Stracotto (Italian Pot Roast) - Sip and Feast

 

INGREDIENTS: 

• 3 pound chuck roast
• ▢1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal Kosher salt
• ▢1 teaspoon black pepper
• ▢8 cloves garlic
• ▢3 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢1 large sweet onion finely diced
• ▢2 large carrots shredded or pulsed in a food processor
• ▢3 ribs celery shredded or pulsed in a food processor
• ▢3 tablespoons tomato paste
• ▢1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes hand crushed or blender pulsed
• ▢1 1/2 cups dry red wine
• ▢2 cups low-sodium beef stock
• ▢1 cinnamon stick optional
• ▢3 large bay leaves
• ▢5 large sage leaves
• ▢10 sprigs thyme tied
• ▢salt and pepper to taste
• ▢3 tablespoons minced flat-leaf Italian parsley for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 325f and set the rack in the middle of the oven to accommodate a Dutch oven with its lid.

Cut the garlic cloves into slivers. Make slits in the roast and insert the slivers of garlic. Pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels then season with salt and pepper. Any remaining garlic can be added to the pot in step 5 below.

Heat a large Dutch oven to medium heat with the olive oil. Add the chuck roast to the pot and sear until browned on all sides (about 15 minutes total) then remove the roast to a plate

Add the onions along with a 1/4 cup of water and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat while scraping the pot with a wooden spoon to remove all of the browned bits.

After sauteing the onions for 10 minutes, add the celery and carrots and continue to cook for another 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are very soft. During the last few minutes, add any remaining garlic. If at any time the veggies start to burn, lower the heat and/or add a splash of water or beef stock to the pot.

Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute while stirring frequently. Add the red wine and bring to a simmer. Again, scrape the pot with a wooden spoon to dislodge any remaining browned bits.

Tie the thyme, sage, and bay leaves together or add to a sachet.

Add the beef stock, plum tomatoes, cinnamon stick, and tied herbs and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, turn off the heat and add the roast back to the pot and cover. Place into the oven.

Cook the roast for 3 hours then check for doneness. If it isn't tender enough, return it to the oven for another 30 minutes and check again. Once the roast is tender remove it from the pot and tent with foil. The roast can be cut into chunks or carefully sliced.

To degrease the sauce, lay paper towels on top of the sauce to absorb the fat then discard or use a ladle to skim some of the fat. Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper as required. Place the chunks of beef into a platter and top with sauce. You will have pleny of extra sauce to serve with pasta, polenta, or mashed potatoes if you like. Enjoy!

Notes

• Chuck roast makes the best pot roast due to its unique fat profile, but other leaner roasts such as rump roast, top round, and bottom round can also be used.  Those cuts can be sliced instead of shredded.  
• There will be enough sauce for the pot roast and 1 pound of pasta.
• Leftovers can be saved for up to 3 days in the fridge and can be reheated in the oven.

Nutrition

Calories: 748kcal | Carbohydrates: 24.1g | Protein: 75.7g | Fat: 36.6g | Saturated Fat: 12.5g | Cholesterol: 239mg | Sodium: 919mg | Potassium: 1988mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 15.5g | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 10mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Beef Stroganof

 

1. Get yourself some good quality beef. Rump, sirloin, tenderloin, ribeye, whatever really. I got a stunning A5 tenderloin from @fineandwild ~500g
2. Slice into bite-sized pieces and sear quickly in a hot pan to get some colour all round - remove and set aside
3. Add 2tbsp unsalted butter to the pan, then throw in 250g sliced chestnut mushrooms. Cook out the water and leave to char/brown, then set aside
4. Add 1tbsp butter to the pan + 1 finely sliced shallot, 2 cloves minced garlic and touch of thyme - sweat down for 3-4 mins, then add back the mushrooms
5. Sprinkle over 2tbsp AP flour, cook off ~1 min, then deglaze with a nice white wine - I used an Albariño from @bodegafefinanes - allow alcohol to cook out ~3 mins
6. Next add in your beef stock or demiglace ~500ml. When I’m out of homemade demi, I use Salsus from @fineandwild it’s unbelievably rich and tasty
7. Leave to simmer and reduce by half, then add in 150ml double cream, 1tbsp Dijon, 2tbsp Worcestershire - simmer and reduce till thickened and finish with 2tbsp sour cream
8. Throw pasta into salted boiling water, once al dente, strain and add 2tbsp salted butter and meld with 2tbsp pasta water till melted - use whatever pasta you like!
9. Add beef back to the sauce, heat through and season to taste
10. Plate up and top with the thick glossy sauce and chopped parsley
-
It’s rich, it’s complex and it’s very satisfying. The sauce has layers and layers of flavour. The beef stock is super important so use homemade or ultra high quality! Adjust Dijon and seasoning to taste as always

Beef Ribs - Meat Church BBQ

Ingredients:

• 1 rack Beef Short Ribs 
• Meat Church Holly Cow Sesaoning 

Directions:

Prepare smoker:  250 degress on pellet grill

Place the ribs meat side up in the smoker. 8-10 hours. Cook to 210 degrees.

