-Beef Meat Loaf

Glazed All-Beef Meat Loaf

6a00d8341c63d853ef00e54f83be378834-800wi3 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated on small holes of box grater (about 1 cup)
1 T. butter
1 medium onion (about 1 cup)
1 medium rib celery minced (About 1/2 cup)
1 medium clove garlic, minced or pressed
2 tsp. fresh thyme
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 C. tomato juice
1/2 C. chicken broth
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp. unflavored gelatin
1 T. soy sauce
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 T. minced parsley leaves
3/4 tsp. table salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 Lb. ground sirloin
1 Lb. ground beef chuck (Or use 85% Ground beef.)
21 saltines, crushed

1/2 C. ketchup
1 tsp. Tabasco
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 C. cider vinegar
3 T. packed light brown sugar

Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 375 degrees. Spread cheese on plate and place in freezer until ready to use. Prepare baking pan by folding a piece of aluminum foil into a 10″X6″ rectangle. Place it on a cooling rack placed inside a baking pan with sides. Using a skewer, poke holes in the aluminum foil every 1/2 inch. Spray the foil with non-stick vegetable spray before putting the meat loaf on it. Heat butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until foaming; add onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, and paprika and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to low and add tomato juice. Cook, stirring to scrape up browned bits from pan, until thickened, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to small bowl and set aside to cool. Whisk broth and eggs in large bowl until combined. Sprinkle gelatin over liquid and let stand 5 minutes. Stir in soy sauce, mustard, saltines, parsley, salt, pepper, and onion mixture. Crumble frozen cheese into coarse powder and sprinkle over mixture. Add ground beef; mix gently with hands until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Transfer meat to foil rectangle and shape into 10 by 6-inch oval about 2 inches high. Smooth top and edges of meat loaf with moistened spatula. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of loaf reads 135 to 140 degrees, 55 to 65 minutes. Remove meat loaf from oven and turn on broiler. While meat loaf cooks, combine ingredients for glaze in small saucepan; bring to simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring, until thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Spread half of glaze evenly over cooked meat loaf with rubber spatula; place under broiler and cook until glaze bubbles and begins to brown at edges, about 5 minutes. Remove meat loaf from oven and spread evenly with remaining glaze; place back under broiler and cook until glaze is again bubbling and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes more. Let meat loaf cool about 20 minutes before slicing.

Three Meat & Onion Meat Loaf with Bourbon-Onion Chili Sauce

Three Meat & Onion Meat Loaf with Bourbon-Onion Chili Sauce

Three Meat & Onion Meat Loaf with Bourbon-Onion Chili Sauce

 

2 1/4 lb. Ground Chuck

1 1/2 lb. Ground Veal

1 1/4 lb. Raw Hot Sausage (Remove from Casings)

3 large Eggs

2/3 C. Minced Yellow Onion

2 Scallions, Finely Minced

1 Shallot, Finely Minced

2 Plump Garlic Cloves, minced

1 T. Kosher Salt

2 tsp. Freshly Ground Black Pepper

2/3 C. Fine Dry Breadcrumbs

2/3 C. Warm Water

1/2 C. Minced Fresh Herbs (fennel, thyme, marjoram, oregano, rosemary and/or parsley)

2 Fresh Sage Leaves, minced

2 Bay Leaves

Bourbon-Onion Chili Sauce

 

Place meats and eggs in a large bowl. With an electric mixer fitted with paddle, or by hand, beat for 2 minutes. Add all ingredients except bay leaves and chili sauce, and mix thoroughly. Turn mixture into a roasting pan and firmly pack meat forming it into a long loaf 4 to 6 inches wide and 4 to 5 inches high. Place bay leaves on top. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours. Remove from refrigerator 1 hour before roasting. Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake meat loaf for 45 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 425 F and bake for 40 minutes more. Serve with chili sauce. As with many meat loaf recipes, you can personalize this by substituting ground pork, more seasonings and a tsp. of cayenne for the hot sausage.

 

Bourbon-Onion Chili Sauce

 

3 T. Olive Oil

½ C. Finely Diced White Onion

¼ C. Finely Diced Shallots

¼ C. Finely Diced Celery

1  Garlic Clove — Minced

28 oz. can Plum Tomatoes — Coarsely Chopped

Juice and Minced Zest Of 1 Lemon

â…“ C. Dark Brown Sugar — Packed

1 tsp. Tabasco Sauce

â…“ C. Mixed Fresh Herbs (choose 2 or 3 from parsley, basil, thyme, chives, lemon grass, lemon thyme, thai basil)

1 tsp. Kosher Salt

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

½ C. Bourbon Or Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey

 

Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed nonaluminum saute pan. Add onion, shallots, celery and garlic. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, reduce heat to very low and sweat until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, lemon juice, sugar, Tabasco, herbs and salt and pepper to taste. Increase heat to medium and bring sauce to a rapid simmer. Cook, bubbling slowly, stirring often, for 30 minutes. Stir in whiskey and lemon zest and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Chill sauce for at least 24 hours. Be sure to serve sauce at room temperature. Serve with meat loaf, hash, grilled pork and burgers.

