Beef Recipes

An Italian invention of centuries ago, classic Carpaccio is thinly sliced beef served raw with a light dressing. Over the years, some chefs have gotten too creative and added Aoili’s and tomatoes and the like, turning the dish into a salad with raw meat. As always, I love the classics and this is my take on it.

If you are worried about consuming raw beef, there is a method in which you sear the meat for two minutes per side, refreeze and then begin my steps. It is far from ideal, but it will assuage your concerns.

Quality and cut of beef is essential; keep in mind this dish is all about the meat! Try to find and use prime grade tenderloin; easier to access is prime filet.

6-12 ounce Filet Mignon, frozen

½ cup High quality extra virgin Olive oil
Juice of ½ medium lemon
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 ½ teaspoons Tabasco sauce
1 ½ teaspoon Worcestershire

Arugala or spring salad (optional)
Capers (optional)

Shaved Parmesan Cheese

Serves 2

1. While the beef is still frozen, yet slightly thawed, it must be sliced. I have found that freezing a fresh steak for 2 hours will get the right consistency, or removing a frozen piece of meat to room temperature for 90 minutes.

2. To safely prepare carpaccio, the meat must be slightly frozen to allow you to slide a very sharp knife along the edges of the meat to slice razor thin, just below ¼ inch, slices.

3. If you are unable or not confident enough to slice thin enough slices; here’s a trick. Still slice individual slices as thinly as possible; then, using a mallet, pound each slice thin enough to be served as Carpaccio.

4. Once the meat is sliced, arrange on plates and place plates in refrigerator until ready to serve

5. Prepare the dressing; In a bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, Worcestershire, Tabasco, mustard and olive oil.

6. Remove the plates of beef.

7. Apply a layer of the dressing to meat and swirl plate to allow dressing to adhere to as much meat as possible.

8. Generously apply shaved parmesan and freshly ground salt and pepper.

9. If you are using some lettuce garnish and/or capers, add them now.

10. Finish with appropriate amount of dressing to your tastes.

This soup is a spicy combination of war wonton and hot and sour with its’ own unique identity. If you like Asian soups, you should love this.

Serves 4 hungry people.

12 ounces sirloin steak, sliced very thinly
4 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 bunch of scallions, chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 medium carrot sliced into 1 inch long, thin strips
2 cups baby spinach
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 tablespoon crushed ginger
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups beef broth/stock
3 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons dry sherry
3 ounces thin chow mien egg noodles
2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Place the olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat and add the beef strips, browning and barely cooking to rare. Remove beef.

2. To the pot, add garlic, ginger, half of the scallions and carrots and stir fry for 1 minute.

3. Add the beef, broth, soy sauce, sherry and cayenne and bring to a boil.

4. Lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes then add mushrooms

5. Break up the noodles and add to the pan with the spinach. Simmer for 5 minutes.

6. Add the remaining scallions, check seasonings and cook for 2 minutes then serve.

Ingredients

8 tablespoons butter
1 medium white onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 cups peeled, diced Idaho or red potatoes, boiled for 6 minutes in salted water
1 cup frozen carrot/peas vegetable mix, thawed to room temperature
1 cup frozen corn
1.5 pounds round steak, chopped into ½ inch pieces, seasoned with salt and pepper and sauteed until just pink
6 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 cups beef stock
1 cup prepared thick beef gravy (by two powdered gravy packets at the store and use them both, following the packet directions, but with only 1 cup of water…it will make a nice, thick gravy.)
2 frozen 9 inch deep dish pie crusts, available at any grocery freezer
salt and pepper
Olive oil

To Make...

1. Remove the pie crusts from the freezer. Allow one to thaw in its tray, while turning the other crust upside down onto wax paper. Leave alone for at least 20 minutes.
2. preheat oven to 400.

3. in a large sauté pan, heat 6 tablespoons butter over medium high heat.

4. Add the onions and celery, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring for 2 minutes.

5. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring for 2 minutes.

6. Stir in the beef broth/stock and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce heat to medium/low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally as sauce thickens.

7. Stir in the prepared gravy and continue to cook for an additional 2 minutes. Season again with salt and pepper.

8. Stir in the boiled potatoes, cooked beef, and thawed peas, corn and carrots. Season again with salt and pepper and mix together. Turn off heat.

9. Attend to the upside down pie crust by very gently making sure the crust is as flat as possible. Repair cracks in the crust by rubbing small dabs of water to bring the cracks together.

10. Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust pan. Fill to the rim and then some. You will probably have some extra filling, save it and eat it as leftover "Stew."

11. Place the second crust on top of the filling. Carefully tuck and crimp any overlapping edges. Seal up any cracks in the top crust as best you can.

12. Slice 5 vents into the top crust.

13. lather 2 tablespoons of melted butter over the top of the top crust.

14. Place on a baking sheet in the middle of the oven and Bake until crisp, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and MAKE SURE YOU ALLOW THE PIE TO SIT FOR AT LEAST 5 MINUTES BEFORE SLICING.

Ingredients

1 ½ Pounds beef stew meat (shoulder, chuck)
olive oil
1 large yellow or white onion, chopped
1 pound potatoes (yellow/white/red), diced into bite size pieces
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 carrot, sliced into rounds (1 ½ cups)
1 stalk of celery, chopped (1 ½ cups)
2 tablespoons dried thyme leaves
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
3-5 dashes hot pepper sauce
1 bay leaf
1/3 bottle red wine
A 12 oz. can of V-8 juice
4 ears of corn, kernels cut off and ears discarded (use frozen if you have to - don't use canned corn unless you must)
1 cup beef broth
flour
salt & pepper

To Make...

