Category: BEEF

MARINATED and SEASONED PRIME RIB

My mom and stepdad will be here tomorrow and we are doing the first of 3 Christmas dinners on Saturday.  This will be the most elaborate of the 3 since it is for the most people and my stepdad specifically asked for prime rib.  I went grocery shopping today to one of my very favorite markets and made my menu around their offerings.

Central Market has the most awesome butchers.  I was going to make my life easy and buy a boneless prime rib, but they didn’t have any the right size so I bought a bone in and the sweet man cut the bones off for me and then tied them back on so we will have AWESOME flavor AND the ease of boneless with a BONUS of the bones for a GREAT stew too.

PLUS this market has some great deals and fun new things to try. There was a demonstrator for these salad dressings and I was really hungry so I tried the salad they were offering and it was really good!  I picked up a couple bottles of two different flavors and put them in my cart.  As I began to leave she called out to me not to forget my free items.  Yep, EVERYTHING besides the 2 bottles of dressings was FREE! A retail value of $26.

This is my go to recipe for prime rib.  It never fails!   

MARINATED and SEASONED PRIME RIB
5 pound boneless beef rib roast
3/4 cup Mad Housewife Merlot wine or Velvet Devil Merlot
1 small Vidalia onion, sliced thin
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Avocado oil
*2 tablespoons  Savory Spice Shop Hidden Cove Lemon Garlic Blend
*2 tablespoons  Penzey’s English Prime Rib Rub 
*1 teaspoon  Penzey’s OR Savory Spice Shop’s Horseradish powder

  • Whisk together the wine, water and Worcestershire sauce.
  • Place roast in a large plastic bag that has been placed in a shallow baking dish.
  • Pour marinade over roast and seal bag.
  • Marinate 6-8 hours, turning bag occasionally.
  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  • Place sliced onions in bottom of roaster.
  • Drain roast and discard marinade.
  • Rub roast generously with the avocado oil. Let roast sit on drainboard a moment to allow excess oil to drain off.  At this point wash your hands to remove the excess oil also so the rub will go on better.
  • Stir together the Hidden Cove Lemon Garlic Blend, English Prime Rib Rub and the horseradish powder until well mixed.
  • Sprinkle rub mixture over roast until well coated all the way around.
  • Place roast, fat side up on onion slices.
  • Insert oven thermometer.
  • Roast until desired doneness (we like medium rare which was 135 degrees and about 2 1/4 hours), but no more!
  • Transfer roast to cutting board and immediately tent with foil for 20 minutes before carving. This is the resting phase and mandatory to the perfect prime rib. During this phase your roast will raise another 10 degrees.

*If you want a thicker rub add more spices making sure to keep these proportions.

DO NOT SKIP THE RESTING PHASE!!

MEATBALLS MARINARA

I cut this recipe from one of my aunt’s old magazines because it sounded SOOOO good – just simple enough to NOT take ALL day, but flavorful enough to make everyone’s palette stand up and take notice.

The recipe calls for great big meatballs served over pasta which are often better in theory than in practice and while they were tasty I will make twice as many next time at half the size – just personal preference for hubby and I.

Most meatball recipes call for equal amounts of pork and beef, but theirs uses much more beef than pork – a mixture that held its shape well, but allowed for very moist meatballs. I made just a few changes to use what I had on hand and hubby said it was some of the best I ever made.

MEATBALLS & MARINARA serves 8 easily
recipe CHANGES in red

ONION PORTION
1/4 cup olive avocado oil
2 3 onions, chopped fine
1 shallot, chopped fine
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

  • Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering.
  • Cook onions and shallot until golden, 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Add garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  • Transfer half of onion mixture to large bowl and set aside.

MARINARA PORTION
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine
1 cup water
4 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh basil leaf
Salt
1 – 2 teaspoons sugar, as needed

  • Add tomato paste to remaining onion mixture in pot and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  • Add wine and cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
  • Stir in water and tomatoes, simmering over low heat until sauce is no longer watery, 45 to 60 minutes.
  • Stir in cheese and basil and adjust seasonings with salt and sugar.

MEATBALL PORTION
4 slices hearty white sandwich bread extra sour dough
3/4 cup milk
1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 large eggs
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 pounds ground beef chuck (80 percent lean)

  • Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees.
  • Mash bread and milk in bowl with reserved onion mixture until smooth.
  • Add remaining ingredients, except ground beef, to bowl and mash to combine.
  • Add beef and knead with hands until well combined.
  • Form mixture into 2 1/2-inch meatballs (you should have about 16 meatballs), place on rimmed baking sheet, and bake until well browned, about 20 minutes.
  • Transfer meatballs to pot with sauce.
  • Simmer for 15 minutes. Serve over pasta. (Meatballs and marinara can be frozen for up to 1 month.)