Beef Teriyaki with Grilled Pineapple, Brown Rice, Spicy Pea Sprout Salad and a Soy Sake Ginger Sauce

Beef Teriyaki with Grilled Pineapple, Brown Rice, Spicy Pea Sprout Salad and a Soy Sake Ginger Sauce

1-½ lb. flank steak, all fat trimmed and sliced thin
1 oz. ginger root, crushed and chopped rough
1 oz. garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
3 oz. soy sauce, low sodium
2 oz. water
1 T. brown sugar
Juice of lemon
½ ripe pineapple, peeled, cored and sliced into rings
1 C. brown long grain rice
1-½ C. water
1 T. Vietnamese fish sauce or 2 T. rice wine vinegar
½ tsp. red chili flakes
1 T. honey
1 lime, segmented
2 handfuls pea sprouts
½ C. bean sprouts
½ carrot, grated
3 oz. soy sauce, low sodium
3 oz. sake
1 oz. brown sugar
1 T. ginger, peeled and minced
1 T. garlic, peeled and minced
1 oz. cold water
1 T. cornstarch

Beef Teriyaki Marinade: In a mixing bowl, add ginger, garlic, soy, water, brown sugar and lemon juice and mix well. Add beef slices and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Rice: In a saucepan, wash brown rice under cold water until water is clear. Drain all water and add the 1-½ C. of fresh water. Place pan on stove and bring to a boil. Cover and turn down to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. While rice is cooking, begin the sauce. Sauce: In a separate saucepan add soy sauce, sake, brown sugar, ginger and garlic. Place pan on stove and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. This period of time will cook off most of the alcohol in the sake. Thickener: Mix thickening ingredients together and stir well, forming a creamy solution. Pour into the simmering sauce, stirring continuously. The sauce should thicken to coat the back of a spoon. Keep hot and set aside.

Pea Sprouts Salad: In a mixing bowl, add fish sauce, chili flakes, honey and lime segments. Mix well until a chunky dressing has formed. Add pea sprouts, bean sprouts and carrots and mix until sprouts are well coated. Pineapple: On a hot seasoned grill, grill pineapple slices. Beef: Remove marinated beef from the refrigerator and drain all of the liquid. Grill beef until desired temperature. To Serve: Place a bed of brown rice in the center of four plates. Top rice with a pineapple ring, grilled beef slices and another pineapple ring. Top pineapple ring with pea sprout salad and surround rice with soy sake ginger sauce.

Toyoshimas’ Teriyaki Tri-Tip

Toyoshimas’ Teriyaki Tri-Tip

1 C. soy sauce
1 C. washed raw cane sugar or 1/2 C. granulated sugar plus 1/2 C. firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 C. thinly sliced onion
1/2 C. sake
1/2 C. mirin (sweet sake; or 1/2 C. additional regular sake plus 1 tsp. sugar)
1 T. minced garlic
1 T. thinly sliced fresh ginger
1/2 tsp. coarse-ground pepper
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1 beef tri-tip (1 1/2 to 2 lb.), fat trimmed, rinsed, and patted dry

Stand a gallon-size zip-lock plastic bag in a bowl. Pour in soy sauce, sugar, onion, sake, mirin, garlic, ginger, pepper, and mustard. Hold bag closed and shake until sugar is dissolved. Add beef; seal bag. Chill at least two hours or up to 1 day, turning occasionally. Lay tri-tip on a lightly oiled barbecue grill over a solid bed of medium coals or medium heat on a gas grill (you can hold your hand at grill level only 4 to 5 seconds); close lid on gas grill (discard marinade). Cook, turning every 5 minutes, until rare in center of thickest part (cut to test; 125° to 130° on a thermometer), about 25 minutes, or until as done as you like. Transfer tri-tip to a cutting board. Let rest about 5 minutes, then cut across the grain into thin, slanting slices.

