Archives for posts with tag: #Beef

Corned Beef with Roasted Cabbage Potatoes and Carrots

March 17, 2021 //
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Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Here’s a fun fact: Corned Beef and Cabbage is an Irish-American meal served on St. Patrick’s Day but not in Ireland. It appears that it is an American tradition and one of the most served meals on March 17 in the U.S.!

Corned Beef is beef brisket that has been cured in ‘corn’ salt. This explains the reason we’re all very thirsty after eating it and need a pint to go along with it!

I have searched for the perfect Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe for 25 years. I have tried every technique from boiling, brining, dry-rubbing, slow-cooking and oven roasting. This recipe is one of my favorites and it is super easy making me realize that all the other methods are just too much work.

My secret is to braise the corned beef in the oven — baking it one hour for every pound. I use Guinness beer and beef broth as the liquids it cooks in while covered. A Dutch oven is perfect or a large roasting pan covered tightly with foil. Once you remove the corned beef from the oven, let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting into sliceable pieces. Another trick is to roast the cabbage on its own sheet pan to keep it from wilting. I’m not a fan of squishy cabbage, which often happens when it is cooked in the liquid.

This recipe is family approved. I also know my maternal grandma and spouse’s mom are smiling with Irish eyes as we feast on this tender and moist Corned Beef with Roasted Cabbage, Potatoes and Carrots dinner!

Corned Beef with Roasted Cabbage, Potatoes & Carrots (serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

For Corned Beef:

3-5 pounds corned beef (usually sold in a package with seasoning included if not use the dried seasonings below)

1/4 cups Dijon mustard

Dried seasonings such as fennel, coriander, peppercorns, mustard seeds, allspice and ground pepper (mixed together in a small bowl to use as the beef dry-rub)

3 TBSP canola or vegetable oil

3-4 bay leaves

3 garlic cloves, sliced

1 bottle of Guinness beer

1 32 ounces of beef broth

For Vegetables:

1 large onion, sliced

3-4 stalks of carrots, sliced

6 large potatoes (I like and use red potatoes), quartered

3 garlic cloves, sliced

1 32 ounces of vegetable broth

1 large head of cabbage, sliced

1/4 cup olive oil to drizzle over the cabbage

Salt and ground pepper

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Remove corned beef from the package. Rinse off the meat thoroughly in cold water and completely pat dry.
  3. Place the beef on a large cutting board or surface and cover with the dry-rub seasoning prepared or provided in the corned beef package. Then, smear the Dijon mustard over the beef. (Many recipes called for the Dijon to be spread over the beef first but I reversed the order because I wanted the dry-rub to stick to the beef in all the cracks and crevasses).
  4. Add the 3 TBSP oil to a large frying pan or Dutch oven and heat on medium-high until very hot. Add the beef and sear on each side about 3-4 minutes until browned. Remove and set aside.
  5. In a large roasting pan or Dutch oven add the Guinness beer and broth along with bay leaves and garlic. Nuzzle the beef into the mixture and cover the pan tightly with the lid or foil. Cook 1 hour for every pound (if it’s a 3 pound piece of beef then you’ll cook it for 3 hours).
  6. While the beef it cooking, slice the onions and chop the potatoes and carrots. In a large pan with lid or Dutch oven, heat 3 TBSP oil on medium high. Add the onions and cook for 10 minutes until translucent and slightly browned. Add the carrot slices, potato quarters and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté the vegetables for about 5-6 minutes until combined. Then, add the vegetable broth and turn the heat to low or simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until the potatoes are fork-tender when pierced.
  7. Slice the cabbage (you can also quarter it but I like the appearance when it’s sliced) and add to a sheet pan (i.e., cookie pan) and spread out. Drizzle the cabbage with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and any other seasonings you wish. This will cook the last 30 minutes on a separate rack in the oven with the corned beef. Don’t forget to add it to the oven!
  8. Once the corned beef is done, remove it from the oven and pan. Place on a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes covered with foil. It’ll be easier to slice once it cools slightly.
  9. Add the roasted cabbage to a bottom of a large serving platter. Then, add the vegetables (onions, carrots and potatoes) on top. Slice the corned beef and serve on a separate platter or arrange on top of the vegetables. Be creative with the presentation.
  10. Serve with Irish Soda Bread and/or any other traditional dishes!

Enjoy! XOXO Jill

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Categories #Entertaining, #Family Dinner, #Main Dish, Comfort Food, Corned Beef, Holiday Cooking, Recipe for a Crowd, St Patrick's Day

Beef Stroganoff

December 30, 2020 //
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For Christmas, we cooked a wonderful New York Prime Rib Roast on our rotisserie. It was not only tender and delicious but we had plenty left-over for sandwiches the next day and an upscale Beef Stroganoff.

