BBQ BEEF PATTIES & ASPARAGUS RICE ~ BLOG 366.156

I found both of these recipes in one of the several old recipe boxes I found during a recent antique store expedition. They were quite good, after bringing them forward 50 years or so 😀

BBQ BEEF PATTIES

BEEF PATTIES
1 cup bread crumbs
1 1/2 cup whole milk
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
2 cloves garlic, FINELY minced
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
3/4 pound LEAN ground beef
1/4 pound QUALITY ground pork

  • Preheat oven to 375.
  • In a large bowl pour milk over bread crumbs and let set 5 minutes.
  • Add garlic, onion, beef, pork and Worcestershire, minimally mixing until well blended.
  • Shape into 6 patties and place in large baking dish.
  • Pour sauce AROUND the patties.
  • Bake uncovered 45 minutes.

SAUCE
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup jalapeño ketchup
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped green onion

  • Combine all the ingredients in a small sauce pan, stirring to blend.
  • Heat until sugar is dissolved and sauce is heated through, but do NOT boil.

ASPARAGUS RICE PILAF

1 1/2 cups uncooked rice
3 1/4 cups homemade chicken broth
3/4 pound asparagus, trimmed
2 tablespoons butter
3-4 LARGE green onions, minced
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1/2 cup FRESHLY grated Parmesan cheese
FRESH thyme leaves

  • Blanch asparagus in boiling water for 2 minutes.
  • Drain and rinse in cold water until cool.
  • Cut spears into small bite size pieces.
  • Melt butter over medium heat in sauté pan.
  • Add onion, sautéing until softened.
  • Add rice, thyme leaves, FRESH ground salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 15-20 minutes until rice is tender and moisture is completely absorbed.
  • Remove from heat and fold in asparagus and Parmesan cheese.
  • Serve immediately.

LOOSEMEAT PHILLY CHEESESTEAKS ~ BLOG 366.128

I needed to make Philly Cheese Steak sandwiches for a crowd and didn’t want to be a short order cook ALL night. So this version came to mind using ground beef and a sheet pan.

LOOSEMEAT PHILLY CHEESESTEAKS ~ serves 6, but easily doubles or triples adapted from FACEBOOK

1 1/2 pounds QUALITY ground beef
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons Montreal hamburger seasoning
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons avocado oil
8 ounces white button mushrooms, sliced
3 LARGE bell peppers (green, red, or yellow), sliced *SEE NOTES
1 cup diced onion
8 ounces sliced or shredded Provolone cheese
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Sandwich rolls
butter and garlic salt for rolls
Mayonnaise for rolls
Creamed Horseradish, to taste

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • In a small bowl whisk together mayonnaise and creamed horseradish with a little salt to taste. Set aside for dressing rolls before serving.
  • Spray a deep jelly roll sheet pan with non-stick cooking spray or line with foil.
  • In a large skillet, cook the beef over medium-high heat until browned. Drain.
  • Add the cream cheese, steak seasoning and Worcestershire sauce, cooking over medium heat or until cream cheese is melted and combined. Add a little milk or cream if you want the sauce thinner.
  • Add FRESH ground salt and pepper to taste.
  • Spread beef mixture on sheet pan.

  • Wipe out skillet, or use a second pan while the beef is cooking and heat oil over medium high heat.
  • Add the mushrooms, bell peppers, and onion cooking until veggies are soft.
  • Season to taste with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Spread veggies on top of beef mixture.
  • Top veggies mixture with Provolone cheese and bake in the oven for about 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
  • Serve immediately on sliced grilled rolls that have been buttered and toasted with prepared mayonnaise.


NOTES:

  • I omit green bell peppers because I just can’t tolerate them and really prefer the sweetness that a red bell pepper adds to the mix.
  • Adding a little salt and creamed horseradish to the mayonnaise for the bread really OOMPHS up the flavor, but can easily be omitted.