Meatballs with Tomato and Zucchini Medley

Meatballs with Tomato and Zucchini Medley

1/4 lb. extra-lean ground beef or ground turkey breast
2 T. whole wheat bread crumbs
2 T. liquid egg substitute or 1/2 egg
3/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
3 T. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 cloves garlic, minced
1 zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
1/2 yellow squash, halved lengthwise and sliced
1/2 can (8 oz.) Italian-style cut tomatoes
1/2 can (8 oz.) crushed tomatoes
2 T. chopped fresh basil
Sprig basil, for garnish

In a large bowl, combine the beef or turkey, bread crumbs, egg substitute or egg, 1/4 tsp. of the pepper, the Italian seasoning, and 2 T. of the cheese. Form into balls the size of walnuts. Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Working in batches, add the meatballs and cook for 15 minutes, or until browned and no longer pink inside. Remove to a bowl, leaving drippings in the skillet. Repeat to cook the remaining meatballs. In the same skillet in warm drippings over medium-high heat, add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, or until the onion is tender. Stir in the zucchini, yellow squash, cut tomatoes (with juice), crushed tomatoes, the remaining 1/8 tsp. pepper, the remaining 1 T. cheese, and the meatballs. Heat to boiling. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Stir in the chopped basil. Garnish with the basil sprig.

Vaca Frita (Keto)

Vaca Frita (Keto)

Vaca Frita (Keto)

2 – 2 ½ lb. Boneless Chuck Roast

1 ½ tsp. fine Himalayan Sea Salt

2 Bay Leaves

1 T. White Vinegar

3 T. Coconut or Avocado Oil

1 large Onion, cut into ¼ inch slices

½ cup minced cilantro (1/2 bunch or so), divided

 

Rub the roast with 2 teaspoons of the salt. Place in a slow cooker and add the bay leaves and vinegar. Add water until the beef is just submerged. Cook on low for 8 hours. Remove the meat from the slow cooker and discard the liquid. Place the beef in a storage container, cover, and set in the refrigerator until you’re ready to make and serve this dish. (Cook in a pressure cooker on high for 50 minutes instead of in the slow cooker.) If you’re making it right away, set the beef under a fan to cool before shredding. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, place the oil in the skillet and add the onion slices. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The onions will become tender, translucent, and sweet. While the onions cook, shred the meat by hand, removing any unsightly chunks of fat Make sure to shred it into fine threads. The thinner the pieces are, the more they will crisp up! Remove the onions from the skillet and set aside. Don’t clean the pan. Add half of the shredded beef to the skillet over medium heat. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring once halfway through. After 8 minutes, there should be some pieces of meat stuck to the bottom of the pan; add the juice of 1 lemon and use a spatula to scrape them up. Mix in half of the cilantro and half of the cooked onions. Stir to combine and immediately remove from the skillet Repeat with the remaining shredded beef, lemon juice, cilantro, and onions. Place both batches of vaca frita in a serving bowl and toss with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in a skillet over high heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until crispy again.

Rick Bayless Thin-Sliced Strips Of Beef / Cecina De Res Y Carne Seca

Rick Bayless Thin-Sliced Strips Of Beef / Cecina De Res Y Carne Seca

1 1/2 lb. piece of eye of round
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 T. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano

Using a very sharp knife (such as a boning, filleting or slicing knife), trim the ends, top and bottom of the meat to make them flat, giving you a roughly loaf-shaped chunk (weighing about 1 1/4 lbs). Reserve the scraps for another use. Lay the meat so that its length (and the grain) runs crosswise in front of you. Place one hand firmly on top of the meat, then begin slicing at one end, parallel to the work surface and 1/8″ below the top (and, as you guessed, 1/8″ below the level of your hand). Work your way across the meat, but stop 1/8″ short of the other end, DO NOT CUT THROUGH. Remove your knife, turn the meat 180^ and start a second cut across, 1/4″ below the top. When you’ve cut across about 1 inch, open out the top slice, bending it on the 1/8″ “hinge” that you left at the end. Lay your hand firmly on the newly exposed top and continue cutting across, again 1/8″ below the surface, below your hand. Stop 1/8″ from the end, turn the meat around and begin a third slice 1/4″ below what is now the top. Cut across 1 inch, unfold the second slice, then continue your cut, 1/8″ below your firmly held hand. Work your way back and forth across the meat, leaving 1/8″ hinges at the end of each slice, until the entire piece has been stretched out to a long, 1/8″-thick piece of meat.

Notes on Accordion-Cutting Meat: There is really nothing tricky about this technique, but it does require a little practice. Work slowly, slicing with firm, back-and-forth, sawing motions. The firmly held hand compacts the meat and holds it in place, making it much more manageable. If you work carefully, there is little risk of cutting yourself.

Salting & Aging: Mix together the salt, lime juice and oregano, stirring until the salt has mostly dissolved. Spread out the meat, smear the mixture on both sides, then refold into its original shape. Let stand 1/2 hour. Unfold the meat and hang it to dry in a dry place with good air circulation.