Normally, this recipe is made with ground beef but I diced up the New York Prime to create a grown-up version of this comfort food.

Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter, divided

1 to 1 1/2 pounds New York Prime Rib, top sirloin, tenderloin, cut in 1/2″ strips (you can also use ground beef)

1/3 cup shallots or small white onion, finely chopped

1/2 pounds mushrooms, sliced (I prefer baby bella or cremini)

4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

salt and ground pepper to taste

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 1/2 cups beef stock

1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce

3 TBSP flour

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream at room temperature

1 pound egg noodles or fettuccine

chopped parsley

Directions:

  1. Heat the water for your pasta. Cook pasta until al dente and drain.
  2. While the pasta water is heating, sauté the strips of beef in half of the butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven on medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Increase to high temperature and brown the meat for another 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Salt and pepper the meat.
  3. In the same pan, sauté remaining butter, shallots, mushrooms and garlic over medium heat stirring occasionally until vegetables are tender about 5-6 minutes. Remove to a bowl or the same plate with the meat.
  4. Deglaze the same pan with the wine, scraping the bottom to get up all the beef flavoring. In another bowl, whisk together beef stock, Worcestershire and flour until combined and smooth. Pour the beef stock mixture into the sauté pan to combine and simmer for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir in the Greek yogurt (or sour cream) and mix well.
  5. Return the shallots and beef to the mixture in the pan. Stir to thoroughly combine. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
  6. Serve the beef mixture over warm egg noodles or pasta. Sprinkle chopped parsley on top.

Note: The Beef Stroganoff can also be served over rice, polenta or mashed potatoes. You can leave out the mushrooms if you have picky eaters (I often do).

Enjoy! XOXO Jill

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Categories #Dinner, #Dinner For Two, #Easy Dinner, #Family Dinner, #Main Dish, #One Pot Dinner, Beef, Beef Stroganoff, Comfort Food

Red Wine Braised Pot Roast

November 17, 2020 //
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Pot Roast or Beef Stew? This is a fair question and one that I was recently asked since both are the perfect comfort food on a cold fall or winter evening. The similarities end there though since Pot Roast is made with a whole piece of meat and requires longer cook time. Beef Stew is made with smaller chunks of meat and takes less time to cook.

Tonight’s dinner is Pot Roast. The method of braising the meat in stock, wine or water while cooking it slowly for a few hours is really the essence of the one pot dish. My choice for this recipe is Boneless Chuck Roast but you can use Brisket, English Roast, Rump Roast or Bottom Round.

Since I make this from memory, I dug through my collection to find a fool-proof one pot dinner recipe that includes carrots, celery, potatoes and pearl onions (optional).

Red Wine Braised Pot Roast

Ingredients:

3-5 pounds Boneless Chuck Roast

salt and pepper to taste (or your favorite seasonings)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

4 TBSP Canola or vegetable oil, divided

1 large onion, diced or sliced

1 TBSP garlic

2 celery stalks, cut in chunks

4 carrots, cut in chunks

1 lb potatoes (Yukon, Russet or Red), cut into medium cubes

fresh thyme and rosemary

1 cup red wine

2 TBSP tomato paste

1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce

2 cups beef broth

Directions:

Salt & Pepper both sides of the meat (you can add any of your favorite seasonings as well)

Heat 2 TBSP oil in a Dutch Oven or large stock pot with a lid (that can go in the oven). Add the meat and sear all sides until golden brown. Remove meat to a platter.

Add the additional 2 TBSP oil to the pan and heat. Then, add the onion, garlic, carrots and celery for about 7 minutes until the onions are translucent. Sprinkle the 1/4 cup of flour onto the vegetables and mix completely about 4 minutes. You want to cook off the flour flavor but add starch to help create the gravy mixture that the meat will cook in.

Add the red wine, Worcestershire, broth and mix completely with the vegetables. Once combined, add the tomato paste until dissolved.

Return the meat to the pan with the vegetables including the potatoes. Add leaves from the thyme stems and chopped Rosemary.

Place in a 325 degree pre-heated oven for 3 to 3 1/2 hours. I remove the meat from the pot and let it rest for about 3-5 minutes before slicing. You can cut in thick slices and top with vegetables and gravy on a plate. Or, cut the meat and add back into the pot with the vegetables. Either way, it’ll be delicious!

This can be served with a dinner salad and crusty bread.

Enjoy! XOXO Jill

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Categories #Dinner, #Dinner For Two, #Easy Dinner, #Entertaining, #Family Dinner, #Main Dish, #One Pot Dinner, #Recipe, Beef, Comfort Food, Fall Dinner, Sunday Dinner, Vegetables

Mini Beef Wellington Appetizer

November 14, 2020 //
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It’s that time of year for holiday parties with family and friends. Many of us will be asked to bring an appetizer or two for a festive dinner party. Or, perhaps we’ll be hosting a cocktail party of our own.