STUFFED MEATBALLS & ROASTED VEGGIE SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE SAUCE

 

  • I start with whatever vegetables I have in the vegetable bin. Today was Roma tomatoes, celery stalks, green onions and snap peas.
  • Then I drizzle olive oil and salt and pepper over it all and bake it for an hour at 400°.
  • I started the sauce with a can of Contadina tomato paste, 1 teaspoon Better than Beef Bouillon paste, 2 cups orange juice and a V8. This truly was a clean out the fridge day.
  • When done roasting add the vegetables to the sauce and set to simmer all day. The vegetables will continue to cook down into a uniform consistency with the sauce. Salt & pepper taste.


For the sauce:
1 pound COSTCO organic ground beef
1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage
1 medium Vidalia onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
5 large Roma tomatoes, slice thin
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon fennel seed
2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
Lasagna  Noodles, prepared or oven ready**

  •  Brown ground beef, Italian sausage, onions and garlic. Drain fat.
  • Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste and tomato sauce.
  • Stir in sugar, salt, pepper, basil, Italian seasoning and fennel, mixing well.
  • Lay tomato slices evenly on top. Cover.
  • Simmer for 2 hours over low heat. Stir in tomato slices until well blended.  At this time you can proceed to finish the lasagna or refrigerate the sauce until ready.

For the meatballs:
1 pound hamburger
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
3 large slices sourdough bread, crumbled
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Align Center1/2 teaspoon fennel
2 tablespoons fresh minced parsley
1 bunch green onions, finely minced
2 teaspoons minced garlic, jar
mozzarella cheese, about 4 ounces, cut into 1 inch cubes

  • Crumble bread into a large bowl.
  • Toss in Parmesan cheese, parsley, green onions and garlic.
  • Add meat and with your hands mix extremely well until you have a uniform mixture.
  • Roll meatballs around a Parmesan cheese cube.
  • Chill Meatballs until sauce is done.
  • Just before the sauce is finished, brown meatballs.**
  • Add the meatballs to the sauce and bring to a medium high simmer until meatballs are cooked though, about 20 minutes.
  • Prepare pasta and Parmesan Cheese Bread while meatballs are cooking.
  • Enjoy

**If you prefer you can add the meatballs directly to the sauce and SLOW simmer for a couple hours instead of browning.

BACON CHEESEBURGER HAMBURGER HELPER NOT!!**

For some reason hubby loves Hamburger helper. Must be left over from his bachelor days. Now I can’t have pre-prepared foods so I made him a substitute recipe that tastes even better. I make in advance too which makes a great weeknight casserole ready to pop in the oven when you get home. Hubby likes the texture of Velveeta, but I find it a bit rubbery. So I tried Land of Lakes American cheese and it slices great while still giving you that smooth creamy cheese texture when it melts.


BACON CHEESEBURGER HAMBURGER HELPER NOT!!**
6 bacon strips cooked crisp and crumbled
1 1/2 pounds hamburger
1 small Vidalia onion, chopped
2 cups green giant frozen corn, thawed
2 large Yukon potatoes, sliced
Land o’ Lakes American Cheese Slices

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Toss bacon and corn together.
  • Layer potatoes over top.
  • Generously salt and pepper the potatoes.
  • Place a thin layer of cheese slices over potatoes.
  • Brown hamburger and onions together. Salt and pepper well while meat is browning. Drain off fat.
  • Layer over the potatoes and top with another layer of potatoes.
  • Salt and pepper again and layer with another layer of cheese.
  • Cover and bake for 45 minutes.
  • Uncover and bake another 15 minutes.

**I like to make these back to back (that way I also have 2 meals ready to go with half the mess) so the left over bits of browned sausage and caramelized onion add flavor to the hamburger.

HOMEMADE SLOPPY JOES

These are always a crowd pleaser.
HOMEMADE SLOPPY JOES
1 tablespoon extra light olive oil
1 1/2 pound beef
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic, jar
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoon Montreal steak seasoning
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato pesto
1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon Better than Bouillon beef base

  • Heat olive oil and add ground beef.
  • Generously salt and pepper.
  • Brown beef, onion and garlic. Drain.
  • Add brown sugar, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, steak seasoning and beef base. Cook for 5 minutes.
  • Add tomato paste and tomato sauce.
  • Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
  • Serve on fresh baked buns.

COUNTRY FRIED STEAK

A favorite of ours is “chicken fried” anything.  Chicken-fried steak (also known as pan-fried steak country-fried steak or CFS) is a piece of steak (tenderized cube steak) coated with seasoned flour and pan-fried. It is generally associated with the South and their hospitality. Its name is thought to be likely due to chicken-fried steak’s similarity in preparation to fried chicken, though the dish is also similar to the classic Austrian dish,  Wiener Schnitzel, a tenderized veal or beef cutlet, coated with flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs and then pan fried.  It is truly a comfort food.