For Cecina (fresh or half-dried strips of beef): For dishes that call for cecina, let the meat dry a few hours or overnight. Cut into manageable-size pieces, cover and refrigerate; to ensure that the meat doesn’t dry any further, you may lightly rub both sides with oil.

For Carne Seca (jerky): For dishes that require jerky, let the meat hang for at least 48 hours. If you plan to keep it for an extended period, let it hang several days longer, then loosely wrap and store in a cool, dry place.

Drying the Beef: Some recipes direct you to hang it in the sun during the day, then bring it in at night; a cool, dry kitchen window works well, also. High humidity keeps the meat from drying and can cause it to spoil.

Variation: Chile-Dried Beef: Mix 2 tsp. pulverized, toasted chile guajillo or New Mexico chile with the salt-lime-oregano flavoring; add a little cayenne, if you wish. Prepare the meat as directed in Steps 1 and 2, coating it with the chile seasoning, then hanging it to dry.

Chopped Steak Italiano

Chopped Steak Italiano

1 tsp. olive oil
5 cubed steaks
1 minced onion
2 or 3 cloves minced garlic
1 minced bell pepper
1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
1 (24 oz.) jar spaghetti sauce (store bought or canned)
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
Shredded Romano & Parmesan cheeses

Brown the steaks in the olive oil. Throw in the onion, pepper, and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add the sauce, zucchini and Italian seasoning. Carefully stir to coat steaks. Reduce heat to simmer. Cover skillet and let cook for about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheeses before serving.

Bacon Cheeseburger Macaroni & Cheese

Bacon Cheeseburger Macaroni & Cheese

Bacon Cheeseburger Macaroni & Cheese

1 box (12 oz.) Elbows

1 T. olive oil

2 T. garlic

½ white onion, small dice

1 C. (80/20) ground beef

1 white onion, quartered

10 cloves whole garlic

4 C. heavy cream

2 sprigs thyme

Salt to taste

2 T. black peppercorns

½ tsp. nutmeg

¼ lb. butter

1 C. flour

3 C. white cheddar cheese, grated

1½ C. bacon lardons, medium dice

Chopped fresh parsley

 

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Ground Beef Mix: In a sauté pan, add olive oil, garlic, onions and ground beef until beef is cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside.  Béchamel Cheese Sauce: In a sauce pot, sauté quartered onion and garlic then add cream and thyme. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and cook until onion and garlic are tender and sauce is at a simmer. Whisk in roux (butter and flour). Once thickened, add 2 C. of cheese. After the cheese has melted, strain mixture to create a smooth sauce.  In a bowl, combine 1 C. each of ground beef mix and bacon lardons with cooked pasta. Add 4 C. cheese sauce and remainder of cheddar cheese. Pour into baking dish and garnish with remaining ground beef, bacon and parsley.

Zesty Beef Soup

Zesty Beef Soup

2 T. flour
1 lb beef stew meat cubes
2 T. oil
12 oz. tiny new potatoes, halved or quartered
4 medium carrots, cut into 1/2″ slices
1 large onion, chopped
1 C. beef broth
1 14 oz can chunky chili-style tomatoes
3/4 C. water
2 T. brown sugar
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 T. cider vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. instant coffee crystals
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground allspice

Place flour in a plastic bag. Add beef cubes and shake until beef is coated with flour. In a large skillet brown the meat in hot oil. In a 3 1/2 or 4 quart crockpot, place the potatoes, carrots and onion. Add meat. In a bowl stir together beef broth, undrained tomatoes, water, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, coffee crystals, cumin, ginger and allspice. Pour over all. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high heat setting for 4 to 5 hours or until meat and vegetables are tender. Ladle into bowls.

One Pot Ground Beef Stroganoff

One Pot Ground Beef Stroganoff

One Pot Ground Beef Stroganoff

3 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

8 oz crimini mushrooms, sliced

salt and pepper

1/2 C. diced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb ground beef

2 tsp. paprika

4 C. low sodium beef broth*

8 oz dry rotini

1/2 C. sour cream

fresh parsley, for serving

 

Heat 1 tsp. of the olive oil over medium heat in a pot or large skillet. Add the mushrooms and cook until they are tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then remove from the pot into a bowl and set aside. Heat the remaining 2 tsp. of oil in the same pot. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until translucent, 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30-60 seconds. Add the ground beef and continue to cook, breaking up the beef with a spoon as it cooks, until it is browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the paprika over the top and stir to combine. Pour in the beef broth and the pasta*. Bring to a light boil then cover the pot. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the pasta is al dente, 17-20 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the mushrooms and sour cream. Serve topped with fresh parsley.