Appetizers or hors-d’oeuvre as my spouse likes me to call them do not need to be boring or predictable. They can be elegant but simple to wow your crowd into thinking you spent all day in the kitchen.

The following is one appetizer packed with flavor to get your party started!

Mini Beef Wellington (24 pieces)

Ingredients:

2 TBSP olive oil

2 lbs beef tenderloin, cut into 24 (1″) cubes — be consistent with the size so they look alike

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

10 ounces cremini mushrooms, stemmed and finely chopped

1 large shallot, finely chopped

2 sheets puff pastry (you can purchase Pepperidge Farms or Dufour frozen puff pastry and thaw before using or buy my new favorite Wewalka that is in the dairy isle next to the butter)

Directions:

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the beef dry with a paper towel and season all sides with salt and pepper. Quickly sear the beef on 2 sides until deep golden brown, about 4 minutes total. Do not overcook. Transfer to a plate to cool.
  2. Add the mushrooms and cook until beginning to brown and release liquid, about 5 minutes. Add the shallots and continue cooking until mushroom mixture dries out, is golden brown and shallots are soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
  3. Preheat the over to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
  4. On a work surface, roll 1 sheet of puff pastry to a 10 by 14 inch rectangle. You can use a small amount of flour if needed. Cut the puff pastry in three lengthwise. Then, cut the long pieces into 4 even squares.
  5. Put a teaspoon-size mound of the mushroom mixture on a puff pastry square. Top the mushroom mound with a piece of the beef. Fold the ends of the puff pastry over the meat to make a round packet, covering the mixture completely.
  6. Invert and arrange the packet seam side down on the prepared baking sheet a few inches apart. Press them slightly to seal the pastry. Repeat with the remaining beef, mushrooms and pastry.
  7. Bake the Wellington packets until golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes (depending on your oven). Once baked, remove to a serving platter and let cool about 10 minutes before serving.

I like to serve with Stonewall Kitchen’s Horseradish Cream Sauce or you can add your favorite horseradish mixture or aioli.

Enjoy! XOXO Jill

I’ll provide plenty more appetizer recipes in the weeks to come to get you through the holidays!

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Categories #Elegant Cocktail Party, #Entertaining, Appetizer, Beef, Easy Appetizer Recipe, Food, Hors-d'oeuvres, Mini Beef Wellington, Mushroom, Recipe for a Crowd, Simple Appetizer

Mexican Beef and Rice Casserole

November 11, 2020 //
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Taco Tuesday is one of our favorite days of the week for dinner! The choices are endless from a variety of different types of tacos, burritos, enchiladas, flautas, chili rellenos, pozole, nachos, Mexican rice, refried beans and on and on.

An easy recipe for a busy family is a Mexican Beef and Rice Casserole. It can be made ahead (and even frozen) and then baked when you’re ready to eat!

Mexican Beef and Rice Casserole

Ingredients:

1 TBSP oil (I use Wesson, Mazola or Star Canola)

1/2 onion chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 garlic cloves

1 lb. ground beef

salt and pepper to taste

3 TBSP taco seasoning (Lawry’s Taco Seasoning or your favorite)

1 1/2 cups salsa (made fresh or your choice)

2 TBSP tomato paste

1 cup corn (fresh, frozen or Del Monte or Green Giant canned corn)

1 16 oz. can black or pinto beans (S&W, Bush’s or any generic brand)

1 4 oz. green chilies (Ortega mild, medium or hot — your choice)

1 cup long grained white rice, uncooked

2 cups beef broth (Swanson, Pacific or O Organics)

2 cups shredded Mexican Blend (Kraft, Tillamook or Lucerne cheddar or Monterey Jack)

Instructions:

  1. In a large skillet (I use a Dutch Oven) over medium heat cook the chopped onion and bell pepper for 5 minutes or until translucent and soft
  2. Add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute
  3. Add the ground beef and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. The beef needs to be browned and then drained of the grease
  4. Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the cooked beef and stir to incorporate
  5. Add the corn (draining liquid if you use canned), beans, salsa, tomato paste and green chilies. Stir until all ingredients are combined thoroughly
  6. Add the uncooked rice and beef broth
  7. Cover and bring the rice mixture to a boil then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 18 to 20 minutes
  8. Sprinkle shredded Mexican cheese over the casserole. Cover with a lid for 3 to 5 minutes until the cheese melts
  9. Garnish with chopped tomatoes, green onions and cilantro.

Serve with your choice of sour cream, salsa, guacamole, tortillas, tortilla chips or corn chips.

Enjoy! XOXO Jill

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Categories #Dinner, #Dinner For Two, #Easy Dinner, #Family Dinner, #Main Dish, #Recipe, Beef, Mexican, Taco Tuesday Recipe