Let rest for at least one hour or till the ribs are between 140 and 160 degrees.

Remove from bone and slice.

Mongolian Beef (Sam the Cooking Guy)

 Ingredients:

1 lb flank or skirt steak, cut against the grain, bite sized pieces

1/3 cup corn starch

1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil, divided

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons neutral oil

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

2 red Holland peppers, sliced lengthwise then across into half moons

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

1 tablespoon ginger, minced

2 green onions, the dark stems, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

• Put the beef in a large bowl and add the cornstarch, 3 tablespoons of soy and 1/2 of the sesame oil - mix really well to combine, then set aside

• In another bowl put the water, remaining soy and brown sugar - stir well to mostly dissolve the sugar

• Heat a wok or skillet on medium/high heat, add 1 tablespoon oil then add 1/2 the beef

• Cook, letting it brown on both sides until almost cooked through - remove to a plate and repeat with remaining beef adding more oil if necessary

• Return the pan to the heat with a little more oil and put in the onion and peppers - stir fry a couple minutes then add the garlic & ginger - stir again about 30 seconds or until very fragrant

• Add the soy/water/brown sugar to the wok - mix and bring to a quick, then turn down slightly add put the beef back in

• Let simmer a couple minutes, stirring well to thicken, add the green onions, mix well and serve

Asian Style Braised Boneless Beef Short Ribs

Ingredients

3 pounds boneless beef short ribs

3 tablespoons canola oil (I don't measure)

Several grinds black pepper

2 teaspoons of five spice powder

1 tablespoon of garlic, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon ginger, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon hot chili garlic sauce (clear plastic bottle – Rooster on label)

8 tablespoons soy sauce

2 cups rich chicken stock (I used chicken broth and add 1/2 package of glace) (Glace purchased at Let’s Get Cookin.

2 teaspoons cornstarch

4 teaspoons water

3 scallions minced and sprinkled over for garnish

1 teaspoon roasted sesame oil

Served with steamed rice.

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Season the meat with pepper. 
3. Heat oil in a dutch oven until hot. Brown meat on all sides, remove from pan and set aside. Add 5 spice powder, garlic, and ginger to pot. Stir until it becomes aromatic.
4. Add chili sauce, soy and chicken stock to pot.
5. Return meat to pot and coat with liquid. Cover with a tight fitting lid. Place in oven for 45 minutes. Turn meat and cook for another 45 minutes.
6. Place pot on stove top. Remove meat. 
7. Bring the sauce to a boil. Make a slurry of the cornstarch and water then add to the sauce. Continue to gently boil  the sauce to allow it to thicken. Once sauce is thickened slice meat in ½ inch slices. Stir in sesame oil. Warm the meat in the sauce. Sprinkle meat with scallions. Serve with steamed rice.

Note:  This dish can be made ahead and placed into the refrigerator to cool. A layer of fat will form on the surface. Remove visible fat and reheat in an oven at around 200 degrees. This can also be done on the stove top by warming on a low burner. 

Mississippi Pot Roast

Ingredients:
Chuck or Pot Roast 3-4 pounds
1 package of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing powder
1 package of McCormick's Au Jus powder mix
1 stick of butter
5-8 pepperoncini
1/4 teaspoons of pepper

Directions:
Trim any large areas of fat from roast as needed. Some fat is OK. Then place the meat into a large crock pot. Sprinkle the Ranch Dressing powder over the meat then sprinkle the Au Jus powder mix over the meat. Place the stick of butter on top of the meat. Sprinkle with pepper and add the pepperoncini.

Cover and cook on low (in crock pot) for 8 hours then shred the meat with a couple of forks. Place the gravy in a fat separator and drizzle some of the gravy over the "pulled" meat.  Serve with egg noodles and pass extra sauce.

So I have to say that this really did hit the mark for both easy of preparation and being very tasty. We made this for the Super Bowl 50 and it was a big hit with everyone. Allright, so it was just me and the wife but the good news is that my Food-Saver has been put to good use. I made 4 individual meal packs with about a cup of noodles, the roast and a bit of gravy. Looking forward to enjoying this again real soon.

Mom's Beef Shish Kabab Marinade

Ingredients:
Marinade:
1/2 cup burgundy wine
1 tsp Worcester Sauce
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup salad oil
2 tablespoons Ketchup
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon MSG
1 tablespoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/3 teaspoon dried rosemary

12 large fresh mushrooms
1 1/2 pounds of stew meat
cherry tomatoes

Directions:
Add the ingredients for the marinade and mix well. Make sure the meat is cut in kebab sized pieces. Prepare the kebab skewers by threading meat, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and any other components onto the skewers. Place in marinade for 24 hours

Grill to desired doneness.