 

*While 4 C. of beef broth always works well for me, many have commented that they ended up with too much liquid. You can always start with 3 C. of broth and add more if needed. Or if your end dish has more liquid than you like, you can leave the lid off of the pan for the last 5 minutes so that some of the liquid will evaporate. The cut of the pasta will also affect how much liquid you need.

Quickie Cubed Steaks

Quickie Cubed Steaks

4 Cube Steaks
4 slices Monterey Jack Cheese
4 cloves Garlic, minced
4oz. can diced Green Chiles
Salt & Pepper
2 tsp. Oil or Butter

Place a slice of Monterey Jack Cheese on each steak. Sprinkle garlic, green chiles, salt and pepper on top of the cheese. Gently roll up the cubes and pick a toothpick to hold them together. In a skillet, heat oil and fry the steak till golden brown on both sides or till done.

Traditional Irish Corned Beef and Cabbage

Traditional Irish Corned Beef and Cabbage

Traditional Irish Corned Beef and Cabbage

3 pounds corned beef brisket with spice packet

10 small red potatoes

5 carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch pieces

1 large head cabbage, cut into small wedges

 

Place corned beef in large pot or Dutch oven and cover with water. Add the spice packet that came with the corned beef. Cover pot and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer approximately 50 minutes per pound or until tender. Add whole potatoes and carrots, and cook until the vegetables are almost tender. Add cabbage and cook for 15 more minutes. Remove meat and let rest 15 minutes. Place vegetables in a bowl and cover. Add as much broth (cooking liquid reserved in the Dutch oven or large pot) as you want. Slice meat across the grain.

 

Canned “Swedish” Meatballs

Canned “Swedish” Meatballs

10 lbs. 90/10 Ground Beef
½ cup fine ground bread crumbs
3 T. minced garlic
dried parsley, rosemary, thyme, celery salt (to taste)
1 large onion (finely minced – I used a food processor)
8-9 eggs
canning salt and pepper
½ tsp. nutmeg

4 small cans of Cream of Mushroom soup (or create sauce using real foods following cream of x recipe!)
¾ cup of water for each can of soup used
salt, pepper, parsley, celery salt
2 T. beef base

For Meatballs: mix all ingredients and form into 1″ balls. You want a nice firm meatball so use just enough eggs to hold the meat together. These will be pressure canned for a long time so the meatballs need to be firm to help hold their shape. They will be tender after pressure canning. Bake on baking sheets at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until brown and done. For Sauce: Combine ingredients until mixture comes to a boil and keep at a low simmer. To Can: have your jars, lids and rings sterilized and ready to go. Keep your jars hot for filling. Get your pressure cooker warmed up and ready to go. Add meatballs to jar, ladle in sauce leaving 1″ head room, debubble your jars, wipe the rim with a clean paper towel dipped in hot water and vinegar, place your lid and ring on and then place in the pressure cooker to keep warm. Process quarts for 90 minutes at 10 pounds (please use correct poundage for your elevation and follow directions for your canner) or pints for 75 minutes.

Impossible Cheeseburger Pie

Impossible Cheeseburger Pie

1 lb. Ground Beef
1 1/2 C. chopped Onion
1 – 2 BBQ Sauce
1/2 tsp. each Salt & Pepper
1 1/2 C. Milk
3/4 C. Bisquick
3 Eggs
2 Tomatoes, sliced
1 C. Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 9″ pie plate with cooking spray. Cook ground beef and onion until beef is brown; drain off any fat. Stir in BBQ sauce, and spread into pie plate. Stir remaining ingredients until blended. Pour into pie plate. Bake 25 minutes or until knife comes out clean. Top with tomatoes, sprinkle with cheese; cook another 8 – 10 minutes. Allow to stand 5 minutes before serving.

Beef Hobos

Beef Hobos

2 slices Potato 1/4″ thick
4 slices Carrots, 1/4″ thick
2 Burger Patties
2 Onion slices
Salt and Pepper
Foil

Lay potato on foil large enough to enclose fillings. Top with onions and then hamburger patty. Add carrots to the top. Fold up foil to enclose packets. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hr. 15 minutes.

Moroccan Beef Stew with Couscous

Moroccan Beef Stew with Couscous

1 onion (3/4 lb.), peeled and chopped
1 tsp. salad oil
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. cayenne
1/4 tsp. ground dried turmeric
2 cans (14 1/2 oz. each) diced tomatoes
1 package (about 2 lb.) cooked boned beef pot roast with gravy
3 C. fat-skimmed chicken broth
2 C. couscous
1/4 C. chopped fresh mint leaves

In a 12-inch nonstick frying pan or a 5- to 6-quart pan over medium-high heat, frequently stir onion in oil until limp, 4 to 5 minutes. Add cumin, coriander, cayenne, and turmeric and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and their juice; bring to a boil over high heat, stirring often.. Discard any solidified fat from beef and sauce. Scrape sauce from meat into pan. Cut beef into 3/4-inch cubes and add to pan. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until meat is hot, 5 to 7 minutes.. Meanwhile, in a 2- to 3-quart pan over high heat, bring broth to a boil. Stir in couscous, cover pan, and remove from heat; let stand until broth is absorbed and couscous is tender to bite, about 5 minutes. Pour couscous into a wide bowl. Spoon stew over couscous and sprinkle with mint.