SLOW COOKED BEEF IN GRAVY ~ BLOG 366.114

SLOW COOKED BEEF IN GRAVY

3 tablespoons of avocado oil
1 1/2 – 2 pounds of top round roast, sirloin steak, chuck roast, rump roast or pork butt
1 medium Vidalia onion, sliced
8 ounces mushrooms, cleaned & sliced (I LOVE Beech mushrooms – see note)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
2 cups beef broth
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon each of thyme, tarragon and oregano
FRESH ground salt and pepper, to taste

2-3 tablespoons of cornstarch whisked together with 2 tablespoons of beef broth

  • Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat.
  • Add beef, sautéing on both sides until it browns.
  • Spray the slow cooker liner with non-stick spray.
  • Add the onion, peppers, mushrooms, and garlic on the bottom then the beef slices on top.
  • Whisk together the beef broth, Worcestershire and seasonings. Pour over top of meat and veggies.
  • Cook on HIGH for 5 hours.
  • 30 minutes before the end, fold in the cornstarch mixture, stirring together evenly.
  • Thinly slice meat and serve over noodles, baked potatoes, rice, or hard-crusted sourdough bread topped with gravy.

NOTES:

  • If using Beech mushrooms DO NOT add them until the last 1/2 hour. They also don’t need to be sliced. They have a wonderful nutty flavor.
  • The last time I made this I forgot to take the roast out of the freezer. So I couldn’t sear it, but it worked out even better than normal!

BEEF BARLEY SOUP ~ BLOG 366.103

This homemade beef barley soup is a complete meal in a bowl! Add a toasted cheese sandwich for a decadent treat.

BEEF BARLEY SOUP

1 + 1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 + 1 tablespoon butter
1 LARGE onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots, sliced
1 rib celery, sliced
2 cups stew beef pieces
1/2 cup flour
6 cups beef broth
1 can petite diced tomatoes 14-15 oz, undrained
½ green pepper diced
⅔ cup pearl barley
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
1 package beef gravy mix (optional)
2 tablespoons red wine (optional)
2 tablespoons FRESH parsley or 2 teaspoons dried
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste

  • Dredge meat pieces in flour.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon each of oil and butter in skillet.
  • Cook onions and garlic in oil over medium heat until softened. Set aside.
  • Add additional butter and oil.
  • Brown beef pieces until seared.
  • Add back in onions and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat and simmer covered about 40-50 minutes or until barley is cooked.

NOTE: Soup will thicken upon cooling, add extra broth (or water) to reach desired consistency when re-heating.

DEPRESSION BURGERS aka OKLAHOMA FRIED ONION BURGERS ~ BLOG 365.143

DURING the depression in El Reno, a small Oklahoma town along the Mother Road aka Route 66 at Hwy 81 when hamburger meat was really expensive Ross Davis, an inventive diner owner found a way to ration the meat with the inclusion of flavorful and cheap onions that stretched the meat and built the flavor too, hence why it was called the depression burger.

The recipe has been passed down through the generations and are still made the same way today. Several other diners followed suit and a burger star was born. The burger became a national treasure and is the ugly kissing cousin to the prettier version of how burgers are served today with the grilled onions on top.

I’ve added cheese and changed the onions to shallots which give it a bit of an extra bite. By adding the cheese we have onions between the meat and cheese as well as on top of the cheese.  The key to the flavor in my opinion is to ALMOST burning the onions.

DEPRESSION BURGERS aka OKLAHOMA FRIED ONION BURGERS
Adapted from Cook’s Country

3 shallots, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
salt and pepper
1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon avocado oil
4-8 slices cheddar cheese
Mayonnaise
Ketchup and Mustard
Pickles
4 hamburger buns, toasted

  • Combine the onion slices and 1 teaspoon of salt in a large bowl, tossing to combine.
  • Transfer the onions to a colander and let sit for 30 minutes, tossing occasionally.
  • Transfer the onions to a clean dish towel, gather the edges together and squeeze out as much liquid as you can from the onions. Be sure to do this over the sink since the onions will have quite a bit of liquid in them.
  • Divide the onions into 4 separate mounds on a rimmed baking sheet.
  • Form the beef into 4 lightly packed balls.
  • Place the beef balls on top of the onion mounds and flatten the beef firmly using your palm so the onion adheres to the beef. The patties should measure 4 inches in diameter.
  • Season the beef generously with salt and pepper.
  • Melt the butter with the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat.
  • Using a large spatula, transfer the patties to the skillet, onion side down. Cook for 6-8 minutes, until the onions turn a deep golden brown and begin to crisp around the edges.
  • Flip the burgers, then increase the heat to high and cook until well browned on the second side, about 2 minutes.
  • Add 1 or 2 slices of cheese to each burger and allow to melt.
  • Add mayo, mustard and pickles to the top buns, then place each burger on a bottom buns.
  • Serve immediately.