Margherita Steak with Tomatillo Salsa

Recipe from California Longevity Center

For the Marinade:

Zest and juice of 1 lime

1 Tbsp. orange juice

3 Tbsp. tequila

1 Tbsp. canola or olive oil

1 Tbsp. minced garlic

2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro

Pinch of dried red pepper flakes

½ tsp. sea salt

1 lb. grass-fed skirt steak or flank steak

Salsa:

1 Tbsp. olive oil

½ ripe avocado, diced

2 Tbsp red onion, minced

1 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped

1 jalapeno, seeded, minced

½ lb. tomatillos (6-7 each), husked, rinsed

1 yellow bell pepper

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1.    Place ½ the zest and the juice of ½ of the lime in a 9x13 glass baking dish. Whisk together all of the marinade ingredients (except steak).

2.    Add the steak, coat well. Cover and refrigerate for 1-24 hours.

3.    In a separate bowl, combine the remaining lime zest and juice, with the avocado, onion, cilantro, and jalapeno. Set aside.

4.    Spray the grill with nonstick cooking spray and preheat to medium-high.

5.    Brush tomatillos and yellow pepper with olive oil.

6.    Grill tomatillos for 5-6 minutes until lightly charred.  Remove from grill. Cool slightly and dice the into ¼-inch pieces and add to avocado mixture.

7.    Grill the yellow pepper until black and charred all over, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from grill and place in small bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap. Set aside for 5 minutes. Remove charred skin from the pepper and cut into ¼-inch dice. Add to avocado mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

8.    Remove steak from marinade. Grill 5-7 minutes on each side or until medium-rare 130°-135°, or desired doneness. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing crosswise against the grain.

9.    To serve, place steak slices on platter and serve with salsa on the side.

Chasen's Chili

Ingredients:
1 red bell pepper chopped fine
1/2 onion chopped fine
1 TBS oil
1 TBS butter
1 pound ground beef
1 pound lean ground pork
1 TBS salt (additional to taste)
1 tsp pepper
2 TBS chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 large can tomato paste
2 cans black beans

Directions:
In a large sauce pan heat the oil and the butter. Add the onion and the red bell pepper. Cook 10-15 minutes. Remove from pan and save.

Add more oil and butter to pan and add beef and pork mixture that has been broken in to pieces. Add salt and pepper and brown meat slightly. Return the onion and red bell pepper mixture to the pot. Cook for 10-15 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste, chili powder, and cumin. Bring the pot to a boil. Simmer for an hour. Add the black beans.

Tyler Florence's Ultimate Beef Stew

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, for frying, plus more to drizzle
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 to 3 pounds beef chuck shoulder roast, cut into 2-inch pieces (this cut is also called chuck shoulder pot roast and chuck roast boneless)
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bottle good quality dry red wine (recommended: Burgundy)
• 8 fresh thyme sprigs
• 6 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 orange, zest removed in 3 (1-inch) strips
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 1/2 cups beef stock
• 9 small new potatoes, scrubbed clean and cut in 1/2
• 1/2 pound carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 cups frozen pearl onions, a large handful
• 1 pound white mushrooms, cut in 1/2
• 1/2 pound garden peas frozen or fresh
• Fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, for garnish
• Horseradish Sour Cream, recipe follows, for garnish
• Toasted Peasant Bread, recipe follows, for serving

Directions

Preheat a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat with the oil and butter.

While the pan is heating, arrange the flour on a large dish. Season the cubed beef with some salt and freshly ground black pepper and then toss in the flour to coat. Shake off the excess flour and add the beef chunks in a single layer to the hot pan, being careful not to over crowd the pan, you might have to work in batches. Thoroughly brown all of the cubes on all sides. Once all the meat has been browned remove it to a plate and reserve.

Add the wine to the pan and bring up to a simmer while you scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon being sure to loosen up all those tasty bits. Once the wine has gotten hot add the browned meat, thyme, smashed garlic, orange zest strip, ground cloves, freshly ground black pepper and salt, to taste, bay leaves andbeef stock. Bring the mixture up to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered until the liquids start to thicken, about 15 to 20 minutes. Cover and cook on low heat for 2 1/2 hours.

After 2 hours add halved potatoes, sliced carrots, pearl onions and mushrooms, along with a pinch of sugar to balance out the acid from the red wine. Turn the heat up slightly and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes more, until the vegetables and meat are tender. Add the frozen peas during the last minute of cooking. Season with salt and pepper and remove the thyme sprigs.

To serve, place the stew in a soup bowl, garnish with parsley, drizzle with olive oil and add a dollop of Horseradish Sour Cream. Right before serving add a slice of Toasted Peasant Bread, half way submerged in the stew.

Horseradish Sour Cream:

• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Chives, finely chopped, as garnish

Combine sour cream, prepared horseradish and a drizzle of olive oil in a small bowl and mix until thoroughly combined. Season with salt and pepper. Add a dollop of the mixture on top of the stew and garnish with chopped chives.