The precise origins of Chicken Fried Steak are unclear, but many sources attribute its development to Germans and Austrians who immigrated to Texas in the nineteenth century and brought recipes for Wiener Schnitzel from Europe to the USA. Lamesa, the seat of Dawson County on the Texas South Plains, claims to be the birthplace of chicken-fried steak, as does Bandera, Texas’ favorite son, John “White Gravy” Neutzling.

The Virginia Housewife, published in 1838 by Mary Randolph has a recipe for veal cutlets that is one of the earliest known recipes for a food like chicken-fried steak. The recipe for what we now know as chicken-fried steak was included in many regional cookbooks by the late nineteenth century. The actual term “chicken-fried steak” was probably developed in the 1930s. It is thought that the  name change was due to the war with Germany.  Chicken-fried steak is among numerous popular dishes which make up the official state meal of Oklahoma, added to the list in 1988.

All that said, even being a Texan, I grew up with it being called Country Fried Steak which makes so much more sense to me!  There is nothing chicken about this meal.  I have over the years played with the flavor and this is how we like it.
COUNTRY FRIED STEAK
1 cube steak or thin top sirloin steak per person
Marsala wine
green onions, thinly sliced
1 egg per 2 steak, beaten
flour
salt and pepper
butter
  • Generously salt and pepper the steaks.
  • Slice your onions and marinate the steaks in just enough Marsala wine to cover.  Layer the steaks and onions into a tupperware and refrigerate for several hours.
  • Drain steaks on paper towels.
  • Heat large skillet with enough butter to evenly coat the bottom.
  • Dipped drained steaks in beaten egg and then flour.
  • Lay each steak in sizzling butter and salt and pepper again.
  • Turn steaks and season again.
  • Serve with Parmesan Potatoes and Peppered Gravy.

PEANUT BUTTER BURGERS

This really tastes better than it sounds. The peanut butter gives the burger a real nutty taste, and makes it a very juicy burger.

1-1/2 pound lean hamburger or ground sirloin
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic
2 Tablespoons butter, softened
Toppings of your choice

  • Mix all ingredients together until well blended.
  • Shape into patties.
  • Refrigerate patties for at least two hours. Chilling the patties helps hold their shape.
  • Grill on the BBQ.

This recipe is very flexible. Almost any spice or seasoning works well with it. DO NOT add bread crumbs, the peanut butter and the chilling will hold them together just fine.

BEEF TENDERLOIN

 
BEEF TENDERLOIN
1 (3 pound) beef tenderloin roast 
1/2 cup soy sauce 
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
   2 cloves garlic, minced
   1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
   4-5 mushrooms, sliced thin
   1/2 cup melted butter
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Sprinkle garlic on bottom of shallow, glass baking dish and then layer green onions on top. 
  • Place roast on top of onions.
  • Whisk together soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and butter.
  • Pour over the tenderloin.
  • Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, then turn the roast over, and continue cooking 35 to 40 minutes, basting occasionally until the internal temperature of the roast is at 140 degrees for medium.
  • Let meat rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

 

BUBBLE UP STEW (ROAST)

With the cooler evenings of fall approaching, this is a favorite recipe that is great the first night as a roast and even better as a stew for leftovers.

BUBBLE ROAST/STEW
3 pounds chuck roast
Fresh cracked salt and black pepper
Wondra flour for dredging
3 + 3 tablespoons quality butter
3 large carrots, cleaned and sliced into logs
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 large Walla Walla onions, sliced
1/2 pound button mushrooms, sliced thin
15 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
12 ounce bottle Bubble Up
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 basil flavor cubes
1 oregano flavor cube

  • Preheat oven to 300°.
  • GENEROUSLY salt and pepper the roast on both sides.
  • Sprinkle with Wondra Flour and pat flour into meat.
  • Melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium high heat in a large, deep skillet or dutch oven (preferably with a drip catcher lid).
  • Brown the roast on both sides and set aside .
  • Add remaining butter to skillet to melt.
  • Add onions and celery, sauteing until translucent.
  • Sprinkle with garlic powder and more salt and pepper.
  • Add mushroomsand saute a couple minutes more.
  • Add tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce and Bubble Up, stirring to combine.
  • Lay Roast across top of vegetables and top with flavor cubes.
  • Cover and roast 2 hours untouched.
  • Check for tenderness, cooking until fork tender.
  • Serve with pasta or mashed potatoes.

I shred any remaining roast into the left over veggies and voile’ you have stew or soup whih I serve with crusty bread.