1. In a plastic bag, combine enough flour to coat the meat and the meat slices.

2. In a large saucepan, heat 2-3 tablespoons olive oil and brown the meat on all sides.

3. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Add the onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, and peppercorns and stir.

5. Season with salt and pepper.

6. Add the beef broth, V-8, wine, and hot pepper sauce and bring to a boil.

7. Reduce heat to simmer and cook covered for 75 minutes.

8. Add the potatoes, celery, carrots and corn and stir.

9. Simmer covered for 45 minutes more, then serve.

Ingredients

1 Pound sliced sirloin steak
olive oil
butter
16 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 large yellow or white onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups beef broth
1/3 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons dijon or sweet/hot mustard
1 juice from freshly squeezed lemon
3 tablespoons dry sherry
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon dry oregano
1 teaspoon dry dill weed
wide egg noodles
salt & pepper

To Make...

1. Season the steak strips with salt & pepper.

2. Heat a large saucepan or skillet with 1 tablespoon oil. Add the beef and saute until browned and cooked to rare inside, about 2-3 minutes. Remove beef.

3. Over medium high heat melt 2 tablespoons butter and add the mushrooms. Cook, while stirring for approximately 4-5 minutes. Remove and add to beef.

4. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in same pan. Add onion and cook, stirring, until lightly caramelized, about 5 minutes.

5. Add the tomato paste, stir and cook for 1 minute.

6. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute.

7. Pour in the beef broth, whisk together and bring to a boil.

8. Remove from heat immediately after boiling.

9. Away from heat, whisk in the sour cream, dijon mustard, lemon juice, sherry, and dry spices. Season with salt & pepper to taste, stir and set aside.

10. Boil water and cook the noodles.

11. Heat sauce over low heat.

12. When the noodles are al dente, drain and add to previously cooked sauce.

13. Mix noodles with sauce stirring generously and heating until hot. Serve and enjoy!

Ingredients

2 (.66 - .75 lb.) Cube steaks (flattened round steaks)
½ cup chopped white onion
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ cup chicken broth
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
Tabasco sauce
2-3 cups corn flake bread crumbs (available in a box in a the grocery store with the bread crumbs)
Salt and pepper
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
Flour
vegetable oil

To Make...

1. Cut the cube steaks into strips and season with salt and pepper.

2. in a large, wide flat shallow bowl, place the flour.

3. in a separate wide shallow bow, place the eggs, beat in ¼ cup milk and 10 dashes Tabasco sauce.

4. in a separate wide shallow bowl, place the ground corn flake crumbs.

5. Heat a very large sauté pan over high heat with about ½ inch of oil in it.

6. Meanwhile, dip each steak strip in the flour, then the egg mixture, then the corn flake breading, making sure each strip is adhered with the flakes.

7. preheat oven to 200 degrees.

8. place steak strips in the pan (do it in batches if necessary).

9. fry strips in the hot oil for 1 ½ minutes, turn and cook for an additional 1 minute. Remove from fry pan and place strips on a paper towel lined baking pan in the 200 degree oven.

10. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the drippings in the pan. Place pan over medium high heat and add the onion. Cook for 1 minute, stirring.

11. Add 2 tablespoons of flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

12. add ¾ cup milk, chicken stock and cumin. Stir together until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes.

13. Add Worcestershire sauce and cayenne. Check for taste and adjust seasonings as desired.

14. Serve the steak strips immediately covered with the gravy.

Just like with turkey, you will be amazed with the juicy tender flavor of this recipe. Keep in mind however, that unlike turkey, a rib roast prepared in the oven is not bland at all. Personally, I don't find deep fried prime rib to be any better than a traditionally prepared one. However, it is always a show stopper amongst guests to deep fry anything, and you certainly don't lose anything in the flavor department doing it this way.

This recipe produces rare meat in the middle (red throughout) and medium rare cuts on the ends (pink with some brown). This is how Beef should be prepared and served. If you are insane and like your meat medium or worse, cook this roast to 130 degrees in step 9 and don't blame me when your meat is tough and lacks flavor. Oh by the way, you're an idiot, too.

FOR THE SEASONING MIX:
2 tablespoons kosher or sea salt
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
2 tablespoons pepper
Olive oil

FOR THE FRYING:
One 7 Pound prime beef rib roast (figure about ¾ pound per person. This size should feed 10 people)
One Turkey fryer
Peanut oil (approx 3-5 gallons) As an alternative, you can use canola or vegetable oil if you must, but it is not ideal

To Make...

1. Make sure the roast is fully thawed by placing it in the refrigerator at least 2 full days before cooking.

2. The night before roasting, drizzle olive oil along the outside of the roast, and rub generous amounts of seasoning mix all over the roast. (You are creating what is called a "dry-rub") The seasonings not only bring out the beef's flavors, but also help to keep the meat tender.

3. Cover the meat (I use a roasting pan with a large lid so that nothing like saran wrap is actually touching the meat) and refrigerate over night. Remove from the fridge at least an hour before cooking, and place onto your frying rack, per the fryer's instructions.

4. Fill your large pot approx. ¾ full with peanut oil and heat to 325 degrees. Carefully lower the roast into the oil as directed by the fryer's manufacturer.

5. Allow 3 minutes per pound before checking the roast. To do so safely, have someone raise the roast at least halfway removed from the oil, and test the center. The roast is done when the thermometer reads 115 degrees in the very middle, for rare meat in the middle as explained above.

6. Place the done roast on a roasting pan which has been covered with brown paper bags to absorb the oil. Let roast rest for 10 minutes, then carve. To do so, place roast, ribs down and place your very sharp knife just above the top of the bones into the meat. Slice all the way through, allowing you to then fold the meat away from the bones. Cut the meat completely from the bones, then carve the rib roast like a roast beef, serving slices to your guests. Serve the bones, sliced into individual bones, alongside as garnish and for the cavemen in your party to nibble on.