Originally posted July 12, 2018 / Updated May 23, 2023

GRILLED or OVEN ROASTED BROWN SUGAR RUBBED TRI-TIP

 GRILLED or OVEN ROASTED BROWN SUGAR RUBBED TRI-TIP

1 whole tri-tip, about 2-3 pounds
3 + tablespoons of your favorite beef rub
6 + tablespoons dark brown sugar

  • Trim silver skin from roast.
  • The meat may have a thick layer of fat, some of which can be sliced off, but keep a
  • good amount to help baste meat and keep it juicy.
  • Sprinkle meat with your rub and massage lightly all over.
  • Pack the brown sugar over the rub, pressing to adhere.
  • Cover and refrigerate at least an hour or as long as overnight.

 

  • Remove from refrigerator an hour before cooking.
  • Prepare grill to high.
  • Place roast on grill and sear one side well, 6 to 8 minutes, checking for flare-ups.
  • Turn the roast and sear other side another 6 minutes.
  • Lower to medium-high or move the meat to a cooler part of the charcoal grill.
  • Turn meat again and cook another 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Flip and cook another 6-8 minutes.
  • The roast is ready when an instant-read thermometer reaches 130° when inserted into the thickest part of the meat.
  • Cover roast with foil and rest on a cutting board 10 to 20 minutes.
  • Slice against the grain.

NOTES and HINTS:

  • A 2-pound roast will require about 20 to 25 minutes total cooking time.
  • The trick is to carve the tri-tip against the grain, which can change directions in this cut. The roast is shaped like a boomerang. Slice the roast in two at the place where the fibers change direction. Carve each piece separately.
  • Left overs make AMAZING sandwiches.

OVEN ROASTING

  • Prepare meat with rub and refrigerate as instructed.
  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Add 2 tablespoons of avocado oil to a large, heavy ovenproof pan.
  • Heat pan on high until pan is very hot, then add tri-tip, fat side down.
  • Turn heat to medium-high and sear roast for about 4 minutes.
  • Turn the roast and put the pan in the oven.
  • Cook 10 minutes a pound, checking with an instant-read thermometer until it reaches 130 for medium-rare.

ORANGE BEEF LETTUCE WRAPS

ORANGE BEEF LETTUCE WRAPS
3 tablespoons avocado oil
1 pound lean ground beef
1 cup water chestnut, diced small
2⁄3 cup mushroom, diced small
1 small shallot, diced
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 leaves butter lettuce
1/2-1 cup crispy rice noodles
freshly ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste

  • Bring oil to high heat in a wok or large frying pan.
  • Saute chicken breasts for 4 to 5 minutes per side or done.
  • Remove chicken from the pan and cool.
  • Add shallots and green onions to pan sautéing until soft.
  • Add water chestnuts, garlic, mushrooms and ginger, sautéing a few minutes more.
  • Add stir fry sauce and stir until well blended.
  • When chicken is cool, shred it as small as the mushrooms and water chestnuts pieces are.
  • Add chicken into mixture, toss to blend and coat well.

STIR FRY SAUCE
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1⁄2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

  • Whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar in a small bowl.

SPECIAL SAUCE
1⁄2 cup water
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1⁄4 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons water
3 tablespoons orange marmalade
2 cloves garlic, minced
1
2 teaspoons Siracha

  • Whisk together the sugar and water in a small bowl until completely dissolved.
  • Add liquid aminos, rice wine vinegar, lemon juice, sesame oil, hoisin sauce, orange marmalade and desired amount of Siracha whisking until well blended.

ASSEMBLY

  • Serve each helping in a lettuce leaf.
  • Top with a handful of crispy rice noodles.
  • Pour Special sauce over the wraps.