I serve it with fresh asparagus and you have all your veggies in one place.

SLOW COOKER BARBACOA

A true Barbacoa uses parts of a cow that I prefer not to use, so when I ran across this recipe I thought it was wonderful. I think of this as a Mexican Sauerbraten. You do serve it shredded, but this was so pretty I just had to show you the before shredding picture.

SLOW COOKER BARBACOA
1/4 cup lime juice
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 teaspoons cumin
3 teaspoons oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoons fresh ground sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup beef broth
1 medium Walla Walla onion, slivered
3-4 pounds beef chuck roast

  • Place the lime juice, vinegar, chipotle peppers and adobo sauce, cloves, cumin, oregano, pepper, salt and cloves in a blender and pulse until smooth.
  • Add broth and pulse until well blended.
  • Place roast in slow cooker and pour sauce over top.
  • Cook on low 7-9 hours or until meat is tender.
  • Shred meat into juices.
  • Prepare rice 20-30 minutes before ready to serve.
  • Serve over rice.

RICE
3 cups water
2 cups uncooked Jasmine rice
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ground sea salt
1/2 cup minced cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice

  • In a large saucepan combine water, rice, butter and salt.
  • Bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat and simmer covered 12-15 minutes or until rice is tender and all liquid has been absorbed.
  • Remove from heat and stir in cilantro and lime juice.

BEEF & POTATO HAND PIES

This recipe was something I was going to make while my nephew was visiting, but he became ill and lost his appetite. I finally made it tonight and realized he REALLY would have loved it!  You could change this up to do chicken or pork with various vegetables quite easily.  The key to the flavor was the raisins and paprika combination with this particular recipe.

 BEEF & POTATO HAND PIES
1 tablespoon Avocado oil
1 small wall walla sweet onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 medium Yukon gold potato, diced small
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 package (2 sheets) Pepperidge Farm puff pastry
Fresh ground salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons butter, melted

  • Preheat oven to 400°.
  • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  
  • Add onion, cooking until soft.
  • Add garlic, cooking until fragrant.
  • Add beef and cook until browned, breaking up meat into very small pieces.
  • Add potato, paprika and raisins, stirring to blend well. 
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • On a lightly floured work surface, gently roll out puff pastry and smooth creases.
  • Cut each sheet into 4 squares.
  • Place 1/3 cup of meat mixture into center of each squae.
  • Lightly brush edges with water.
  • Fold over into triangles and seal edges.
  • Sprinkle with more paprika.
  • Transfer to parchment lined baking sheet.
  • Bake 20-25 minutes until puff pastry is golden and puffed.
  • Brush with melted butter during last 5 minutes.
  • Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

AJI QUEEN TRIBUTE – ROASTED PEPPER BEEF GOULASH

If you type in Aji Queen into google near the top of the list is my cousin, Beth who owned and operated Peppermania. Beth made her life ALL about peppers, from seeds, spices, hot sauces, earrings… right down to her panties LOL and this is why she was known as the pepper queen.  Unfortunately if you read that link you’ll see it’s a tribute to her passing.  I’ve been wanting to make a recipe that was a tribute to her without using one of her spices or peppers that I can no longer get or replicate.  I miss her all the time and that will only intensify soon, but that’s another story. So for now this recipe is for her.

ROASTED PEPPER BEEF GOULASH
1 1/2 pounds skirt or flank steak cut diagonally into 3-4 inch strips
3 pieces bacon, cooked crisp, save grease
1 large Walla Walla onion, halved and sliced thin
8 small sweet red, yellow and orange peppers roasted and sliced* (save a few for garnish)
4 cups beef broth
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 tablespoons Worcestershire
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Penzey’s Sweet Paprika
1 1/2 pounds baby potatoes halved
Wondra
1 tablespoon Avocado oil
Fresh ground salt and black pepper
sour cream

  • Add the avocado oil to bacon grease over medium high heat in a large skillet.
  • Lightly dredge the steak pieces in Wondra.
  • Add steak to hot oil, salt and peppering generously, browning both sides well, about 5 minutes.
  • Transfer meat to cutting board and cut into bite sized pieces. Keep warm.
  • Add onions and pepper slices to oil stirring until onions are soft.
  • Whisk together the beef broth, tomato paste, paprika and vinegar.
  • Add broth mixture and potatoes to the onions bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes.
  • Add meat back in and heat through.
  • Serve with veggie, pepper rings and sour cream.

*Roast on the BBQ or over an open flame.

NOTE:  When I’m in a hurry I halve the potatoes in advance and store them in the broth mixture.  This is also good using egg noodles instead of potatoes.

TRICK:  I like to use 2 pans so the meat and the sauce art are ready about the same time – the meat can get tough otherwise.