7. As an alternative, you can slice giant slabs of your beef by simply knifing between each bone and creating giant sized rib-eyes for each of your guests.

This is a truly disgusting mish-mash of grease and flavor that I used to eat for meals when I was a poor, starving DJ in South Lake Tahoe in the early 1990's. Now, I roll this out occasionally during NFL football games. Eat it with a fork for real fun.

INGREDIENTS
1 Bag Nacho/spicy flavored Doritos
1.5 pounds ground beef
1 medium white onion, chopped
2 packets hot or traditional taco seasoning
Ground black pepper
1 bunch scallions, chopped
Shredded cheese of your liking (I usually use the pre-packaged "Mexican" cheese blends of cheddar, jack, etc…which by the way ahave nothing to do with Mexican food, despite the package name)

Optional: refried beans
Chopped/sliced Jalapeno peppers

To Make...

1. Brown the ground beef in a sauté pan. Disregard the taco seasoning packet instructions and do not discard the beef fat, add both packets and only 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil

2. Add half of the chopped onion and lower heat to low to simmer for 3-5 minutes

3. To a large salad bowl, add a handful of Doritos covering the bottom of the bowl in a single layer

4. If you're going use refried beans, add a layer of them (cooked) to the Dorito

5. Cover the Doritos with a couple spoonfuls of ground beef and a layer of cheese

6. Repeat steps 3-5

7. Cover with the remaining beef if desired, the rest of the onions, and a layer of cheese covering the top.

8. Place the whole bowl in the microwave for approximately 90 seconds. Remove, add scallions and stir the whole mess together. The chips will be crisp but wet, although in my experience they will never get soggy. Dig in and feel your arteries clog.

There isn't a better cut of steak to grill than the rib-eye. We all have our prejudices for whatever reason towards different cuts, but a boneless rib-eye is bar none, the best steak to grill. This recipe will work with almost any cut, however

This recipe flies in the face of the absurd notion that you should only turn over a grilled steak once. Bullshit.

Additionally, do me the favor of never cooking a steak more than medium rare. If you're going to cook a steak more than that, eat jerky for Christ's sake.

Ingredients
Boneless Rib-Eye Steaks (1 pound each, each with similar thickness)
Pepper
Cayenne
Lawrys Seasoning Salt
Olive oil

To Make...

1. At least one hour prior to grilling (or up to 24 hours ahead of time), pierce the meat of the steaks with a fork or knife. Cover one side of the steaks in 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil each.

2. On top of the olive oil, sprinkle seasoning salt, cayenne and freshly ground pepper to taste (I use 1 tablespoon lawrys, 1 teaspoon cayenne, 1 teaspoon pepper per steak).

3. 15 minutes later, repeat on the other side of the steak.

4. Pre-heat Grill at least five minutes on high.

5. Place steaks on lowest shelf of grill, over med-high heat for 1 minute.

6. Turn steaks and cook on opposite side for an additional minute.

7. Turn steaks over again, and move to second shelf of grill. Cook for 3 minutes, then turn over again.

8. Cook steaks to an interior temperature of 115 degrees for a perfectly cooked rare steak.

Kabobs (also known as skewers and/or shish-kabobs) were wildly popular a couple of decades ago, then fell out of favor, mainly because people made some exceptionally dopey blunders, ruining the appeal. Properly marinated and cooked kabobs are an easy way to prepare a great meal in the summertime, so let’s review the most common mistakes people make:

- Cooking the meat and the veggies on the same skewer. I have no idea how this started, but it’s abjectly stupid. Meat needs MUCH longer to cook than veggies, so why would you place it all on the same part of the grill? I am assuming this is done for “presentation” purposes, but that’s silly since the first thing people do when you give them their skewer is empty it. Grill the meat and veggies on their own exclusive skewers, combine all of it when serving. (Or serve it as I do, on one large platter with the meat on one side and all of th different veggies on the other. Allow guests to spoon up what they like the looks of the most).

- Cutting the meat into different sized chunks. If you have meat chunks varying in size, they will cook at different rates. This is a good idea if you’re trying to appeal to a variety of tastes, but if everyone like their meat cooked the same way, this will cause half of your meat to be overdone (or underdone).

- Not marinating. Kabobs are meant to have a specific, unique flavor. If you just want to taste grilled meat and veggies, then why are you going to the trouble of kabobbing it? Just grill a steak and some veggies in foil and be done with it. Kabobs are meant to be cut into pieces so that they absorb the marinade.

About 2 pounds of meat of your choice (I usually use 1 pound sirloin and 1 pound chicken breasts) cut into equal sized chunks, about 1 square inch. This marinade works great with all types of meat, however. Also, be aware that the marinade will turn the chicken (or pork or fish if you use it) a dark red as a result of the wine.

Assorted veggies to your liking. I prefer onions cut into quarter slices, bell peppers the same and whole mushrooms. Another great accompaniment if you like spice is a pasilla pepper or two, also cut into quarter chunks.

FOR THE MARINADE:
2/3 cup olive oil
2 cups red wine
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1-2 tablespoons Tabasco sauce (adjust to your affinity for spice)
3 garlic cloves chopped
2 garlic cloves, roughly sliced into quarters
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 -2 tablespoons salt and pepper, adjust for taste

Makes 2 large servings

1. Assemble all of the marinade ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir well. Check taste and adjust seasonings to your likings.

