Category Archives: Beef

image_printPrint to PDF too!
American Cuisine, Beef, Crock Pot Friendly

American Classic Pot Roast

This recipe is the American Classic Pot Roast most common when we grew up.
The flavors are a rich beef enhanced by adding wine to the recipe.
This freezes well also.

American Classic Pot Roast
American Classic Pot Roast

Ingredients;

4 LB beef roast; bottom round or chuck are the best for this recipe
32oz unsalted beef stock (one cup reserved)
2 TBLS olive oil
1 cup dry red wine
1 TBLS Gravy Master or Kitchen Bouquet
1 large onion sliced
1 celery stalk cut into 3 pieces
6 carrots cut into 3 pieces
2 bay leaves
1 clove garlic cut into 3 pieces
2 TBLS cornstarch
Salt & pepper taste

Directions;
Dry the roast and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Heat a pot big enough for the beef to fit flat. Add the oil and once heated brown the roast on all sides, especially the side with the fat.
Remove the roast and set aside. Add the wine to deglaze the pot of all the browning pieces.  Measure 1 cup of the beef stock and set it aside.  Add the balance of the stock to the pot and bring it to a boil.
Mix the cornstarch and Gravy Master into the cup of reserved stock. Set this aside.
Add all the other ingredients to the pot and simmer for 3 hours covered or in a crock pot on high for 4 hours.
Remove the roast and all veggies.  Stir the cornstarch-Gravy Master and stock together and pour into the pot of juices.
Simmer until the juices thicken, 5 minutes or so.
Taste for salt & pepper and adjust to your liking .
Let the roast sit for 10 minutes before slicing.

 

 

 

Beef, Lower Carb Recipe, Main Course

Beef Roast with au jus

This beef roast recipe is simple and very tasty. I used a sirloin tip roast but you can also use eye round or top round sirloin.

beef roast
beef roast


Ingredients;
2.5LB – 3.5 LB beef roast
olive oil
salt and pepper
2 cloves garlic, mashed
1/4 cup dry red wine
optional 1/2 cup beef stock

roast beef platter
roast beef platter


Directions;
Rub the roast with olive oil. Season with salt, pepper and mashed garlic.
Sear the roast in a 450 oven or in a pot with a little oil or on a grill.
Once seared place in a roasting pan on a rack or on top of thick sliced onions or carrots. Place a meat thermometer in the center.
Bake at 325 for about 20 minutes per pound or until the thermometer reads your desired wellness.
Remove from the oven and let the roast rest for about 15 minutes.
Drain off the juices into a small pot and add 1/4 cup dry red wine.
If there is not enough juices add the beef stock.
Simmer for 10 minutes.
Carve into thin slices and serve with the au jus.

American Cuisine, Beef, Main Course, on the Grill

Beef Burgers

Beef burgers sound bland, however made with the right ground meat they can be just mouth watering good. I think simplicity is key. Be sure to buy good quality ground meat. Let the meat shine through.

burgers
beef burgers

Ingredients;
2 LBS ground beef, 80% lean. Fresh ground is best and if the butcher will do it for you a mix of chuck and the filet of beef is a great combo.
Toppings;
Sauteed sweet onions
Cheddar, Swiss or whatever you enjoy
Pickle slices
Cooked bacon
BBQ sauce
Avocado slices
Sliced fresh tomato
Roasted red peppers or hot cherry peppers
Brioche burger buns (most supermarkets and Aldi’s carry them)

Directions;
Have all the toppings you want cooked or ready to be used.
Divide the beef into 4 portions. Gently and I mean gently form the portions into flat even discs. This will leave the air in the meat. Pounding them into burgers just makes them tough.
I highly recommend you grill them on an open fire. Medium is best for being cooked enough but still have plenty of juice. You’ll have to take a peek the first time you grill to see how long your grill takes to cook them to perfection.
Place the cheese on top and the buns cut side down on the grill a few minutes before removing them from the grill.
Top with whatever pleases you and enjoy the mouth watering burgers.

**serve them with my baked beans, any of my salads and a slaw

Beef, Crock Pot Friendly, French, Lower Carb Recipe, Main Course

Beef Bourguignon (French Stew Braised in Red Wine)

This classic Beef Bourguignon dish originated from the Burgundy region of eastern France as a pauper’s dish.  The French Stew Braised in Red Wine recipe evolved into an international favorite.