Yield: 6 servings
Calories: 519
Fat: 8.1g (sat 2.9g)
Fiber: 4.2g

Beef Teriyaki Skewers

Beef Teriyaki Skewers

Bamboo skewers
1 lb. lean steak (flank steak is my favorite), thinly sliced across the grain
3 cloves garlic
1/2 C. agave nectar
1-1/2 C. dark soy sauce
1/2 C. + 1 tsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp. shao hsing wine
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. rice vinegar
2 tsp. grated fresh ginger root
1 tsp. ground (dried) ginger

Soak skewers in water for 30 minutes or more (you can do this right before you’re ready to cook). Place meat in a zip-loc bag. Add remaining ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until garlic is chopped and ingredients are well combined. Pour into the bag, press out the air, and seal. Massage the bag to coat the meat. Refrigerate for 4-8 hours. Thread strips onto the skewers, and discard the marinade. Cook skewers on the grill, on a stove top griddle, or under the broiler for 3-4 minutes.

Penne with Beef and Arugula

Penne with Beef and Arugula

2 New York strip steaks, about 8 oz. each
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. herbes de Provence
1 garlic clove, minced
¾ C. plus 3 tsp. EVOO
1 lb. penne pasta
¼ C. balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
¼ C. chopped fresh basil
¼ C. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 C. chopped arugula

Season the steak with salt and pepper, herbes de Provence, and the minced garlic. In a skillet, heat 3 tsp. the olive oil over medium heat. Cook the steaks for about 7 minutes per side. Remove the meat to a cutting board and let it rest while you cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8-10 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving ¼ C. the cooking water. In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, ½ tsp. salt, ½ tsp. pepper, the basil, parsley, and ¾ C. olive oil. In a large bowl, toss the pasta with half of the salad dressing and the reserved pasta water. Set aside. Slice the steaks thin and add to the pasta with the arugula. Add more dressing, and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Ma’s Lasagna

Ma’s Lasagna

Lasagna Noodles
1 lb. Mozzarella Cheese, sliced
1 lb. Ricotta Cheese
1/2 C. Onion, chopped
1 1/2 T. Garlic Salad Dressing
2- 6oz Cans Tomato Paste
1 lb. Ground Chuck
1/2 C. Dry Bread Crumbs
1/4 C. Milk
2 Eggs
1/2 C. Parmesan Cheese
1/2 C. Finely Chopped Parsley
1 1/2 T. Salt
1/4 tsp. Pepper
2 Cans Tomatoes
3 C. Water
1/2 tsp. Fennel Seed
1 1/2 T. Basil

Melt 4 tablespoon butter in pan. Add onion, salad dressing mix and tomato. Simmer until liquid evaporates. Combine beef, egg, milk, breadcrumbs, 1/4 C. parmesan cheese, 1/4 C. parsley, salt and pepper. Brown in 2 T. butter in skillet. Add meat to tomato mix. Add paste, rest of parsley, fennel, basil, a little sugar, remaining parmesan, and 2 tsp. Salt. Simmer 1 hour. Start with 1 C. sauce in bottom of pan. Layer noodles on top, a ricotta layer, and then a mozzarella layer. Repeat 3 times. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

Mom’s Stuffed Cabbage

Mom’s Stuffed Cabbage

2 lb. Ground Beef (lean)
2 C. Minute Rice
1 Egg
Onion
Salt and Pepper
Large Head Cabbage
Large Can Tomato Juice

Cut core out of cabbage. Place head in large pot with a little water in the bottom. Cover and steam for a little bit. Carefully pull off outer cabbage leaf. Continue until all large leaves are removed. Cut up remaining cabbage and line bottom of pot. Mix burger, rice and spices. Place small amount of burger mixture into each leaf and fold/roll up, placing in pan, seam side down – largest rolls in bottom. Pour juice over top and cook slowly with lid on about 1 hour. Remove lid and cook further to condense cooking juices.

