Browsed by
Category: Meat

Beef Braciole

Beef Braciole

Comments 0 Comment

Yield: 4 Servings

adapted from Billy Parisi

First off, it’s pronounced bra-jahl not brack-e-ole, just wanted to be clear there. Beef Braciole is an American Italian dish of parmesan and bread crumb stuffed beef roulades braised in a delicious tomato sauce.
This is seriously so dang good. I’ve always said that braising is my favorite cooking method and this beef braciole recipe just proves that to be true!
Prep: 25 Cook: 1 hour 15

  • 128- oz cans of San Marzano Tomatoes
  • 1lb beef top sirloin
  • ½cup breadcrumbs
  • ½cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 2TBS minced fresh parsley
  • 2finely minced cloves garlic
  • 2-3TBS olive oil
  • sea salt and cracked pepper to taste
  • ¼cup white wine

Add the tomatoes to a blender and blend on medium speed until smooth. Transfer to a medium-size pot, season with salt and pepper, and cook on low heat.

Next, slice the sirloin into 6 thin fillets and pound each of them out on a cutting board in between plastic wrap or a plastic bag until it is about ¼ thick. Season with salt and pepper. Set it aside.

In a medium-size bowl mix breadcrumbs, cheese, parsley, garlic, 2 TBS olive oil and salt and pepper until combined.

Add a small amount of the breadcrumb mixture to the center of each pounded beef fillet and spread it out across the beef fillet pressing it down into the beef. Roll up the beef to make a roulade.

Repeat until the beef and stuffing has all been used and truss each beef roulade with butcher’s twine or a toothpick.

Next, add 1-2 TBS olive oil to a large pan over medium-high heat and sear the beef on all sides until golden-brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Add in white wine and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Pour in the tomato sauce, add a lid to the pan and cook over low heat for 1 hour.

Remove the butcher’s twine, slice, and serve.

Chef notes:

You can get creative with this braciole recipe and use pounded out pork or chicken instead of beef.

You can use strip loin as well.

Make sure the oil is lightly smoking over medium-high heat before adding in the beef to sear.

Gayle’s Meat Loaf

Gayle’s Meat Loaf

Comments 0 Comment

Yield: 4

I’ve made a lot of meatloaf, and honestly, I screw it up more often than I succeed. Gayle has been making this recipe for over 40 years and it’s still great. It has seen some changes over the years, and this is the latest version. Can’t beat it.

  • 1lb ground beef
  • ½lb ground pork
  • ⅓cup dry bread crumbs
  • 1tsp salt
  • ¼tsp pepper
  • 5tsp onion flakes (or small onion, chopped)
  • 1½tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2eggs
  • French fried onions (optional topping)

Heat oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl combine all ingredients except meat and topping.

Add meat and mix well with a masher or your hands.

Press into greased 8 x 4-inch loaf pan. Top with topping.

Bake for 1 hour.

Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Tuscan Pork Cutlets

Tuscan Pork Cutlets

Comments 0 Comment

with cauliflower scampi

Yield: 2 Servings

Adapted from: Home Chef

Brightness abounds, with a tomato-y Parmesan sauce, with a hint of spice making the perfect adornment for the tender and lean pork chop. The cauliflower scampi brings the divine decadence.

Note: A green side dish would be a welcome additional to balance the meal.

  • 1TBS grated parmesan
  • 1½TBS butter
  • 1tsp Italian seasoning
  • ¼oz parsley
  • ¼tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2tsp chicken demi-glace
  • 1Roma tomato
  • 12oz cauliflower florets
  • 12oz boneless pork cutlets
  • 2garlic cloves
  • olive oil
  • salt & pepper
  • cooking spray


Preheat oven to 425°F.

Prepare a baking sheet with foil and cooking spray.