Beef Bourguignon
Beef Bourguignon

Once you have it together for the simmering it can easily be placed in a crock pot to complete the cooking process.
Serve it with mashed potatoes, egg noodles or rice.

Beef Bourguignon dinner
Beef Bourguignon dinner

Very important to sear the meat and deglaze with the wine to develop the rich taste.

Ingredients;
1 TBLS good olive oil
3 thick slices bacon, diced, applewood smoked is preferred
2 1/2 pounds chuck beef cut into 1-inch cubes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 LB carrots, sliced diagonally into 1-inch chunks
2 yellow onions, sliced
2 TSP chopped garlic (2 cloves)
1/2 cup Cognac (optional)
2 cups dry red wine such as Cote du Rhone  or Cabernet
2 cups beef stock or more, low sodium is best
1 TBLS tomato paste
1  TSP fresh thyme leaves (1/2 tsp dried)
2 TBLS unsalted butter at room temperature, divided
2-3 TBLS corn starch
1 pound frozen whole pearl onions
1 pound fresh mushrooms trim the stems, caps sliced thick

Directions;
Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven.  Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is lightly browned. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a large bowl.
Dry the beef cubes with paper towels and then sprinkle them with
salt and pepper. In batches in single layers, sear the beef in the hot oil for 3 to 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove the seared cubes to the bowl with the bacon and continue searing until all the beef is browned. Set aside.
Toss the carrots and sliced onions in the fat in the pan and cook
for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.  Put the meat and bacon back into the pot with the juices. Add the wine plus enough beef stock to almost cover the meat, reserving 1/2 cup of stock.  Deglaze the pot scrapping the bits of meat residue from the bottom of the pot.  Add the tomato paste and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and let simmer on low for 2 hours or until the meat and vegetables are very tender when pierced with a fork.
Saute the mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of butter for 10 minutes until lightly browned and then add to the stew along with the pearl onions.
Bring the stew to a boil on top of the stove, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.  Combine the cornstarch and reserved stock.  Remove the meat and veggies to a lipped serving platter.  Add the cornstarch mixture to the pot, turn the heat up to med and stir until the gravy thickens slightly. Season to taste

Beef, Main Course

Shepherd’s Pie

This Shepherd’s pie recipe began in Europe with many different variations.  Lamb/mouton or whatever was left over could be used as it was a poor man’s supper .  I’m giving you a quick and easy version of Shepherd’s Pie. Tastes great and is a perfect work night meal.
It can be ready to put in the oven in under 20 minutes.
Buy the mashed potatoes if you need to make this super simple.

Shepherd’s pie
Shepherd’s pie

Ingredients;
3-4 cups of mashed potatoes
1 LB ground beef, 85-90% lean
1 med onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 TSP dried  thyme
2 TBLS ketchup or tomato paste
2 TBLS flour
1/2-1 cup beef broth/stock, I prefer low sodium
10 oz mixed frozen vegetables
Pepper to taste

Directions;
Preheat oven to 400. In a large frying pan cook the beef until no pink is showing, breaking up the meat into small pieces. Add the onion and garlic,  Saute for a few minutes until the onions are soft.
Add the balance of ingredients except the potatoes and use a 1/2 cup of the broth to begin with adding more if needed.
Cook until it’s bubbling hot and it begins to thicken.
Place in a corning ware type casserole dish as pictured and top with the mashed potatoes forming peaks and swirls.
Bake for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are lightly browned.

 

Beef, Crock Pot Friendly, Health Friendly, Italian, Lower Carb Recipe, Soups & Stews

Italian Wedding Soup

This Italian Wedding Soup was known to me as a child as escarole soup.  Tasty and warms the soul on a stormy night.
See my “Tomato Sauce” recipe for the meatball recipe.
This soup only has a few ingredients, the meatballs do all the work flavoring the soup.