Tim Love’s Grilled Texas Ribeye

Tim Love’s Grilled Texas Ribeye

Three 1 1/2-pound, bone-in rib eye steaks, about 1 inch thick, at room temperature
Canola oil, for brushing
Kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper

Light a grill and heat, covered, until hot. Brush the steaks with oil and season with salt and with pepper. Grill the steaks over high heat for 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Transfer the steaks to a carving board and let rest for 10 or up to 30 minutes. Return the steaks to the hot grill, cover and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, turning once; the steaks are done when an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the meat registers 130° for rare or 135° for medium-rare. Return the steaks to the carving board and let rest for 10 minutes. Thinly slice the steaks across the grain and serve.

Crispy Orange Beef

Crispy Orange Beef

1.5 lbs sirloin steak
3 tsp. soy sauce
6 tsp. cornstarch
1 softball sized navel orange
3 tsp. molasses
2 tsp. brandy or red wine
1 tsp. rice vinegar
1.5 tsp. sesame oil
1 jalapeño, inner seeds and ribs removed, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. freshly grated ginger
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 scallions, chopped (for garnish)
vegetable oil, for frying

Cut the beef into thin slices, about 1/4 inch thick. Toss the beef with 1 tsp. soy sauce. Next, sprinkle the beef evenly with the cornstarch and mix well. Evenly spread the beef out on a wire rack set atop a sheet pan, and place the beef in the freezer for 45 minutes. This will help our beef get crispy later on, because the freezer dries the surface moisture on the meat. Use a vegetable peeler to peel off about 10 zest strips from the orange, taking care not to get any of the bitter white pithy part. Only peel off the orange colored part. Thinly slice the orange peels into long strips. Cut the orange in half and juice it, measuring out 1/4 C. juice and placing it in a bowl. Add the other 2 tsp. soy sauce, molasses, brandy or red wine, rice vinegar, and sesame oil to the orange juice, and whisk to combine. Set the liquid aside. Heat up a deep fryer to 375 degrees F and set up a sheet pan lined with paper towels. Once the fryer has reached the proper temperature, fry about 1/4 to 1/3 of the beef at a time, for about 3 minutes, making sure to stir gently so the beef doesn’t stick together. After 3 minutes the beef will be golden brown and crispy, and you can remove it to the paper towels to drain. Cook the remainder of the beef. Heat up a large skillet over medium heat, and add 1 tsp. vegetable oil. Add the orange strips and jalapeño and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes, and stir for 30 seconds (no longer, or the garlic will burn). Add the soy sauce mixture to the pan, then add all of the beef. Stir to coat in the sauce. Garnish with the chopped scallions and serve with rice or desired side dish. Enjoy!

Steak Salad with Bacon & Crispy Potatoes

Steak Salad with Bacon & Crispy Potatoes

4 oz. bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
8 oz. Yukon gold or fingerling potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
kosher salt and black pepper
2 tsp. canola oil
1 ½ lb. sirloin steak (1 inch thick)
¾ C. crumbled blue cheese, such as Stilton or Roquefort (3 oz.)
¼ C. sour cream
¼ C. buttermilk
1 tsp. red wine vinegar
1 scallion, chopped
1 head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces (about 8 C.)

Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve the skillet.
Add the potatoes to the drippings in the skillet, season with ¼ tsp. each salt and pepper, and increase heat to medium-high. Cook, tossing occasionally, until browned and tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a second large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the steak with ¼ tsp. each salt and pepper and cook until and instant-read thermometer inserted in each piece register 130ºF, 5 to 7 minutes per side for medium-rare. Let rest at least 5 minutes before slicing. Mix together the blue cheese, sour cream, buttermilk, vinegar, scallion, and ¼ tsp. each salt and pepper in a small bowl. Divide the lettuce among plates, top with the steak, bacon, and potatoes, and drizzle with the dressing.

Rare Roast Beef Baguettes with Roast Tomato and Currant Chutney

Rare Roast Beef Baguettes with Roast Tomato and Currant Chutney

¾ C. thickened cream (35% whipping cream)
¼ cup Dijon mustard
¾ C. finely grated parmesan
2T. olive oil
2lb. beef fillet, trimmed
2 sourdough baguettes
2 cups (loosely packed) arugula

2/5 lb. large cherry tomatoes, such as Johnny love bites
2 long red chillies (possibily fresno; or try asian market)
1/3 cup olive oil
2 Spanish onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
100 ml red wine vinegar
200 gm light brown sugar
2 tbsp currants, soaked in warm water until plump, water discarded