BLACK BEAN, BEEF & POTATO ENCHILADAS

BLACK BEAN, BEEF & POTATO ENCHILADAS
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 pound chuck roast
2 1/4 cups enchilada sauce (see recipe below)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can original ROTEL tomatoes, drained well
1 large russet potato, baked
8 flour tortillas
1 cup salsa
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
FRESH ground salt and pepper to taste
Chopped black olives and onions, optional

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Spray 13×9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Season chuck roast on all sides.
  • Heat avocado oil in dutch oven.
  • Sear chuck roast on all sides
  • Add onions to pan, top with 1 1/2 cups enchilada sauce, cover and bake 2 hours until meat is easily shredable. Shred meat into sauce.
  • Add black beans and rotel tomatoes to the meat mixture.
  • Wash and dry potato. Bake potato until tender along side the dutch oven.
  • Cool potato enough to e able to handle it. Peel off skin and coarsely chop.
  • Ladle 3/4 cup of enchilada sauce into the bottom of the baking dish.
  • Divide potato among the tortillas and top with a sprinkle of cheese.
  • Add about a 1/2 cup of the meat mixture.
  • Fold sides over the filling and roll up placing seam side down in baking dish. Repeat.
  • Top tortillas with remaining meat and sauce, brushing to cover the tops.
  • Bake covered for 20-25 minutes.
  • Uncover and top with remaining cheese.
  • Bake 5-10 minutes more until cheese is melted.
  • Sprinkle with cilantro and Serve.

NOTE: You can easily replace the potato with rice of choice for a change.

HAWAIIAN MILANESA

HAWAIIAN MILANESA
Beef top round, cut into 4 thin milanesa steaks
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained and juice reserved
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced on the diagonal
1 stalk celery, sliced on the diagonal
3 green carrots, sliced on the diagonal
1 shallot halved and sliced thin
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons Bragg’s liquid aminos
1 cup pretzels
1 cup animal cookies
2 eggs, room temperature
3 tablespoons butter
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
PREPARED rice

  • Grind pretzels and animal cookies into a fine dust. Pour into a shallow dish.
  • Whisk together the eggs until well blended.
  • Immerse steaks into eggs.
  • Dredge steaks into pretzel dust.
  • Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Add steaks and sear 2 minutes per side.  Remove steaks and keep warm.
  • Add carrots and celery to skillet, sauteing until beginning to soften.
  • Add shallots and garlic, sauteing a few minutes more.
  • Add chicken broth and cook a few minutes until reduced.
  • Whisk together the liquid aminos, pineapple juice and cornstarch into a slurry.
  • Stir pineapple and slurry into the vegetables cooking to desired consistency.
  • Serve over steak and rice.

COFFEE POT ROAST ala SLOW COOKER

COFFEE POT ROAST ala SLOW COOKER – serves 4
2 pounds boneless chuck roast, quartered**
2 Medium onions, halved and wedged
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup brewed coffee
1/4 cup Bragg’s liquid amino acids
8-10 small gold potatoes, scrubbed and pricked with a fork
3 LARGE carrots, rustic large cuts

1/4 cup cornstarch
6 tablespoons cold water

  • Place half the onions in the bottom of the slow cooker.
  • Top with the garlic followed by half the beef. Repeat the layers.
  • Whisk together the coffee and liquid aminos.
  • Pour over beef.
  • Cover and cook on low until meat is tender, about 8 hours.
  • At 6 hours add the carrot pieces.

  • Whisk together the cornstarch and water until smooth. Add to cooking juices, stirring to blend.
  • Cover and cook on HIGH (about 30 minutes) until gravy is thickened.

NOTES:
**The original recipe was for slow cooking, but I prefer the oven unless I’m going to be gone all day. If I use the oven I DO NOT quarter it. If using the oven adjust the roasting time to 2-3 hours of covered and undisturbed roasting with the potatoes and carrots.

The original recipe had you slicing the onions thin. BUT, if you halve it root to tip and then wedge it you not only get thin pieces, you also get MORE flavor when you cut the onion in this direction.

The original recipe did NOT call for browning the meat, but I find you get a juicier roast with more flavor if you do so when roasting in the oven.