Italian wedding soup
Italian wedding soup

Ingredients;
Meatball recipe
32oz low sodium beef stock, one or two depending on the escarole size
one can beef consomme’ plus 2 cans of water
1 cup uncooked Ditalini pasta
med onion minced
1 head fresh escarole
Grated Parmesan cheese

Directions;

Make my meatball recipe using 8oz to 16oz of meat and reduce the size of the meat balls to rounded teaspoon size, Saute’ them in a frying pan or broil for a few minutes.  Place the partially cooked meatballs into a pot large enough to fit  the beef stock and the escarole. Wash the escarole thoroughly and cut it into small 1 inch pieces.
Simmer the stock, consomme, meatballs, onion, pasta and escarole covered for  about 45 minutes. Serve with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

Appetizers and Finger Foods, Beef, Health Friendly, Italian

Braciola, (In Italian it’s involtini) rolled stuffed beef

Braciola is a classic Italian dish known as involtini or little bundles.
It is most commonly made with beef but depending on the region it can be veal, chicken or fish. You can grill, saute or simmer it.
The stuffing has many many variations.
I’ll list some at the end of the recipe.

preparing Braciola
preparing Braciola

Ingredients;
Two long thin slices of beef top round London broil.
Your butcher can cut and pound them for you
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Peccorino Romano cheese
1 clove garlic, mashed
1 TBLS fresh minced Italian parsley
drizzle of olive oil

Braciola
Braciola

Directions;
Lay the beef slices out and drizzle with olive oil. Spread the garlic on them and then the balance of ingredients. Roll them half way and cut the meat in two. Secure the roll with a few toothpicks on each side and the center if needed. Continue to roll the other half of the beef and repeat securing them.

Cooking variations;
**Saute in olive oil and butter in a frying pan and then add a little red wine to simmer them maybe 10-15 minutes.
**Grill them for a few minutes on each side
**Add them to the tomato sauce you are preparing from my blog library

Stuffing variations;
**sprinkle pine nuts
**sprinkle currants
**add minced Pancetta or Proscuitto
**add a filet of anchovy
**add chopped hard boiled egg

American Cuisine, Beef, Crock Pot Friendly, Irish, Lower Carb Recipe

Corned Beef Dinner

This is the classic dinner served in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. Many tell me its not made in Ireland that it’s an American tradition.
Whoever makes it doesn’t affect the taste. It’s flavorful, easy to make and crock pot friendly.

Corned beef
Corned beef dinner

Make my Irish Soda Bread recipe too and you’ll have a real crowd pleasing dinner!!

Ingredients;
3-5LB corned beef with the seasoning packet included, I like the brisket cut. It will shrink and lose about 1/3 it’s weight when cooked so keep that in mind for your portions needed
1- 2 heads fresh cabbage, each cut into 8 wedges
6-8 med size red potatoes, leave the skin on or peel them
4 Carrots, cut into 2″ pieces
Onion cut in half
Celery stalk cut in half

Directions;
The amounts of ingredients for this dish can vary to whatever you need to cook; more meat or more vegetables won’t change the cooking method.
Rinse the corned beef and place it with the seasoning packet in a stock pot or crock pot big enough to fit all of the ingredients. Cover with potatoes, carrots, celery, onion and then the cabbage wedges.  Fill the pot with enough water to cover about half the cabbage. Simmer on low for about 3 hours or until the meat is fork tender.  Let the meat sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before slicing.  Serve with a good whole grain mustard, a crusty rye bread and my Irish Soda bread.

 

Beef, Health Friendly, Lower Carb Recipe, Main Course

Ground Beef Chili

Ground beef chili is a simple easy work night meal and leftovers freeze well.  Feel free to change out the tomato sauce for diced tomatoes if that’s what you like. This is a mild recipe, just add hot sauce or red pepper flakes to heat it up to your liking.

Ground beef chili
Ground beef chili

Ingredients;
1 LB Lean ground beef
1/2 Large onion, chopped
1 TBLS olive oil
Two 8oz cans tomato sauce
One 16oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 TBLS chili powder
1 TBLS Worcestershire sauce
1 TSP ground cumin
1/2 TSP garlic powder
1/4 TSP salt
1/4 TSP black pepper
Garnish with cheddar cheese and avocado slices
Serve with tortillas if you like

Directions;
In a large frying pan saute the onion in the oil until soft. Add the ground beef and cook while chopping the meat up until the pink is gone and the beef is all crumbled in the pan. Add the balance of ingredients stir and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes and serve.