For roast tomato and currant chutney, preheat oven to 180C. Scatter tomatoes and chillies on 2 oven trays lined with baking paper, drizzle with 2 tbsp oil and roast until golden (30 minutes). Remove skin and seeds from chillies if desired, finely chop flesh and set aside with tomatoes. Heat remaining olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add onion and garlic and stir occasionally until tender (10-12 minutes). Add tomato, chilli, vinegar and sugar, season to taste, reduce heat to low and stir occasionally until thick (45-55 minutes). Season to taste, stir in currants and set aside to cool. Makes 500ml. Combine cream and mustard in a small saucepan over medium heat, bring to just below the simmer, add parmesan, stir until melted, season to taste and set aside to cool. Preheat oven to 140C. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over high heat, season beef fillet to taste and cook, turning occasionally, until browned (1-2 minutes each side). Transfer to an oven tray and roast until cooked to your liking (25-30 minutes for medium-rare). Set aside to rest (30 minutes), then thinly slice. Halve baguettes lengthways and spread bases with chutney. Top with roast beef and rocket, drizzle with mustard cream, season to taste and serve.

Pinto Beef Tamale Pie

Pinto Beef Tamale Pie

1 ¼ C. cornmeal
½ tsp. salt
¼ C. water
1 (12oz) can evaporated milk
1 (4oz) can diced green chiles
½ tsp. onion powder
1 C. water
½ tsp. garlic powder
1 (12oz) can beef chunks
½ tsp. cumin
2 (15 oz) cans pinto beans, drain
¼ tsp. sugar
¼-1/2 tsp. chili powder

Combine cornmeal, salt, milk and water in small saucepan. Cook on medium heat. Stir until bubbling; continue stirring until VERY thick, 2-3 more minutes. Save ½ C. cornmeal mixture; cover with plastic wrap. Put rest of mixture in a lump in bottom of greased 10-inch pie plate. Allow to cool 2-3 minutes. Using a slightly wet had, press dough to cover bottom and sides of plate. Bake in 425ºoven for 10 minutes. While crust is baking, pour beef into medium saucepan and break up. Add rest of ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes, stirring often. Spread pinto beef mixture over baked cornmeal. On a piece of waxed paper flatten reserved cornmeal into an 8-inch round. Place on center of bean filling. Bake pie for further 15 minutes and serve. Serves 6. Variations: Pinto beef filling can also be served in tortillas, on tostadas or over rice

Easy Baked Beef & Beans

Easy Baked Beef & Beans

2 14 oz. cans baked beans
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 C. diced onion
1/2 C. brown sugar, packed
2 T. ketchup
Salt & pepper, to taste

In a skillet brown the ground beef with the onions. Drain off any grease. In a crock pot or in a 350 oven safe pan place the canned beans, sugar and ketchup. Add browned meat and onions, stir well. Season to taste.

Chiles en Nogada

Chiles en Nogada

4 Poblano peppers
3 T. Canola Oil

3 T. Vegetable Oil
1 lb. ground beef
2 T. Tomato Paste
2 tsp. dried Mexican oregano
1 tsp. ground cumin
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 C. dried apricots, diced
1/4 C. dried currants
1 ripe plantain, peeled and diced
1 green apple, peeled and diced

1/2 C. blanched slivered almonds
4 C. Milk, divided
6 oz. queso fresco
1/2 C. Sour Cream
1 small clove garlic
1 lime, zested and juiced

Chopped fresh cilantro (garnish)
Pomegranate arils (garnish)

Preheat oven to 425ËšF. Coat peppers with oil and place on a baking sheet. Roast for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally until peppers are blistered. Place peppers in a large bowl and cover with a towel to steam. Remove towel when peppers are cool enough to handle. Using a paring knife, gently make a slit across the top of pepper and remove and discard seeds and ribs. To prepare filling, brown beef in oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add tomato paste, oregano, cumin, garlic and onions; season with salt and reduce heat to medium-low. Add apricots, currants, plantain and apple; cook for about 10 minutes or until fruit is cooked through and mixture is thick, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. To prepare sauce, place almonds and 2 C. milk in a small saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully puree almond and milk mixture, remaining milk, queso fresco, sour cream, garlic, salt, pepper and lime juice in a blender.* Place peppers in a baking dish and stuff with filling. Bake for 15 minutes. Transfer to serving plates and top with almond cream sauce. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and cilantro, if you like. *Use caution when blending hot liquids. Hold blender lid down with a kitchen towel while blender is running.

Chili Mac Skillet

Chili Mac Skillet

12 oz. lean ground beef
1 15oz. can Corn, drained
1 can (14.5oz.) Diced Tomatoes with Zesty Mild Green Chilies, not drained
1 can (15oz.) red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
¾ C. water
¾ C. dry elbow macaroni
2 tsps. chili powder
½ C. (2oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese

Brown beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat; drain. Stir in corn, tomatoes, beans, water, macaroni and chili powder. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 12 minutes or until macaroni is tender. Remove from heat and sprinkle with cheese. Cover and let stand 5 minutes for cheese to melt.