2. In a large, well sealed Ziploc bag or Tupperware container, allow meat chunks to marinate in the sauce for several hours (at least 4 and up to overnight), refrigerated. Shake the bag/container often to keep the marinade well mixed (failure to do this will allow the oil to separate and decrease the flavor)

3. When ready to cook, skewer all of the vegetables together on their own skewers

4. Remove meat from marinade and place similar sized and types of meats on skewers together

5. Grill meat skewers over high, direct heat to desired doneness, turning often. (Sirloin should take between 3-7 minutes depending on the heat of your fire and the size of your chunks). This is where your skill as a griller comes into play because the food needs to be watched closely.

6. Grill veggie skewers over low to med low heat, turning often

7. When all food is done, remove from skewers and serve it all together on a giant shallow serving bowl. Rice is a great side dish.

This marinade guarantees your tri-tip will be flavorful and tender (unless you screw it up). I serve my tri-tip sliced and with a little marinade. This recipe will also work for sandwiches.

I prefer the trip-tip strips, although this same recipe works with tri-tip roasts.

Ingredients for the Marinade
2/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire
Mix together

To Make...

1. Pierce the tri-tip with a fork numerous times (or score with a knife).

2. Either place the tri-tip in a shallow glass dish or in a large Ziploc bag. Cover with marinade. Allow to marinate for at least an hour, and for up to 24 hours. (I usually do 4-8 hours).

3. Place tri-tip on center rack of heated BBQ Grill. Cook over medium-high heat until the center of you meat reaches 115 degrees (If you're using 1 inch thick strips, this will take 3-5 minutes per side). This will produce red/rare center meat and medium rare (pink) meat on the ends. (Quality instant-read meat thermometers are a must unless you are an experienced cooker and can test meat done-ness by feeling the cuts. NEVER cut the meat open to check done-ness, it will dry out the meat).

4. Slice and serve! Great with baked potatoes and a variety of green veggies including asparagus, broccoli, and Brussel sprouts.

Veal, properly cooked and flavored, is an exceptional piece of meat. Most people overcook it and/or over-marinade it. The trick with veal is to bring out its gloriously mild beef flavors, not to smother them. This dish perfectly accentuates the naturally awesome flavor of veal.

2 thick veal chops
½ cup very dry sherry
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 garlic cloves, minced
5 fresh sage leaves, chopped

Makes 2 servings

1. Combine marinade ingredients and mix well.

2. Add chops to marinade. I prefer a tightly sealed Ziploc bag or, if necessary, a Tupperware of appropriate size. The trick is to make sure the chops are swimming in the marinade.

3. Allow to marinate, shaking/mixing container often. Chops should marinate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours, refrigerated.

4. Bring chops to room temperature before grilling

5. Pre-heat grill to 450 degrees.

6. Remove chops from marinade and grill for 2 minutes on side one.

7. Turn, grilling for an additional 2 minutes

8. Turn again, grilling 3 minutes

9. Turn a final time and allow an additional 3-5 minutes to achieve medium rare. The middle of the chop should feel identical to the base of your thumb when you press on both with your index finger. If using a meat thermometer, you’re looking for 135 degrees.

(serves 4)

Ingredients
1½ Pounds Ground beef, preferably chuck
1 16 ounce can chopped tomatoes
2 cups dried pasta (macaroni, or other small pasta)
1 ¾ cups water

Seasoning Mix
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons dried parsley
4 tablespoons onion powder
4 tablespoons beef bouillon granules
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons black pepper

To Make...

1. Brown the ground beef in a deep sauté pan

2. Add water, pasta, tomatoes and seasoning mix. Stir together

3. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to simmer and cover for 20 minutes or until pasta is tender

These were born out of a recent idea I had and turned out to be the greatest hamburgers I've ever had. A few points:

**You are forced with this recipe to buy cans of food and use very little of the actual can, thus the recipe may seem a little wasteful to you.

**These burgers as prepared here are pretty damn spicy. To lessen that, use less of the chipotle chiles. You want to use a little for the flavor, you can go as little as ½ of one and you should still get all of the flavor, but less spice

The ingredients below will make 3 perfectly sized burgers.

Ingredients
1½ Pounds Ground beef preferably chuck

3 roasted whole green chiles, stems removed
(for these, I buy the can from Ortega and the quality is great. Unfortunately, unless you have another purpose for the remaining chiles, you throw most of the can away)

2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped (again most of the can is un-used)

¼ cup shredded Monterey jack cheese or shaved parmesan
(this step is less about flavor and more about providing a binding product for the burgers)

1½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons finely minced red onion
large hamburger buns
Cheese slices, if desired

To Make...

1. In a bowl, combine the meat, salt, cumin, chipoltle, cheese, and red onion and, using your hands, mix to incorporate all of the seasoning together. I spend at least 3 minutes just rolling it all together to insure proper mixing.

2. Form into 3 equal patties, about ¾ inch thick. To do so, separate the unformed meat into 3 equal sized piles. One by one, grab a pile and roll it into a big meatball. Then gently begin forming the ball into an even patty, making sure that all sides of the patty are rounded. Too many people are not gentile enough with their burgers in this step and that's why they fall apart during cooking later. (the burgers fall apart, not the person)

3. If you aren't cooking the burgers right away, place them in the fridge, just bring them back to room temperature before cooking.

4. Open the buns and sprinkle them inside with olive oil, salt and pepper

5. Slice each of the chiles lengthwise down one side and spread them open to make three bigger peppers

6. Preheat grill to medium high heat. If using a gas grill, you want the internal temp to reach 400 degrees.

7. Place the burgers on the grill for 4 minutes, then turn

8. After 4 minutes, turn burgers again and place the chiles on top, then place the cheese on top of the chiles. Place buns, face down on grill. Kill the heat and allow the cheese to melt the chiles onto the bread (one minute should be enough), serve.