**use 93%+ lean beef or change to ground turkey and low fat cheese to make this health friendly

Beef, Crock Pot Friendly, Holiday Specialties, Italian, Main Course, Pasta and Rice Dishes

Italian Ragu Meat Sauce, Bolognese Style

Bolognese serving
Bolognese serving

This Bolognese meat sauce is a classic from the city of Bologna, Italy. I’m sharing this with you but the true author is Marcella Hazen. She brings to you so many classic Italian dishes in her cookbooks.  This meat sauce takes time to simmer but it literally melts in your mouth and is so creamy tasting. Start this in a heavy stock pot and once it’s put together transfer it to a crock pot, it will cook gently as it is suppose to. It freezes well so double the recipe for a quick work night dinner.

Ingredients;
2 TBLS chopped onion
3 TBLS unsalted butter
3 TBLS olive oil
2 TBLS chopped celery
2 TBLS chopped carrot
3/4 LB ground beef, chuck or meat from the neck
1/2 TSP salt
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup whole milk
1/8 TSP nutmeg
2 cups canned whole Italian tomatoes in their juice, roughly chopped
12oz-16oz cooked pasta, see recommendations below

Directions;

In a heavy stock pot on med heat add the butter, oil and onion, saute a few minutes until just becoming translucent. Add the celery and carrot. Saute for 2 minutes. Add the beef and salt breaking it apart with a fork. Saute just until the pink is faded but DO NOT brown it. Add the wine and turn the heat up stirring until the wine has nearly evaporated. Turn the heat down to med and add the milk and nutmeg stirring until the milk has evaporated.  Add the tomatoes and stir. Once the tomatoes come to a simmer pour the mixture into a crock pot and cook UNCOVERED for about 3-5 hours OR you can keep it in the original pot and lower the heat to barely a bubble for about 3-4 hours.

Bolognese Sauce
Bolognese Sauce

Best served over cooked Tagliatelle or fresh if you can get it, Tortellini pasta. Sprinkled with grated Parmesan or Romano cheese.

American Cuisine, Beef, Crock Pot Friendly, Main Course

Beef Stew with Red Wine Gravy

beef stew
beef stew and mashed potatoes

This is a take on the traditional beef stew. Tasty and freezes well.

Ingredients:
2-2.5 LBS cubed beef for stew
2 TBLS olive oil
1 cup dry red wine
1 cup beef stock
2 cups frozen pearl onions
1 cup celery, cut into 1″ pieces
4 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1″ pieces
2 TBLS tomato paste
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup water
1 TBLS corn starch
1 TSP Kitchen Bouquet or Gravy Master seasoning

Directions:
In a sauce pot heat the oil to med and add the beef. Brown for 10 minutes. Turn up the heat to high and add the red wine. Stir to deglaze the scrapings for a few minutes. Pour into a crock pot or stove top pot to cook. Add the ingredients except water, corn starch and gravy seasoning. Simmer on low stove top for 2 1/2 hours or in the crock pot on the high setting for four hours or until the meat is fork tender. Once just about done stir the corn starch and gravy seasoning into the water. Pour into the crock pot /stove top pot and stir. This will thicken the gravy slightly. Heat on high for 5 minutes and serve with a side starch such as mashed potatoes or cooked egg noodles.

Beef, Crock Pot Friendly, Main Course

Beef Stroganoff

beef stroganoff
beef stroganoff

This beef Stroganoff is a simple version. It can finish cooking in a crock pot if you like. Use can use any beef steak cut you like but no need to use expensive beef since it cooks the meat tender.

Ingredients:
1LB beef sirloin, sliced into strips
4TBLS flour
4 TBLS butter
1 TSP garlic powder, not salt
1 10.5 oz can beef consomme + 1 1/2 cans of water
6 oz can tomato paste
8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
4 oz sour cream
Egg noodles for serving cooked according the the box directions

Directions:
Coat the beef with the flour. In a large frying pan melt the butter and brown the beef. Remove the beef and add the mushrooms, saute for a few minutes covered. Add the beef and stir. Add consomme, water, garlic powder, tomato paste and stir. Cook covered on a low simmer or transfer to a crock pot. Cook for 2 hours in the frying pan or 4-5 hours in a crock pot. Stir in sour cream and simmer for a few minutes. Serve over cooked egg noodles.

American Cuisine, Beef, Crock Pot Friendly, Lower Carb Recipe, Main Course

Porcini Mushroom Pot Roast

Pot roast
Pot roast

Start this pot roast recipe in a deep sauce pan but then it goes into a crock pot for easy no fuss cooking.
The pureed ingredients make a delicious gravy.