Roast the Cauliflower:

Cut cauliflower florets into bite-sized pieces. Place cauliflower on prepared baking sheet and toss with 1 TBS olive oil, ¼ tsp salt, and a pinch of pepper. Massage oil and seasoning into cauliflower. Spread into a single layer. Roast in hot oven until browned and tender, 20-25 minutes. While cauliflower roasts, prepare ingredients.

Prepare the Ingredients:

Core tomato and cut into ¼” dice. Stem and mince parsley. Mince garlic.

Unless your pork is well marbled, tenderize it was a jacquard.

Pat pork chops dry, and season both sides with salt and pepper. Season one side with ½-tsp of Italian seasoning.

Make the Scampi Butter

Place a medium non-stick pan over medium heat and add 1 tsp olive oil. Add butter, garlic, and a pinch of salt to hot pan and stir constantly until golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Once golden brown, immediately transfer scampi butter to a mixing bowl. Set it aside.

Cook the Pork Cutlets:

Return pan used to make scampi butter to medium heat and add 2 tsp olive oil. Add pork cutlets to hot pan, seasoned side down. Cook until golden brown and cutlets reach a minimum internal temperature of 145°F, 5-7 minutes per side. Transfer pork cutlets to a plate and tent with foil.

Make Sauce and Finish Dish:

Return pan used to cook cutlets to medium-high heat and add 1 tsp olive oil. Add chicken BTB, tomato, ½-tsp Italian seasoning, ¼ cup water, and 1 tsp Parmesan (reserve remaining for cauliflower) to hot pan. Bring to a simmer.

Once simmering, stir occasionally until slightly thickened, 1-3 minutes. Remove from burner and add red pepper flakes (to taste).

Add roasted cauliflower, parsley, and remaining Parmesan to bowl with scampi butter. Stir to combine.

Plate dish, topping pork cutlets with sauce. Bon appétit!

Chili, Award Winning (IP)

Chili, Award Winning (IP)

Comments 0 Comment
Yield: 8 Servings
Continually adapted from Oh Sweet Basil

My most recent batch was the best chili I’ve ever made. I’m not sure I’ve had better in any restaurant.

Using cubed pot roast makes a much better chili. The chunks of meat separate this from packaged chili mix.

  • 2lb pot roast beef
  • 6strips of bacon, chopped
  • 1can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained
  • 1can (15 oz) pinto beans, drained
  • 1can (15 oz) black beans, drained
  • 1can (15 oz) fire roasted diced tomatoes with juice
  • 1can (6 oz) tomato paste
  • 1large red onion, chopped
  • 1jalapeño, seeded and minced 1/4 to 1/2 is usually enough
  • 2cups beef stock
  • 1TBS dried oregano
  • 2tsp ground cumin
  • 2tsp kosher salt
  • 1tsp ground black pepper
  • 2TBS chili powder
  • 1TBS Worcestershire sauce
  • 1TBS minced garlic

Set a 6-qt Instant Pot to SAUTÉ HIGH and add the chopped bacon. Cook until crisp, stirring often to cook evenly. Remove the bacon to a paper towel lined plate.

Dump the cans of kidney, pinto and black beans into a colander and give a quick rinse. Drain.

Add the onions, red bell and jalapeño peppers and cook until tender. If there isn’t enough fat, add some oil to the Instant Pot.

While the onions and peppers cook, cube the meat into ½ to ¾” pieces. Season well with salt and pepper.

Remove the onions and peppers to a medium bowl.

Add half of the meat to the Instant Pot and cook until well browned. Remove to the bowl with the onions and peppers. Repeat for remainder of beef.

Drain off any excess grease, just tilt the pot and use a large spoon.

Return the beef and onions to the IP without adding the grease from the bowl.

Add the drained beans, fire roasted diced tomatoes with juice, can of tomato paste, 2 cups beef stock, 1 TBS oregano, 2 tsp cumin, 2 tsp Kosher salt, 1 tsp ground black pepper, 2 TBS chili powder, 1 TBS Worcestershire sauce, 1 TBS minced garlic and ½ of the bacon and stir to combine.

