Category: BEEF

PASTRAMI BURGERS

These couldn’t have been much simpler and were super tasty!

PASTRAMI BURGERS
1/2 pound ground beef per person
1 slice BOAR’S HEAD pastrami per person
1 green onion, minced per person
1 clove garlic, minced per person
1 slice provolone cheese per person
1/3 cup bread crumbs per 4 burgers
1 JUMBO egg per 4 burgers
salt and pepper to taste

  • Mix all ingredients together except cheese.
  • Form burgers by hand.
  • Chill 2 hours.
  • Pan fry or grill.
  • Top with provolone cheese and serve.

HAMBURGERS

Hubby’s Hamburger Recipe…
3 pounds ground beef or ground turkey
1 1/2 tube of Ritz crackers
1/2 cup of BBQ sauce
1/4 cup of Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons soy sauce
garlic salt to taste
garlic powder to taste
pepper to taste

  • Mix all ingredients together by hand in large bowl
  • Form into desired size patties
  • Cook on grill to desired doneness with or without cheese
  • Enjoy with your favorite condiments
  • Happy Eating…




Fire Day Friday: Beef Teriyaki

I think most food bloggers fantasize about having their own cook book.  Sure, we know that it won’t likely happen but it is fun to daydream, right? 

So it was nice to see fellow food blogger Matt Armendariz of MattBites succeed in having his book On A Stick! published this year.  It is a creative concept of “80 Party-Perfect Recipes” impaled on kebabs. 

Here is an adaptation of one of the recipes from Matt’s book.

Beef Teriyaki
adapted from On A Stick!

1 flank steak
16 bbq skewers
2 tsp sesame oi
salt & pepper

Teriyaki Glaze
1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp mirin
1 Tbsp garlic, minced
1 tsp ginger, minced
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water

If you are using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes.

Start your grill for medium heat (300-350f).  In a small sauce pan on the grill, mix together the soy sauce, sugar, honey, mirin, garlic and ginger and simmer for 15 minutes.  Stir frequently and keep an eye on your heat.  Sugary sweet sauces like this will burn quickly if your temps get away from you.

Stir together the corn starch and water and stir into the teriyaki mixture.  Simmer another 5-7 minutes.  Remove from heat. 

Bring the grill heat up to 400f.  Slice the steak across the grain in 1/4″ strips like this.

Thread the steak onto the skewers in a weaving fashion.  Grill for 2 1/2 minutes then flip.

Grill another 2 1/2 minutes and flip again.  Brush the top with some of the teriyaki glaze and cook for 2 more minutes.

Flip, brush with glaze and cook for a final 2 minutes.

Remove, sprinkle with sesame seeds and cilantro. 

Remove sticks before eating…..

The salty sweet (or is that sweet salty?) taste was exactly what you want for beef teriyaki.  This dish is one that Vlad the Impaler would be proud to serve.

MOROCCAN BEEF & NOODLES

As always, I saw a recipe that looked reallllllllllllllllllllllllly good.   I stashed it away while I thought about it and then got a bee in my bonnet today and had to make despite the 100 degree heat!  As always I had to make my own modifications for our likes and dislikes, but we loved it.

MOROCCAN BEEF and NOODLES  adapted from Taste of Home

1 1/2 pounds chuck roast, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 leek, sliced thin
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 can fire roasted tomatoes (undrained)
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup vegetable broth (I used Better than Bouillon base + water)
flour for dredging
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons paprika
2 cups wide egg noodles

  • Melt butter in the bottom of a saute pan. 
  • When sizzling, add leeks and garlic.  Saute until fragrant.
  • Toss beef pieces in flour until well coated.
  • Add beef pieces to pan and saute several minutes.
  • Sprinkle all the spices over the beef and stir well.
  • When beef is browned, add broth and tomatoes.  Simmer 15 minutes or so.
  • Add noodles and simmer another 10 minutes or so until noodles are tender.
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    CRY BABY BURGERS & ROASTED PAPRIKA POTATOES

    CRY BABY BURGERS
    1 pound ground chuck
    sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
    1 small can jalapenos, drained and chopped (save a small amount for the mayo)
    1 small can green chiles, drained and chopped
    1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
    2 slices pepper jack cheese
    jalapeno mayo (small amount of minced jalapenos whisked into mayo)
    caramelized onions – 1 small Vidalia onion, thinly sliced

