Perfect Prime Rib
Prime Rib Roast or Standing Rib Roast is a cut of beef from the rib section. The entire rib section comprises ribs six through twelve of the cow, but can comprise anywhere from two to seven ribs. A slice of Prime Rib Roast will include portions of the “eye” of the rib as well as the outer, fat marbled muscle known as the “lip” or “cap.” The traditional preparation for this roast is to rub the outside with salt and seasonings and slow-roast with dry heat. In the U.S., it is common for bbq purists to apply smoke to the uncooked rib roast at low heat for 2 to 3 hours before dry roasting. In England, Yorkshire Pudding is frequently served as a side dish with prime rib.
INGREDIENTS
3 ½ Teaspoons Sea Salt
1 ½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
3 Cloves Roasted Garlic
4 Tablespoons Softened Butter
1 Tablespoon Finely Chopped Fresh Thyme Leaves
1 Tablespoon Finely Chopped Fresh Rosemary
1 Prime Rib Roast of Beef (4 to 6 Bones)
2 ½ Cups Red Wine
2 ½ Cups Beef Stock
Preheat the oven to 450° F. Place the garlic cloves in a small bowl and mash with the back of a fork until mostly smooth. Add softened butter, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, the rosemary and thyme, and stir to blend. Pat the mixture evenly over the top and sides of the roast. Season the roast all over with the remaining 2 ½ teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Place the roast in a roasting pan and add 1 ½ cups red wine and ½ cup beef stock to the bottom of the pan. Roast for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350° F and continue to roast to the desired degree of doneness. Roast 18 minutes per pound for rare and 22 minutes per pound for medium. Let stand at least 5 minutes before carving.
To make the au jus, place the roasting pan on the stove burners over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup of the red wine and scrape the browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add 2 cups beef stock and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook for 5 minutes until the wine is reduced by half. Strain the sauce through a sieve to remove the solids before serving. Degrease if necessary. Servings 4 to 8 depending on how hungry you are!
Ginger Beef
Most Friday nights I go out for some sort of Asian meal. I call it “Get Your Asian On Fridays.” For me it’s a nice break from the normal weekday meals. I think I’ve tried just about every Chinese and Thai restaurant near my apt. Sometimes I just like to make some sort of stir fry at home. Here is a tasty Ginger Beef recipe that I think you’ll like. If you’re not a fan of the mushrooms then swap them for a vegetable that you do like.
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Beef Flank Steak
3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Dry Sherry
3 Teaspoons Grated Fresh Ginger
1 Minced Garlic Clove
3 Tablespoons Sesame Oil
8 Ounces Sliced Mushrooms
1 Large Thinly Sliced Carrot
8 Ounces Sugar Snap Peas or Snow Peas
2 Diced Celery Stalks
1 Thinly Sliced Onion
2 Teaspoons Cornstarch
8 Ounces Fresh Bean Sprouts (Optional)
Cut the steak lengthwise in half. Slice the steak crosswise into 1/8 inch thick slices. In a medium bowl mix the steak, soy sauce, sherry, ginger and garlic. Set aside. In a large skillet or wok, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over a medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and carrots. Stir often until the liquid evaporates and then transfer to a large bowl. In the same skillet or wok, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over a medium high heat and add the sugar snap peas (remove the strings), celery and onions. Cook and stir until tender and crisp. Stir in the bean sprouts if you want the bean sprouts and cook for about 2 minutes. Transfer the vegetables into the bowl with the mushroom mixture. In a small bowl mix the cornstarch and ½ cup of water until the mixture is smooth. In the same skillet or wok, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil over a medium high heat until very hot. Add half of the steak mixture and cook. Stir constantly, until the beef loses its pink color. Transfer to the bowl with the mushrooms. Repeat with the remaining steak mixture. Finally, return the vegetables and all the beef back to the skillet or wok. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook. Stir constantly until the liquid is slightly thickened and comes to a boil. Remove and serve. Serves 4
Steak &Kidney Pie
You don’t have to go to the pub to get great Steak & Kidney Pie. Now you can make it at home.