Seal Instant Pot and set to CHILI/BEANS for 25 minutes.
Allow pressure to release for 15 minutes then quick release with the vent.

Stir and serve with limes, sour cream, cheese, and a little bacon!.

Note: To freeze, cool the chili completely. Place in a large Ziploc bag, removing all air and freeze by laying flat for up to 2 months.

Chicken Fried Steak and Gravy

Chicken Fried Steak and Gravy

Comments 0 Comment

Yield: 2 to 3 servings

Scott Nowell

Who doesn’t love Chicken Fried Steak?

A work in progress. I can’t help but tweak it occasionally. 

Steak

  • 1lb cube steak, 4 pieces
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1cup all-purpose flour
  • ½tsp baking soda
  • ½tsp baking powder
  • ½tsp paprika
  • 2tsp Kosher salt
  • 1tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1whole egg, beaten
  • 1cup milk
  • hot sauce, to taste (optional)
  • vegetable oil for frying

Gravy

  • 1heaping TBS all-purpose flour
  • 1cup water
  • 1heaping tsp Better Than Bouillon, Beef
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper


Season the steak on both side with salt and pepper.

In a medium flat dish or a plastic bag, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pepper, and combine well.

In another flat dish stir together the egg, milk, hot sauce to taste (optional), and season well with salt and pepper.

Dredge each piece of meat in the seasoned flour, then in the seasoned milk and back into the flour, allowing excess to drip off. Set out on a rack fitted over a baking sheet and allow to rest in the refrigerator for 20 to 25 minutes before cooking.

Add about 2 to 3 TBS vegetable oil to a large skillet or cast iron pan and heat over medium-high heat to 365°F. Once heated and working in batches, fry steaks 2 at a time until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove steaks and drain on a rack over paper towels.

Gravy:

Carefully remove some of the fat from the pan, reserving 2 TBS. With the pan over medium heat, sprinkle in 1 heaping TBS of flour and whisk to make a roux, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Once the flour has been fully incorporated, slowly add the milk and continue to whisk until the gravy is nice and thick. Season well with salt and plenty ground black pepper, then whisk in hot sauce if desired.

Place the steaks on a serving platter, top with gravy and serve.

Serve with:

Vegetable Starch
Green Beans Noodles
Broccoli Mashed Potatoes
Asparagus Spaetzle
Green Salad French Fried Potatoes

Nowell Spaghetti Sauce

Nowell Spaghetti Sauce

Comments 0 Comment
Yield: 4-6 servings
Loosely based on a recipe in the Seven Seas Nantucket Cookbook.

This is a moving target recipe if there ever was one. This is a quick cooking sauce and does not need long simmering.  Once the sauce is mixed and simmering, the sauce will be done in the time it takes to boil the water and cook the pasta.

Meat:

  • 4-6Italian sausages, sweet, mild, hot or combination (optional)
  • 1lb ground beef
  • 8oz ground pork or ground sausage (optional)

Veg:

  • 2TBS Olive oil
  • 1small or medium onion chopped fine
  • 1green bell pepper, small dice (optional)
  • 2cloves garlic minced
  • 1green bell pepper, diced
  • 8oz mushrooms, sliced or quartered (optional)

For sauce:

  • 114-oz can tomato sauce
  • 114-oz can diced tomatoes
  • 16-oz can tomato paste (optional)
  • 16-oz can water (paste can) (optional)

Seasonings:

  • 1tsp basil
  • 1tsp oregano
  • 1tsp salt
  • 1tsp sugar
  • ¼ to ½tsp fresh ground black pepper


For sausage: If adding the optional sausage, place them in a sauté pan over medium high heat with a cup of water. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to simmer. Turn over after 6 minutes, cover and cook for another 6 minutes. Pour water into a glass measuring cup. Return to stove, and sauté until browned on all sides 4-8 minutes. Set aside.

For mushrooms: If adding the optional mushrooms, place them and a TBS of olive oil to the sauté pan over medium heat. Cook for 4-8 minutes, until water evaporates and mushrooms brown. Set aside.