The “sizzling” refers to the spiciness, but you can modify or eliminate that and have an amazingly flavored meal. This is one of the dishes that you think you can only get by going out to eat because you aren’t sure how to make the flavor at home…that’s why I am here. I suggest serving grilled scallions and freshly steamed rice with this dish

1 Flank Steak, approximately 2-3 pounds

½ cup soy sauce

4 tablespoons sugar

4 tablespoons very dry sherry

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

2-4 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes, depending on your tastes

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

SERVES 4

1. In a large bowl, combine the soy sauce, sugar, sherry, garlic, oil and red pepper and stir vigorously to mix and dissolve the sugar.
2. In a shallow dish or Ziploc bag (which I prefer) submerge the meat in marinade for 4-24 hours at room temperature, shaking every few hours to ensure a good mix and spread of flavors
3. When ready to cook, Heat grill to 450 degrees
4. Remove meat from marinade.
5. Place flank steak on grill, close lid of grill and cook for 3-4 minutes.
6. Turn steak, baste with marinade and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes
7. Turn steak again, baste again and cook for 2 minutes
8. turn steak a final time and turn heat off. Allow steak to rest on cooling grill for 2 more minutes. While doing so, quickly warm remaining marinade in saucepan or microwave
9. Remember to slice the steak AGAINST the grain for tenderness. Serve with additional marinade, either drizzled on the meat or on the side for dipping.

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef
olive oil
3 tablespoons minced garlic
8 ounces mushrooms, minced
1 large yellow or white onion, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons dried or fresh oregano
2 teaspoons dried or fresh thyme
2 teaspoons sea or kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 whole strips of bacon
4 strips of bacon, chopped into bits

For the glaze:
1 cup ketchup
1 ½ tablespoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

To Make...

1. in a large skillet over medium high heat, heat the olive oil and sauté the onion until translucent, about 5 minutes.

2. add the mushrooms, chopped bacon and garlic and cook for 3 minutes.

3. stir in the cream, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper, cayenne, and chili powder. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes at low.

4. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and allow to cool. If necessary, place bowl in refrigerator for 20 minutes to bring down the temperature.

5. Preheat the oven to 400 and place a roasting pan in it while it heats.

6. To the bowl of cooled veggies, add the ground beef and egg. Stir and mix thoroughly.

7. Using a 9x5x3 loaf pan, line the bottom of the pan with the bacon slices.

8. Add the beef/veggie mixture to the pan, patting it down to make it smooth and even. Cover the pan with aluminum foil.

9. Bring a kettle (4 cups) of water to a boil.

10. Place loaf pan in the pre-heated roasting pan and pour the water in the center of the roasting pan to come halfway up the side of the loaf pan. Cover the roasting pan with aluminum foil.

11. Roast for 1 hour.

12. Combine the Kecthup, cumin, Worcestershire, and hot pepper sauce.

13. After the loaf has roasted for one hour, remove the foil and pour the glaze over the meat.

14. resume cooking until the loaf achieves 155 degrees in the middle (approx 30 minutes).

15. Allow the loaf to rest for 10 minutes before cutting it into slices.

Ingredients

4 lamb, veal or beef shanks
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1 cup copped white onion
1 cup sliced mushrooms
4 teaspoons chopped garlic
2 bay leaves
2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
4 fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
4 cups beef stock
3 cups red wine
olive oil
salt, pepper
flour
2 cans white beans (cannellini beans)
1 red onion, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
another teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

To Make...

1. Season the meat with a good amount of salt and pepper, then lightly flour each piece.

2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

3. Over high heat on the stove, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven (oversized saucepan). When the oil is hot, place the meat in the oil and sear until well browned on each side, about 3-4 minutes per side.

4. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside, lower heat to medium.

5. To the fat in the pan, add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper and cook until golden, stirring often (about 5 minutes).

6. Add the red wine and cook for 2 minutes.

7. Add the beef stock and cook for 2 minutes.

8. Add the tomatoes, mushrooms, thyme, sage and rosemary and more salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes
9. Place the meat back in the pot.

10. Cover the pot with the lid and place it in the oven, cooking for 2 ½ hours.

11. 10 minutes before the meat is finished, heat a large saute pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

12. saute the red onion and garlic for 3 minutes.

13. add the rosemary and white beans and stir often, cooking for 6 minutes.

14. Serve the Osso Buco as follows: A bed of white beans, with a shank on top, covered with enough sauce to coat the dish, but not drown the beans. This is an amazing old-world dish that will blow you away if done right.

You’ll need a cast iron skillet to do this properly, but you could also grill these steaks as opposed to pan broiling them, prepare the sauce as directed and have a wonderful meal!

Normally, I like steak that tastes like steak and eschew sauces. This is a nice change of pace and the sauce is an amazing accompaniment to the beef. It also makes for a nice presentation (great for date night, guys). It tastes nothing like whiskey, by the way and all of the alcohol cooks out of the sauce so serve it to your kids or your favorite recovering alcoholic with a clear conscience.