INGREDIENTS
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 ½ Pounds Diced Chuck Steak
½ Pound Diced Ox Or Lamb Kidney
2 Chopped Onions
2 Diced Carrots
2 Tablespoons Butter
12 Ounces Puff Pastry
3 Chopped Garlic Cloves
2 Diced Celery Stalks
2 Tablespoons Flour
2 Cups Beef Stock
1 Teaspoon Tomato Puree
2 Teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
2 Bay Leaves
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1 Beaten Egg
Heat up 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. The pan should be smoking. Add the onion, carrots and celery and sauté for 8 minutes to brown lightly. Remove from the pan and set aside. Season the beef and kidneys with the salt and pepper. Add the other teaspoon of olive oil to the pan and get the pan very hot again. Brown the meat for 5 minutes turning to ensure that all sides are browned. Make sure that you don’t over crowd the pan and cook in batches if need be. Remove and set aside. Melt the butter in the pan over medium heat and cook the garlic. Stir in the flower and cook for 3 minutes. Add the tomato puree, Worcestershire Sauce and bay leaf. Pour in the stock and bring to a simmer. Add the meat and vegetables back into the pan with the stock mixture. Simmer gently for 2 hours. It is a good idea to partially cover the pan. Transfer to a 2 cup pie dish or casserole dish and allow cooling to lukewarm. Preheat the oven to 425° F. Roll the pastry to ¼ inch thick. Place the pastry on top of the pie or casserole dish. If you want you can line the pie dish/casserole dish with pastry to make a full pie. Crimp the sides for a neat finish. Brush the top with the egg wash (beaten egg) and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 35 minutes until golden brown. Serve hot. Serves 6
Sloppy Joes
I don’t know who Joe was, but I’m happy that he created such a simple and hearty dish. You can make these Sloppy Joes with ground turkey if you like. I like to add a bit of hot sauce to these Joes to give them a bit of a kick.
INGREDIENTS
2 Teaspoons Olive Oil
1 Chopped Onion
1 Chopped Green Bell Pepper
2 Minced Garlic Cloves
1 Pound Lean Ground Sirloin
½ Cup Ketchup
2 Tablespoons Packed Brown Sugar
2 Teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
1 Teaspoon Tabasco Sauce
1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
4 Hamburger Buns
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over a medium high heat. Add the onion, garlic and bell pepper. Cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the beef. Make sure to break the beef into smaller pieces with the tip of a wooden spoon. Cook for 10 minutes until starting to brown. Add the ketchup, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes until hot and well combined. Serve on the hamburger buns. Serves 4
Goulash
Goulash, meaning herdsman, is a Hungarian meat and vegetable stew seasoned with paprika. There are many versions of this dish and each country tends to have their own Goulash. Goulash is popular in Hungry, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, the United States, Germany, The Netherlands, northern Croatia and the Italian region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. This is the Goulash that I grew up on. It is totally a guilty pleasure.
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Uncooked Macaroni or Rigatoni
1 Pound Ground Beef
1 Cup Sliced Mushrooms
½ Chopped Onion
2 Minced Garlic Cloves
16 Ounces Tomato Sauce
¾ Cup Water
1 Bay Leaf
1 Teaspoon Oregano
2 Tablespoons Paprika
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain noodles and set aside. In a large skillet cook the ground beef with the minced garlic, onion and mushrooms until browned. Make sure to drain off the excess fat. Add the tomato sauce, water, bay leaf, oregano, paprika, ground pepper and salt to the ground beef mixture. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add the cooked noodles and simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf before serving. Serves 6
Steak With Tomato Gravy
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ Tablespoons Olive Oil
¼ Cup Unbleached Flour
1 ½ Teaspoon Paprika
½ Teaspoon Sea Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
4 Skillet Steaks (4 Ounces and ½ Inch Thick)
2 Ounces Thinly Sliced Monterey Jack Cheese
1 Cup Arugula
In a large skillet heat the olive oil over a medium high heat. Reduce the heat to medium. In a small dish combine flour, paprika, sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Dredge the steaks in the flour mixture and reserve any remaining flour mixture. Cook the steaks in the hot oil for 4 minutes per side. Top with the cheese the last two minutes of cooking. Set aside and keep warm.
Tomato Gravy
INGREDIENTS
6 Seeded & Cut Large Tomatoes
7 Chopped Garlic Cloves
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Fresh Sage
½ Teaspoon Sea Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
While the steaks are cooking place the tomatoes in a food processor. Cover and pulse until tomatoes are coarsely chopped. In the same skillet that you cooked the steaks in add the 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the chopped garlic. Cook over a medium heat for 2 minutes until golden. Stir in the tomatoes and crushed fresh sage, salt, pepper and reserved flour mixture. Bring the tomato mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat. Simmer for 6 minutes. To serve place a small handful of arugula leaves on each plate, top with a steak and then ladle over some of the Tomato Gravy. Place any remaining in a serving bowl to place on the table. Serves 4
Hurricane Beef Pot Pie
When there is a chill in the air and a hurricane on the way it is a good time for heartier fare. This savory meat pie makes the perfect dinner.