Sweat vegetables: In a 2-qt sauce pan, heat 1 TBS olive oil and sweat (see Terms) onion and optional green pepper over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes until soft and translucent but not browned. Add garlic, sauté 30 seconds more. Remove to a small bowl.

For ground beef: Carefully remove any left over garlic, otherwise it will burn and get bitter. Turn heat up to medium-high. Add ground beef and brown until mostly cooked through. Reduce heat to medium.

For sauce: Return onion and garlic to pan. Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and optional paste. Fill paste can with tap or sausage water and add. Add all seasonings and 1 TBS olive oil. Stir carefully. If using, add sausage to pan. Cover, bring to a boil. Turn heat down to low and simmer while pasta cooks.

Options:

Go meatless with no beef or sausage. Ha ha ha.
Replace onion with 1 TBS Minced onion flakes.
Replace garlic with ½ tsp garlic powder (only if desperate).
Adjust seasonings. I always uses a heaping tsp of basil and oregano based on an eye-ball guess.

Osso Buco – Pressure Cooker

Osso Buco – Pressure Cooker

Comments 0 Comment
Yield: 6 Servings
Adapted from Emeril Lagasse
  • 6veal shanks (4 to 4 ½ lb total), about 1 ½ inches thick, tied tightly around the middle with kitchen string
  • 3¾tsp kosher salt
  • 2tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • ½cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼cup olive oil
  • 2½cups chopped yellow onion (about 2 medium onions)
  • 1cup diced celery (2 to 3 ribs)
  • 1cup diced carrot (2 medium carrots)
  • 3TBS tomato paste
  • 2TBS minced garlic (4 to 6 cloves)
  • 2bay leaves
  • 1tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 1tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
  • 1½cups dry red wine
  • 4½cups rich veal stock, or homemade beef stock, or substitute 1 cup demi-glace and 3½ cups packaged low sodium beef broth
  • 2TBS unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ¼cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • Note: Reduce all ingredients proportionally for less than 4 lbs shanks.


Season the meat on all sides with 2½ tsp of the salt and 1 tsp of the pepper. Dredge the veal shanks in the flour, shaking them to remove any excess. Set the shanks aside. Reserve 3 TBS of the remaining dredging flour and discard the rest.

Set a 6-qt Instant Pot to the SAUTÉ HIGH setting. Add oil and heat until shimmering. Brown the shanks on all sides, in batches if necessary, 10 to 12 minutes per batch. Remove the shanks from the Instant Pot and set aside.

Add the onion, celery, and carrot to the Instant Pot and cook until softened and lightly browned around the edges, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste, garlic, bay leaves, half of the thyme, half of the rosemary, the remaining 1¼ tsp salt, and the remaining 1 tsp pepper. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the red wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. Add the stock and return the shanks to the Instant Pot. Bring to a boil. Seal Instant Pot and set to MANUAL HIGH pressure 65 minutes. Note: With 3 lbs of shanks, the cook time was too long. Try 45 minutes.

Open the pressure release valve and allow the steam to escape. Unlock and carefully open the lid. The shanks should be nearly fall-from-the-bone tender. If the meat still meets with resistance, continue to cook under pressure for 2 to 4 minutes longer. Carefully transfer the shanks to a bowl and tent it with aluminum foil to keep warm. Remove and discard the bay leaves.

In a medium heat-proof bowl, mix the butter with the reserved dredging flour to form a smooth paste. Ladle 1 cup of the hot cooking liquid into the bowl and whisk to combine. Then stir this flour-broth mixture into the cooking liquid in the Instant Pot. Add the remaining rosemary and thyme. Set the Instant Pot to the SAUTÉ LOW and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened and smooth and any floury taste is gone, 5 to 10 minutes. Adjust the seasoning if necessary, then return the shanks to the sauce to rewarm briefly before serving. Serve as desired, garnished with a sprinkling of parsley.