2 Boneless Sirloin Strip Steaks, 12-16 ounces each, about ½ inch to ¾ inch thick (adjust cooking time below as necessary for thinner or thicker steaks)

2 tablespoons whiskey (I prefer Chivas Regal for this dish)

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

¼ teaspoon Tabasco

3 garlic cloves chopped

1 tablespoon freshly cracked pepper

4 tablespoons butter

Salt and pepper to your tastes

1. Season both sides of your steak with salt and pepper to taste
2. Place your cast iron skillet in the oven, second highest rack (about 6 inches from top burner) and set oven to broil (500 degrees). Allow to heat for 15 minutes
3. Place steaks in pan and cook for 3 minutes
4. Turn steaks and cook for an additional 4 minutes
5. At this point, your steaks should be rare and will continue to cook to slightly medium rare once proceeding. If you’re unsure, use a meat thermometer and check the internal temperature. For medium rare, look for 120 degrees at this stage. If more time is needed, cook longer.
6. Remove steaks to a warm plate and allow them to sit while preparing the sauce (trust me, this will take just a few minutes and your steaks will be perfectly warm for the meal)
7. Place iron skillet on stove top over medium heat. Remember that your skillet is red hot and must be handled with hand protection
8. Melt butter in skillet
9. Add garlic and stir for 15 seconds
10. Add all remaining ingredients, stir together and cook, simmering at medium for 90 seconds
11. Pour sauce over steaks and serve

A perfectly cooked burger should be medium rare inside. Cooked, but pink (not red) and very tender.

The ingredients below will make 3 perfectly sized burgers.

Ingredients
1½ Pounds Ground beef, preferably chuck
1½ teaspoon salt or Lawry's seasoning salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder (or your favorite dried spice)
2 tablespoons olive oil
large hamburger buns
Cheese slices, if desired

To Make...

1. In a bowl, combine the meat, salt, pepper, garlic powder and olive oil and, using your hands, mix to incorporate all of the seasoning together. I spend at least 3 minutes just rolling it all together to insure proper mixing.

2. Form into 3 equal patties, about ¾ inch thick. To do so, separate the unformed meat into 3 equal sized piles. One by one, grab a pile and roll it into a big meatball. Then gently begin forming the ball into an even patty, making sure that all sides of the patty are rounded. Too many people are not gentle enough with their burgers in this step and that's why they fall apart during cooking later (the burgers fall apart, not the person).

3. If you aren't cooking the burgers right away, place them in the fridge, just bring them back to room temperature before cooking.

4. Open the buns and sprinkle them on the insides with olive oil, salt and pepper.

5. Preheat grill to medium high heat. If using a gas grill, you want the internal temp to reach 400 degrees.

6. Place the burgers on the grill for 4 minutes, then turn.

7. After 4 minutes, turn burgers again and place the cheese on top of the meat. Place buns, face down on grill. Kill the heat and allow the cheese to melt the burger. Serve and enjoy.

This is a variation on a very famous dish that is fairly simple and tasty. It requires grilling the rib-eyes first and then finishing them in the pan. An accomplished cook can do the entire recipe in the sauté pan if you desire that flavor instead. This is another chance to throw a curveball to a great piece of steak and serve with a sauce.

1 rib-eye steak, 12-16 ounces  

½ red onion, chopped

5 ounces sliced mushrooms

2 teaspoons mustard powder

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons butter

Salt and pepper to taste

MAKES 1 GIANT SERVING WHICH CAN BE SPLIT BETWEEN TWO MODEST EATERS

1. Grill the rib-eye steaks to one notch below your desired level of doneness. For example, if you like your meat medium rare, grill it to rare and remove immediately. If you like your meat served rare, simply sear it on the grill and remove.
2. In a large cast-iron skillet, over medium high heat, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter and add the garlic, onions and mushrooms and cook for 1 minute. Add the mustard and Worcestershire sauce, mix well and cook for 1 more minute. Place the steaks in the pan and cook to desired doneness, approximately 2-3 more minutes. Serve each steak with the sauce smothering it

Properly-cooked risotto will bring out the rich creaminess of the rice's starches, while maintaining an al dente feel to each individual rice grain. A common mistake is to add cheese (usually parmesan) too soon; it will become gooey and unpleasant unless added just before serving. Also, overcooked risotto or risotto allowed to sit before serving becomes gelatinous and gross, so you can’t cook this dish ahead of time.

While preparing the risotto, there will be a period of 10-20 minutes where it seems as though you’re making rice-soup. This dish demands patience.

To make this dish, buy plain Arborio rice, easily found in any grocery store now. Avoid buying any type pre-made or pre-flavored “risotto.”

1 teaspoon butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¾ cup Arborio rice
3 cups beef broth (with an additional cup ready if needed as described below)
1 cup red wine
½ white onion, chopped
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
4 ounces vegetable of choice (I recommend chopped mushrooms, although asparagus is excellent as well. Almost any vegetable that you like works here)
1 eight ounce rib-eye, seasoned with salt and pepper and grilled ahead of time to rare, then chopped (still pink inside)
Romano or Parmesan cheese

Serves 2

1. In a large, somewhat deep sauté pan, melt butter with olive oil over medium heat

2. Add onion and sauté for 1 minute, stirring often

3. Add rice and lower heat to low, mixing with onion

4. Combine wine and broth into one

5. Begin adding broth mix, 1 cup at a time, allowing rice to soak up the moisture while stirring regularly. As the rice soaks up half of each cup of liquid, add an additional cup of liquid. All in all, this process (no pun intended) is fluid and can take anywhere from 18 to 30 minutes.

6. Somewhere around 18 minutes and 3-4 cups of broth into the process, begin checking the rice for doneness. As it gets close to being al dente, add ½ of the vegetables and ½ of the chopped rib-eye. Stir into risotto.

7. When the rice has absorbed almost the perfect amount of broth, add the remainder of the meat and vegetable. If the meat and vegetables soak up too much liquid, add a little more now, creating the perfect consistency.

8. Serve, topping with parmesan or Romano cheese.

It used to be a given in America; Sunday night was family roast beef dinner night. Those days are long gone, but shouldn’t be forgotten. A well cooked roast beef with gravy and a side of any form of potatoes or sautéed mushrooms is still Americana heaven.