    • Combine ground chuck, jalapenos, green chiles, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce until well blended.
    • Form into 3 patties. Refrigerate for several hours.
    • Whisk together mayonnaise and minced jalapenos.  Refrigerate until chilled.
    • Sear and brown patties, turning frequently until cooked through.
    • While cooking the patties, melt a small amount of butter in another pan and caramelize onions to desired doneness.
    • When burgers are done, top with cheese, mayonnaise and caramelized onions.
    • Enjoy!

    ROASTED PAPRIKA POTATOES
    2 pounds baby red potatoes
    sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
    Hungarian paprika
    1/4 cup melted butter

    • Scrub potatoes.
    • Boil for 10-15 minutes.
    • Drain the potatoes until cool enough to handle.
    • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
    • Spray a 9×9 shallow baking dish with PURE.
    • Place potatoes on bottom in an even layer.
    • Smash each potato slightly.
    • Evenly sprinkle with salt, pepper and paprika.
    • Pour melted butter evenly over top.
    • Bake 30 minutes until crunchy and bubbling.

        Fire Day Friday: Steak Sandwiches with Chimichurri Mayo

        Sometimes I get so caught up in trying to find exciting new recipes that I forget about the simpler things in life….like sandwiches.  Sandwiches are so versatile and simple.  What’s not to love about that?  With a busy schedule and less and less time in the kitchen this week, I wanted to make something that would be filling and yet still make it seem like I worked hard to create a fantastic dinner 🙂  Enter the steak sandwich.  Simple, true, but add a little chimichurri mayo and, well, suddenly your steak sandwich is anything but simple.  It’s flavorful, it’s a tiny bit spicy, and it’s fresh tasting.  Definitely a great alternative to your usual sandwich spread.

        I kept the steak marinade very simple, I knew the mayo would have a great flavor and I didn’t want that to be over shadowed.  You can marinate your steak in anything you want though, or even just drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, steaks don’t usually need much, they are usually so flavorful in themselves.
        Steak Sandwiches with Chimichurri Mayo
        Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen 30-Minute Suppers
        Ingredients:
        1 lbs. top sirloin (or any steak really)
        1/2 cup beer (I used Bud Light)
        1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
        1 Tablespoon Sambal Oelek (chili paste)
        5 Tablespoons mayonnaise
        1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
        1 garlic clove, finely minced
        1 teaspoon dried oregano
        1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
        1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
        4 hoagie buns, french rolls, or thick cut crusty bread
        Lettuce (optional)
        Tomato (optional)
        Cucumber (optional)

        Directions:
        In a bowl, mix together the beer, Worcestershire, and Sambal Oelek.  Place steak in a resealable bag and pour marinade over it.  Let marinate for at least 4 hours.

        Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, vinegar, garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes until smooth.  Add the parsley and stir to combine. Cover and place in refrigerator until ready to use. 

        Preheat grill to 400 degrees.  Place the steak directly on the grill grates and grill until cooked to your liking.  I prefer medium rare so I put my steak on for about 5-6 minutes per side, depending on thickness.  Remove from grill and allow to sit for 5 minutes before slicing thin against the grain.   Slather some of the chimichurri mayo on the bread (I toasted my buns first..yum!!), arrange steak on bun and top with lettuce, tomato, and/or cucumber.  Enjoy!

        Mongolian Beef & Broccoli in the Slow Cooker

        We like to put meat and sauce on a pile of veggies rather than rice or noodles.  I figure, for the most part, rice is just there to catch the numminess of the sauce, right?  So I LOVE broccoli, and we steam a bunch of it and put our meat and sauces over broccoli. You could do this with any veggies.  Add more if you’d like. I’m not a carb hater, trust me, I love my carbs. I just choose them wisely and want to get the most out of them.  So in this awesome meal, we gladly skip the rice.
        Don’t be scared off by the list of ingredients.  These all come together to make an incredible meal. Seriously. I’ve made this several times and we love it.  I totally end up eating way too much of it. 
        Mongolian Beef and Broccoli Adapted from A Year of Slow Cooking1 1/2 pounds steak, something cheap3 cloves of garlic, minced
        4 sliced green onions
        1/2 onion, diced
        1/2 cup soy sauce
        1/4 cup white wine
        1/4 cup cooking sherry
        1/2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
        1 teaspoon sesame oil
        2 teaspoon molasses
        1 teaspoon ginger
        1/4 teaspoon black pepper
        1 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
        1/2 tablespoon peanut butter
        3 tablespoons splenda (or sugar)
        1/4 cup cornstarch (to dredge meat)
        1 pound broccoli