FARM STYLE MEATLOAF

FARM STYLE MEATLOAF is a recipe I adapted from Kevin Penner’s 1770 House Meatloaf recipe after watching an episode of Ina Garten‘s Barefoot Contessa.  I debated on what to name this dish after my changes.  I flip flopped between Greenhouse and Farm style before finally landing on farm style.  All of the different meats and FRESH herbs and vegetables influenced my final decision for naming it Farm Style.  Honestly, I may yet rename it as I think more.

It is similar, yet completely different from my normal meatloaf recipe that I’ve been using for eons!  We instantly fell in love with the earthiness of this meatloaf and the savory herb sauce was perfect with mashed potatoes too!   Hubby normally loves ketchup or BBQ sauce with meatloaf, but with this flavorful sauce he bypassed it completely!

The key to this recipe is using QUALITY ingredients! Preferably grass fed meats and very FRESH organic ingredients.

FARM STYLE MEATLOAF
1/3 pound ground veal or lamb
1/3 pound ground pork
1/3 pound ground beef
1 teaspoon chopped, FRESH chives
1 teaspoon chopped, FRESH thyme leaves
1 teaspoon chopped, FRESH Italian parsley
1 LARGE egg
scant 1/2 cup finely ground Panko crumbs
scant 1/4 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Avocado oil
1 stalk of celery, finely diced
1 LARGE shallot, finely diced

  • Preheat the oven to 350°.
  • Place the veal, pork, beef, chives, thyme, parsley, eggs, Panko crumbs, milk, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
  • Heat a medium saute pan over medium-high heat and film it with avocado oil.
  • Add the celery and shallot to the pan, stirring, until softened.
  • Remove the celery and shallot from the pan and let cool.
  • When the mixture is cool, add it to the mixing bowl with the other ingredients.
  • Using gloved hands, mix the ingredients until well combined and everything is evenly distributed.
  • Place a LARGE piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan.
  • Place the meat on the sheet pan and pat it and punch it down to remove any air pockets shaping the meat into a loaf about 6 inches long x 2 inches high.
  • Place the sheet pan in the oven and bake 40 to 50 minutes or until a meat cooked through (155-160°).
  • Remove the meatloaf from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes.

SAUCE
2/3 cup chicken or beef stock
1 tablespoon Marsala wine
3 cloves roasted garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon FRESH chopped chives
1/2 teaspoon FRESH chopped thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon FRESH chopped Italian parsley
1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon cornstarch (optional)

  • Combine the broth, Marsala wine, roasted garlic and butter over medium-high heat and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly thickened.
  • Add the chopped thyme, chives and parsley.
  • Quickly whisk in the cornstarch if needed to thicken as necessary.
  • Slice the meatloaf into serving portions and spoon the hot sauce over the meatloaf and mashed potatoes.
  • Serve immediately.

NOTE: You can use a loaf pan if you prefer, but we like the firm crispy edges produced using this method.

HEARTY BEEF SOUP

HEARTY BEEF SOUP
1 pound chuck roast, cut into bite sized pieces
3 tablespoons Wondra flour
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning blend (see below)
1/2 teaspoon FRESH ground black pepper
FRESH ground sea salt, to taste
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large shallot, halved, sliced and chopped
1 large celery stalk, chopped
1 carrots, chopped
2 cups beef stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup pasta

  • Heat butter and avocado oil in a skillet over a medium high heat.
  • Combine flour, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning in a ziploc bag.
  • Dredge beef pieces in flour mixture, shaking off the excess before adding to the hot oil. Sear beef on all sides.
  • Using a slotted spoon add beef to dutch oven.
  • Add celery, carrots and shallots to skillet and quickly saute before adding to the dutch oven.
  • Add beef stock, Worcestershire sauce and wine, stirring to combine.
  • Simmer on low 2 hours.
  • Season to taste with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Add pasta and simmer 1 hour more.
  • Enjoy!

ITALIAN SEASONING BLEND
1 1/2 tablespoons dried rosemary
3 tablespoons dried oregano
3 tablespoons dried basil
1 1/2 tablespoon dried marjoram
1 teaspoon dried sage

  • Blend together and store in an air tight bottle.