Choose a nice piece of meat and the rest is almost done for you. If you’re lucky enough to have the time and inclination, I would suggest buying a prime grade whole top sirloin from Costco, sold in vacuum packs in the meat section and carving it into steaks and roasts yourself. Since most people won’t do that, instead, look for the highest quality top sirloin roasts you can find. I prefer sirloin for roast beef because it is lean yet tender, as opposed to round roasts which are more tough.

3 pound sirloin tip roast

Olive oil as needed (about 3-4 tablespoons)

Approximately 3-4 tablespoons of each of the following:

Sea salt

Garlic powder

Onion powder

Red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons flour

1/3 cup red wine

2 cups beef broth

MAKES 4-6 SERVINGS

1. At least one day prior (or up to 48 hours ahead of time), pierce the meat on all sides with a fork or knife. Cover entire roast in extra virgin olive oil, then choose one side to begin with and add a layer of each seasoning. I recommend always ending with the garlic powder because it is the heaviest and most dense and will weigh down the other seasonings below it and help the flavor soak into the meat.
2. Each hour, repeat this process for each of the four sides of the meat, until all four sides have been seasoned, then cover and refrigerate until cooking time. Remove roast from fridge an hour prior to cooking
3. Pre-heat Grill to 450-500 degrees
4. Place a cast iron skillet or roasting pan in the oven and preheat to 325 degrees
5. Sear the roast on the grill, 2 minutes per side, making sure all four sides of the roast get evenly distributed time on the grill, for a total of 8 minutes
6. Place the roast into your preheated pan in the oven and roast to desired doneness. Remove it at 120 degrees in the middle. I have found an approximate cooking time of 10 minutes per pound for this final stage is appropriate. So, if I put a 3 pound roast in after searing, I check it after 20 minutes and it is usually ready after 30 minutes total oven time.
7. Make sure you let the roast sit on a carving board for 5-10 minutes before slicing
8. While the roast is resting, place skillet on stove over medium high heat and stir flour into pan juices and fat until golden, about 2 minutes
9. Whisk in wine and broth and bring to a boil over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until thickened (add more flour if needed)
10. Strain and serve as gravy
11. Return to roast and slice into servings

If you like, you can use the reserved juices from this dish to make a brown gravy. A VERY easy way to do this is to use those gravy packets from the store. Rather than adding water as the packet recipes says, add the roast drippings instead. (In other words, if the gravy packet says to add 1 cup water to the seasoning packet, add 1 cup of drippings to the packet instead. If your gravy is too thick, add water then).

Ingredients
1 Seven Pound prime beef rib roast (figure about ¾ pound per person. This size should feed 10 people)
Olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
Salt and Pepper
Roasting Pan

To Make...

1. Remove your meat from the refrigerator at least 1 hour before cooking it, so it reaches room temperature.

2. Preheat Oven to 475 degrees.

3. Put the roast, fat side up (rib side down) in your roasting pan on a wire rack which allows the drippings of the roast to catch in the bottom of your roasting pan.

4. Rub olive oil all over the roast.

5. Remove the thyme leaves from twigs and press the thyme leaves all over the roast to adhere the thyme directly to the meat.

6. Generously season the entire roast with salt and pepper.

7. Make sure that your meat is at room temperature before cooking it.

8. Roast the meat , uncovered, in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes (DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR DURING THIS TIME!!)

9. Reduce the oven heat to 300 degrees and roast for another 90 minutes. The "formula" is around 13 minutes per pound at this stage and this temperature. Check the meat with a meat thermometer. The roast is done when the thermometer reads 115 degrees.

10. Remove the meat from the oven and allow it to rest, covered with aluminum foil for at least 10 minutes and no more than 20. Carve the meat and serve your perfect roast.

Most of America has been re-introduced to this classic dish via Gordon Ramsay’s show “Hell’s Kitchen,” in which the item is featured regularly on the phony menu of the non-existent restaurant (reality TV is FAKE)!

The impressive look of a beautifully cooked filet surrounded by gorgeously baked pastry served with a side of sauce has triggered thousands of Americans to look at the person next to them on the sofa and say “what the hell is that? Looks great.”

This dish is time consuming but not hard. Follow these steps and I promise you a presentation and meal to die for. Traditionally, wellington is made with a full beef tenderloin which is not easy to find nor affordable for most. I suggest using individual filet mignons. At the very least purchase choice grade beef and if you can splurge on prime grade filets, do so, it’s worth it.

NOTE: There are multiple videos and pictures of this dish being made available on the internet. Seeing it prepared may help your confidence level if you’re feeling intimidated.

SERVES 2-4 (depends on how many slices each person can eat)

2 filet mignon, approximately 8 ounces each

1 pound white button mushrooms

8 slices Prosciutto De Parma (don’t go cheap; this dish needs great prosciutto)

5 egg yolks, beaten

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

Sea Salt as directed

Salt and Pepper as directed

2 full, thawed sheets of puff pastry

Dijon Mustard as directed (English mustard is traditional though hard to find and I have made this dish both ways and found no difference)

FOR THE SAUCE (directions at end of recipe) Makes enough for the recipe above

10 ounces red wine (never cook with a wine you wouldn’t drink)

5 ounces beef stock

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon of cornstarch, dissolved and mixed into 1 teaspoon of water

1. Trim the filets of any excess fat and season both sides with salt and pepper

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

3. Preferably in a cast iron skillet, heat olive oil on high to very hot (about 2 minutes)

4. Sear the filets in the pan on all sides, 2 minutes per side. Remove from pan and allow meat to cool

5. Brush all sides of filet with a thin layer of mustard

6. Chop the mushrooms roughly and place in a food processor and puree to a paste (about 90 seconds)…shake/stir as needed to insure an even puree

7. Heat a large, non-stick sauté pan over medium heat, dry

8. Scrape the mushroom puree into the pan to cook the water out of the mushrooms, stirring occasionally. This will take about 10 minutes.