        • Slice your meat in thin strips and toss in a Ziploc bag with cornstarch. 
        • Add all of the liquid and dried spices to your crock pot, add the peanut butter, and mix well. 
        • Add the garlic, the sliced green onions and regular onion. 
        • Put your meat on top, and toss to coat.
        • Cover and cook on low for 3-5 hours. The steak is thin and has very little fat, and will cook quickly. The meat is done when it is no longer pink and has reached desired tenderness. Mine was done in about 4 hours. 
        • Steam broccoli on stove top for 6 – 8 minutes with 1/2 cup water until desired crispness. 
        • Serve mongolian beef over steamed broccoli.
        Total calories = 1485 calories
        4 servings = 371 calories

        TATER TOPPED MEAT CUPCAKES

        I recently read Martha’s recipe for Tater Topped Mini Meatloaves and thought how neat they were. So, I made them too! 🙂  Only I made them with the ingredients I had around and I only got 18 of them.
        TATER TOPPED MINI MEAT CUPCAKES

        made 18

        1 pound ground sirloin
        1 pound ground chicken
        1 box of Stove top Chicken stuffing
        1 package KNORR Spring Vegetable Mix
        2 eggs
        1 cup water
        3 tablespoons BBQ sauce

        4 cups mashed potatoes
        leftover pot roast gravy

        • Mix the meat, stuffing mix, broth, eggs and BBQ sauce well and press into muffin tins sprayed with cooking spray. 
        • Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes or until done. 
        • While the mini meatloaves are cooking prepare mashed potatoes (I used Idahoan brand loaded mashed potatoes). 
        • Top each mini meatloaf with mashed potatoes and bake for another 5 minutes just to set the potatoes well. 
        • Top with gravy. 

        TATER TOPPED MEAT CUPCAKES

        I recently read Martha’s recipe for Tater Topped Mini Meatloaves and thought how neat they were. So, I made them too! 🙂  Only I made them with the ingredients I had around and I only got 18 of them.
        TATER TOPPED MINI MEAT CUPCAKES

        made 18

        1 pound ground sirloin
        1 pound ground chicken
        1 box of Stove top Chicken stuffing
        1 package KNORR Spring Vegetable Mix
        2 eggs
        1 cup water
        3 tablespoons BBQ sauce

        4 cups mashed potatoes
        leftover pot roast gravy

        • Mix the meat, stuffing mix, broth, eggs and BBQ sauce well and press into muffin tins sprayed with cooking spray. 
        • Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes or until done. 
        • While the mini meatloaves are cooking prepare mashed potatoes (I used Idahoan brand loaded mashed potatoes). 
        • Top each mini meatloaf with mashed potatoes and bake for another 5 minutes just to set the potatoes well. 
        • Top with gravy. 

        Fire Day Friday: Quick Marinated Grilled Flank Steak

        Fire Day Friday sneaked up on me once again.  I had a flank steak but didn’t want to do fajitas again.  I needed something fast and delicious.  
        But I had an ace up my sleeve.  Instead of digging through a pile of magazines or flipping through cookbooks, I consulted Grilling.com on my phone and found a recipe for Quick Marinated Flank Steak with Packet Potatoes.

        Fast, easy, and grilled…..just what I needed!  