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Lean Boneless Beef Chuck Cut Into Cubes
4 Teaspoons Olive Oil
2 Minced Garlic Cloves
2 Sliced Carrots
1 Diced Red Onion
1 Beef Bouillon Cube
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
10 Ounces Peas
Parsley Crust
Pat the beef dry with paper towels. In a large skillet heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium high heat. Add the beef and cook until browned on all sides. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute longer. With a spoon transfer the beef mixture to a bowl. In the same skillet, heat the remaining olive oil. Add the carrots and onion. Cook for 10 minutes until browned. Next, add the beef back to the skillet along with the beef bouillon, salt and 1 ¼ cups water. Heat to boiling over a high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer for 40 minutes. In a cup mix the cornstarch and ¼ cup of water and gradually add to the skillet. Cook over a high heat for 1 minute until the mixture thickens. Stir in the peas and remove from the heat. Prepare the Parsley Crust. Preheat the oven to 425° F. On a lightly floured surface, with a floured rolling pin, roll half of the dough into a large round that is large enough to fit into a 9 inch pie plate. Ease the round into a greased pie plate and spoon the filling into the crust. Trim any pastry edge, leaving a 1 inch overhang. Roll the remaining dough into a 10 inch round. Cut into ½ inch wide strips. Place half of the strips about ¾ inches apart across the pie. Do not seal the ends. Fold every other strip back halfway from the center. Place the center cross strip on the pie. Replace the folded part of the strips. Fold back alternate strips and add the second cross strip. Repeat to weave the strips into a lattice. Seal the ends. Fold the overhang under and make a fluted edge. Bake on a cookie sheet for 35 minutes or until crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. Serves 4
Parsley Crust
2 Cups Unbleached Flour
½ Cup Chopped Fresh Parsley
1 Teaspoon Salt
¾ Shortening
6 Tablespoons Cold Water
In a large bowl, mix flour, chopped parsley and salt. With a pastry blender cut in ¾ cup of shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the cold water 1 tablespoon at a time. Mix lightly with a fork after each addition until the dough just holds together. Do not over mix. Divide the dough in half and shape each into a ball.
Cowboy BBQ Beer Brisket
INGREDIENTS
3 ½ Pounds Boneless Beef Brisket
1 Cup BBQ Sauce
1 Cup Beer
Rub:
3 Tablespoons Chili Powder
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
3 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
To make the rub combine the chili powder, brown sugar, garlic powder and salt in a small bowl. Press evenly onto the beef brisket and put brisket, fat side up, into a stockpot. Combine the BBQ sauce and beer in a small bowl. Pour around the brisket and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and cover with a tight lid. Simmer for 3 ½ hours until brisket is fork tender. Remove and keep warm. Skim the fat from the liquid and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook uncovered for 15 minutes until the liquid is reduced to 1 cup. Stir occasionally. Trim the fat from the brisket and carve diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Serve with the sauce. Serves 6 hungry cowboys
Victoria’s Mojo Burritos
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Ground Sirloin
1 Large Chopped Onion
1 Small Chopped Green Sweet Pepper
1 Clove Minced Garlic
¼ Cup Beer
1 Tablespoon Hot Chili Powder
¼ Teaspoon Salt
¼ Teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 Cup Cooked Rice
4 Ounce Can Diced Green Chile Peppers Drain or
4 Ounces Fresh Diced Green Chile Peppers
1 Large Chopped Tomato
8 Ten Inch Flour Tortillas
2 Cups Shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack Cheese
2 Cups Shredded Lettuce
Guacamole
Salsa
For the filling: In a large skillet cook the ground sirloin, onion, sweet pepper and garlic until the meat is brown and the onion is tender. Drain off the fat. Stir in the beer, chili powder, cumin and salt. Cook for 5 minutes until most of the beer has evaporated. Remove from the heat and stir in the cooked rice and chile peppers. Meanwhile, wrap the tortillas tightly in foil. Heat a preheated 350° F oven for 10 minutes to soften. When you are ready to fill the tortillas, remove only half of them from the oven at a time. Keep the remaining tortillas warm in the oven. Spoon about ½ cup filling onto each tortilla just below the center. Top the filling with cheese and tomato. Fold the bottom edge of each tortilla up and over the filling. Fold the opposite sides in and over filling. Roll up the bottom and secure with wooden toothpicks if needed. Makes 8 delicious Mojo Burritos!
Steak Au Poivre
It is thought that Steak au Poivre descended from what is known as Steak Diane. Some food historians believe that the origins can be traced to Leopold I of Germany in 1790. There are quite a few chefs who claim to have created this dish in either Paris or Monte Carlo. This steak is covered with coarsely ground pepper before sautéing or broiling. Steak au Poivre is usually finished either by topping it with a chunk of butter or by making a simple sauce from the pan drippings. You can serve with mashed potatoes or pomme frites. You most likely may find this dish in traditional French restaurants.
INGREDIENTS
Four 1” Thick Strip Steaks
2 Teaspoons Kosher Salt
½ Teaspoon Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/3 Cup Chopped Shallots
¼ Cup Butter That Is Cut Into 2 Pieces
½ Cup Cognac
¾ Cup Heavy Cream
Salt & pepper both sides of each steak. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy skillet over a high heat and sauté the steaks (2 at a time) for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Transfer the steaks to a heatproof dish and keep them warm in the oven at 175° F. Pour out any leftover liquid from the skillet and lower the heat to medium. Next add the shallots to the skillet along with 1 piece of butter and sauté for 5 minutes until cooked. Very carefully add the Cognac and bring to a boil for 3 minutes until the sauce thickens. The Cognac may flame so be careful. Stir in the cream and the other piece of butter. Heat through and stir constantly. Serve the sauce over the steaks immediately. Serves 4