9. When the mushroom puree is completely dry, add shallots and garlic, stir and sauté over low heat for 2 minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool

10. Roll out two large pieces of plastic wrap and place, one at a time, horizontally on your work surface.

11. Lay out 4 slices of the prosciutto on each sheet of plastic wrap so that they slightly overlap one another

12. Spread the mushroom mixture evenly over the ham using a spatula

13. Place each beef filet in the middle

14. Roll the ham over the filet, using the plastic wrap so that you do so tightly, then wrap the plastic tightly and refrigerate for 20 minutes

15. On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to flatten out the puff pastry to a size large enough to wrap around the filet.

16. Remove filet from fridge and unwrap (I suggest carefully cutting the plastic wrap off of your nicely formed roll).

17. Place filet in the middle of the pastry dough and brush the corners and sides of the dough with egg wash (this is imperative).

18. Fold the pastry around each filet, then cut off excess dough at the ends. Turn filet over, placing it seam side down on a plate. Brush entire filet top and sides with more egg yolks and refrigerate for 5 minutes

19. Place the pastry-wrapped filet on a greased, thin baking pan and again brushed the exposed surface with eggs.

20. Using a small knife, slice very thin vents across the top of each pastry about 1 inch apart; do not cut all the way through to the meat.

21. Top each with a pinch of evenly distributed sea salt and bake for 25-30 minutes. In my convection oven at home, 24 minutes gets them to 125 degrees in the middle, which is a perfect medium rare. Use a meat thermometer to be sure as you’ve worked too hard at this point.

22. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing one inch thick and serving with sauce on the side.

SAUCE RECIPE (Can be made ahead and/or during and then reheated)

1. Using a medium saucepan bring wine to a boil over high heat and reduce, boiling for 3 minutes

2. Add the stock and sugar and simmer on low for 5 minutes

3. Add the cornstarch mixture, stir and simmer for 10 minutes as sauce thickens. Serve either on top of meat or in individual ramekins with each slice.

For you "Dawns" of the world, this is a beef recipe you can love. Cube steaks are made from round steak, the leanest cut of beef.

For you Arnie's of the world, be warned…this is NOT like a Swanson's Hungry Man frozen dinner. The steaks are not mushy soft and gooey. Other than that, they're fantastic.

Ingredients

2 (.75 lb.) Cube steaks (flattened round steaks)
3 tablespoon minced garlic
1 sliced white onion
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
¾ cup red wine
¾ cup beef broth
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons butter
Flour
olive oil

To Make...

1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.

2. season the steaks with salt and pepper to taste on both sides.

3. dredge the steaks in flour and shake off excess, so the steaks are lightly coated.

4. On the stove, To a large, hot ovenproof sauté pan, add 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil.

5. When the liquid stops bubbling, brown the cube steaks for 2 minutes per side then remove.

6. to the pan add the onions, mushrooms and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes, until lightly caramelized.

7. Pour in the wine and scrape any browned bits off of the pan bottom.

8. add in the Worcestershire sauce, mustard and stock and stir.

9. Return the steaks to the pan, cover and cook in the oven for 20 minutes.

This dish is best served with mashed potatoes using the pan sauce as the gravy.

This dish works as described with either sirloin or NY steaks, whatever you prefer (it probably works great with rib-eye, I’ve just never tried it).

1 pound sirloin, seasoned with salt and pepper and grilled to rare (see accompanying recipes for guides on grilling)

2 teaspoons olive oil, separated  

1/2 cup port or other sweet red wine  

1/4 cup minced shallots  

1 teaspoon minced garlic  

1/2 cup beef broth  

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard  

1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped

2 bunches broccolini

MAKES 2 SERVINGS

1. While grilled meat rests, heat a non-stick skillet over medium high, add olive oil
2. Stir in shallots and garlic and cook for 45 seconds
3. In a separate pan, heat to very hot and add the other teaspoon of oil and then char broccolini to your desired doneness, 3-7 minutes, stirring often. While cooking, sprinkle with desired seasoning (a little salt and pepper should be fine)
4. To the shallots and garlic, add broth and port, bring to a boil, remove from heat. Whisk in mustard and thyme, return to heat on low, stirring often
5. Slice steak and then place into pan with sauce, allowing it to finish cooking in the sauce. Serve with broccolini on the side

Tournedos are literally defined as a “small thick cut from a filet of beef.” Steakhouses generally serve this dish made with bite sized filet mignon. This dish is rich and doesn’t need much more than a nice side salad.

2 pounds Filet Mignon, fat trimmed and cut into bite sized chunks

2 teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 pound white or brown mushrooms (or both), quartered

2 tablespoons diced shallots

1 cup red wine

1 cup beef broth

¼ cup beef gravy mix

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons room temperature butter

Salt and pepper to taste

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

1. In a bowl, combine chopped filet with salt and pepper and mix, adhering as much of the seasoning as possible to the meat
2. In a large skillet, over medium high heat, warm olive oil and butter until the bubbling ceases. Place meat in skillet and brown, about 90 seconds. Turn each chunk and repeat. Remove the filet.
3. Remove all but three tablespoons of the fat in the pan and return to medium high heat
4. Add the mushrooms and cook until the liquid is evaporated
5. Add the shallots and cook for one minute
6. Add the red wine, allow to boil and reduce by half
7. In a bowl, mix together the broth and gravy mix and immediately add to the skillet. Whisk in the mustard and butter and stir well as sauce thickens. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed
8. Return filet chunks to pan to coat with sauce, serve.