        Quick Marinated Grilled Flank Steak
        adapted from Grilling.com
        1 flank steak
        1/2 cup red wine vinegar (I substituted balsamic pomegranate vinegar)
        1/4 cup soy sauce
        5 cloves garlic, minced
        1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
        1 1/2 lb potatoes
        4 cloves garlic, minced
        2 Tbsp olive oil
        2 Tbsp parsley, chopped
        salt & pepper to taste
        Score the flank steak (make 1/8th inch deep cuts in a criss cross pattern) and then put into a Glad zip top storage bag.  Add the vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and parsley.  Let marinate for one hour.  That might not sound fast, but for marinating times, that is like broadband compared to dial up.
        Cut your potatoes into 1/2″ pieces (skin on) and toss in the garlic, oil, parsley and some salt & pepper.  Divide onto two squares of aluminum foil.  Form each square into an “envelope” by folding in half and folding up the other three sides.
        Now preheat your grill to high.  
        I used 1 chimney (Weber 7416 Rapidfire Chimney Starter) full of Kingsford Competition briquettes in my charcoal grill (not my Big Green Eggs).  I like the Comp because it burns hotter for grilling & searing.  When I am cooking at lower temps (225f-350f), I use the original Kingsford.
        Place the foil packets to the side (indirect) of the coal fire.  If you are doing this on a gas grill, place them where they are not directly over a burner.  
        Grill the steak 4 minutes per side for medium rare (125f internal temp).  If you want nice grid marks, turn the steak 90 degrees after 2 minutes.  Go 5 minutes for medium.  

        How did I get such great grill marks?  I cheated.  I used GrillGrates (Hard Anodized GrillGrate Gift Kit).  They work on gas grills and charcoal grills.  They prevent the flare ups and also give kick butt sear marks.  I’ve been using them for a few weeks and have been impressed.
         
        Remove steak and let rest.  Flip the potato packets and could another 10-15 minutes while the steak rests.
        Slice the steak thinly across the grain (short side, not lengthwise).  Carefully open the potato packets to avoid being burned by the escaping steam.  
        This steak was delicious and disappeared!  

        FTC disclosures:
        1)  Kingsford Charcoal – They sent me to Kingsford University this year but Kingsford has meant “cookout” to me ever since I was a kid and my dad would be firing up the family grill.  I am proud to be affiliated with them.  I don’t get any kind of pay per post or anything like that.  Just a great product.
        2)  Grill Grates – I received my set for free for testing.  If they call asking for me to return the sample, I’m not answering my phone.  Ya’ll didn’t see me.  I didn’t post this.  I was never here.   These are not the droids you’re looking for.

        Fire Day Friday: Mustard Crusted Top Sirloin

        All I have to say is… oh my god this was good!!

        Ok.. I really do have more to say then that, but still… oh my god this was good!!!

        I knew I had created something special when I overheard Chris in the other room, as I was taking pictures, exclaim:  “Wow, the potatoes are really good.”  2 clicks of the camera later, I hear – “Oh, man, these green beans are good too.”  2 clicks of the camera later, I hear – “Oh my god the steak is amazing, and so tender!  Mmmmmmmm!!!”

        (YAY!!)  I love hearing that!!!  Nothing better then being patted on the back for something you created in the kitchen… or in this case… on the grill!!  Honestly, the steak was so good, there was no need for any type of seasoning or sauce after it hit our plates.  I didn’t get as great of a sear on the outside as I would have liked – a better sear would have gave me more of the crust I was looking for – but it was cooked perfectly otherwise!!  And Chris was right, it was really tender and very flavorful!
        Mustard Crusted Top Sirloin
        Printable Recipe 
        Ingredients:
        1 lb top sirloin steaks (I had one really big piece that I cut into two smaller pieces) (oh, and you can use any cut of beef, by the way)
        3 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
        1 Tablespoon olive oil
        1 teaspoon lemon juice
        1 Tablespoon freshly chopped rosemary
        1 Tablespoon freshly chopped thyme
        Salt and Pepper

        Directions:

        In a small bowl, mix together the Dijon, olive oil, lemon juice, rosemary, and thyme until well combined.  Season both sides of the steak with salt and pepper.  Slather the sauce over both sides of the meat and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours.
        Remove the steak from the refrigerator.  Preheat the grill to 400-425 degrees.  Place the steaks over the heat and grill about 4-8 minutes per side (depending on desired doneness).  Remove from the grill and allow to stand for 4 minutes before cutting into it.  Enjoy!