Ingredients:
4LB bottom round beef roast or a similar beef cut
Salt & Pepper
3 TBLS olive oil
2 med onions, sliced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup dry red wine
2 cups beef broth, I use low sodium
1/2oz – 1oz dried Porcini mushrooms(usually in a bag hanging on a rack in the produce aisle)
1 large sprig fresh rosemary

Directions:
Pat the meat dry and sprinkle well with salt and fresh ground pepper. Heat in a deep sauce pot 2 of the TBLS of oil. Brown the meat well on all sides. Remove the meat and place it in a crock pot, set aside. Add the remaining 1 TBLS oil and the onions, scrapping the brown from the pan until the onions are tender. Add the garlic for one minute then add the wine. Boil for about a minute and add the broth and mushrooms. Pour the boiled ingredients into the crock pot with the meat. Cover and cook on hi for 3-4 hours. Or you can cook covered in the oven for the same time at 350.
Remove the beef from the crock pot and cover on a plate. Spoon off any excess fat from the juices. Use a submersible or a regular blender to puree all the juices. Be sure not to fill the blender more than half way as hot ingredients expand. Pour puree into a sauce pot add the rosemary and simmer for about 10 minutes, this will make your gravy. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Slice the meat and top with gravy for serving.

American Cuisine, Beef, Main Course, Pork

Meatloaf

Meat loaf
Meat loaf

This Meatloaf recipe is the old red sauce standard. Comfort food !!

1 LB ground veal, pork and beef mix (you can use only 90% lean beef if the meat trio is unavailable)
1 cup bread crumbs or diced stale bread (you can also use flavored breads crumbs if you like)
3 XLrg eggs, beaten
16oz can tomato sauce
¼ cup parmesan cheese
1 med onion, diced and sauteed with a little olive oil
1 TBLS parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all together except for half of the tomato sauce. Place in a baking dish and form into a loaf.
Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the top. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

American Cuisine, Beef, Main Course

Stuffed Peppers

This stuffed Peppers recipe is easy and can make a tray full in no time. It freezes well too.

stuffed peppers
stuffed peppers

3 large bell peppers, any color, stem-core removed and cut in halves

Stuffing:
1 LB 90% lean ground beef
1 1/2 cups cooked rice, white or brown
1 large onion, chopped
1 TBLS parsley
2 eggs
2 TBLS virgin oil oil
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven 350.
Saute the onion in the oil just until soft. In a large bowl using half the tomatoes combine all ingredients except the peppers and cheese mixing well. Stuff the peppers until slightly mounded and place in a baking dish large enough to fit all 6 halves. Cover each half with the remaining tomatoes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake covered for 45 minutes-1 hour.

American Cuisine, Beef, Dips, Sauces and Marinades, Lower Carb Recipe, Main Course, on the Grill

Beef Marinade

BBQ grilled London Broil
a small serving of grilled London broil. sliced thin

This Beef Marinade recipe can be used on London broil or steaks. Grilling tastes best but it can also be done in a broiler.

1 cup teriyaki sauce (low sodium is fine)
1/2 cup kitchen bouquet or gravy master seasoning sauce
1/2 cup soy sauce (low sodium is fine)
1/2 TSP celery seed
1 large onion, quartered

Directions:
Place all in a blender and puree. Pour over meat and let marinate for 3-24 hours, refrigerated. Grill to your liking.

Beef, Holiday Specialties, Lower Carb Recipe, Main Course

Prime Rib Roast

This Prime Rib roast recipe seems too easy to be true, but that’s it.
A beautiful impressive roast comes out of just these few steps.

Prime rib roast
Prime rib roast

Ingredients:
Prime Rib roast (about 4.5LBS), with or without ribs
3 large garlic cloves, cut into slivers
2 TBLS flour
1 TSP pepper

Sliced prime rib roast
Sliced prime rib roast

Directions:
Preheat oven to 500. Cut 10-15 slits in the meat and insert garlic slivers. Mix the flour & pepper and coat the roast. Place the meat in a roasting pan (rib side down, if you have ribs) otherwise fat side up. Roast for about 1 hour for rare-med rare and add another 12 mins for med. Turn the oven off and do not open the oven, leave the roast in the oven for another 1 hour. Take the roast out of the oven and let it sit for 15-20 mins before carving.
**you can use a meat thermometer if you wish. Just be sure the tip is not in fat or on the bone.