The Perfect Roast Beef and Gravy

There are few greater culinary feats than mastering the medium rare (or medium) roast beef. I know people who are terrified of roast beef, but once you get the hang of it (and learn to take kitchen catastrophes in stride), this is an impressive tool in any cook's arsenal.

I prefer using a round roast, but it's equally easy to prepare using a sirloin tip or rump roast. Whatever cut you use, note that all cuts cook differently in the oven, so you'll need to rely on your handy thermometer to tell if the roast has reached the desired temperature.

Another tip to note is that I do not use a roasting pan for my roast beef, so I instead plop the whole roast, fat side up, directly into the oven on the rack. All the sites I've read claim that this creates convection in the oven, but I prefer just to say that it creates deliciousness. I place the roasting pan below the roast so the drippings melt over the meat and bathe it in deliciousness. Once the roast is finished, you'll have drippings for gravy in the pan and a perfectly cooked roast to boot.

Roast Beef and Gravy

4 lb. roast (sirloin tip, rump, or round)
2 cloves garlic, cut into thin slivers
Salt and pepper
Oil (I prefer olive oil)
1-1/2 cups beef broth
2-3 tablespoons cornstarch

1. Take the roast of the fridge at least one hour before you plan to cook it. It should be at room temperature before you prepare it.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Make incisions around the roast the size of the garlic slivers and insert each into the roast. Sprinkle the roast with salt and pepper, and rub with oil (just enough to coat).
3. Place the roast directly on the middle rack of the oven, with a roasting pan below to catch the drippings.
4. Cook the roast for 1/2 hour at 375 degrees, and then turn the oven down to 225 degrees for around 2 hours, or until the roast reaches the internal temperature of 135 degrees. Let the roast stand for at least 20 minutes before carving.
5. While the roast is resting, place the roasting pan on the stove over medium heat. Stir a couple of tablespoons into a bit of beef broth until fully combined, and add the mixture along with the rest of the beef broth into the roasting pan. Stir the gravy until thickened, and taste for salt and pepper.

Et voilà!

Healthier Sloppy Joes: Lots of Slop, Not a lot of Meat

This recipe is yet another "make it healthier" comfort recipe, but if you are automatically rejecting the healthier route, can I entice you with "tastier than the real thing" as an ad slogan?

I loved sloppy joes growing up, but I can't eat large amounts of ground beef without feeling sick, so this recipe that asks for a mixture of only 6 oz. of ground beef (or sirloin), kidney beans, and carrot. You get all the great taste of traditional sloppy joes with added fiber and nutrition. When served on whole wheat hamburger buns with fresh side vegetables, this dinner is a promising addition to the "lighter and better for it" dinner category.

Sloppy Joes
(From Mark Bittman's recipe in Cooking Light)

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces ground sirloin
1/2 cup grated carrot
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
1 (15.5-ounce) can low-sodium red beans, rinsed, drained, and divided
4 (2-ounce) whole-wheat sandwich rolls, split and toasted
4 (1/4-inch-thick) red onion slices, separated into rings

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, salt, black pepper, and beef to pan; cook 5 minutes or until meat is browned and vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally to crumble beef.
2. Add carrot, chili powder, sugar, oregano, and red pepper; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook 10 minutes or until thickened and carrot is tender, stirring occasionally.
3. Partially mash 1 cup beans with a fork or potato masher. Add mashed beans and remaining whole beans to pan; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Spoon 1 cup bean mixture onto bottom half of each roll; top each serving with 1 red onion slice and top half of roll.

The Holy Grail: Mom's Pepper Steak

I finally gone and done it: I called my mom and got her recipe for pepper steak. Now, I know what you're thinking: so what? It's just pepper steak, and everyone has a recipe for pepper steak. After all, I've already blogged a recipe for Chinese Beef and Peppers, and I regularly stir fry beef with peppers over noodles. But see, this is a special pepper steak. This pepper steak was the love of my life; it was the thing of childhood memories, fuzzy puppies, hugs that cured fevers, and moms that wrestled mountaintops plagued by one-eyed ogres covered in goo. This, my friends, is the thing of which my dreams are made. Beef. Peppers. Mushrooms. Tomatoes. Sauce. EXCELLENT.

No kidding folks, this is a great recipe, and it comes from my mama. I've been living 1800 miles away from her for over six years, and this is no easy feat for me (and I imagine for her). I can remember moving here to the middle of nowhere and flying home, only to cry in the fetal position on her bed, begging to come home. Her advice was always realistic and forward thinking: she told me to finish what I started. She also told me that whatever you're scared of doesn't matter, because "if it's gonna get you, it's gonna get you. Nothing can stop that." I've always loved this perspective because it's true: whether it's a tornado or a splinter, worrying about life won't help. In the absence of her in the flesh sassy advice, I often cook dishes that remind me of her cooking. Best to live life since it's gonna get you anyway. And cook. Always cook.

So here it is in all its simple, delicious glory.


Pepper Steak (from the lovely Snooty Snark)

1 lb. round steak, cut into thin strips
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small yellow onion, sliced into thin strips
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained with juice reserved
1 1/2 cups beef broth
Black pepper
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
2 green peppers, sliced into strips
1 red pepper, sliced into strips
2-3 tbsp. cornstarch

Directions
1. Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium to medium high heat; add beef strips to pan and brown. Once browned, move beef to the edge of the pan and add onions and garlic to pan. Cook through until transparent. Add tomatoes to the pan along with 2-3 tbsp. reserved juice and beef broth. Season with black pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for ten minutes, or until liquid is reduced.
2. Add mushrooms and peppers to the skillet and cover, cooking until veggies are tender. Add 2 tbsp. cornstarch to the mixture and stir until combined. Cook for another 2 minutes until thickened and either serve or add an extra tablespoon of cornstarch if still runny. Serve immediately over rice.

Enjoy!!

Steaks with Simple Mushroom Pan Sauce

While I am a steak enthusiast, I rarely eat a big slab of beef, opting instead for a smaller size that actually corresponds to the recommended "pack of cards" visual usually touted by the FDA. Since I only buy smaller cuts, the natural beef brand carried at the Co-Op is actually affordable. I'm specifying eye of round for this recipe, but really, you could use just about any cut of beef.






I served this with some simply roasted carrots and baby potatoes tossed with olive oil, sea salt, pepper, and chopped Italian parsley.


Steaks with Simple Mushroom Pan Sauce

2 eye of round steaks (about 4 oz. each)
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. minced onion
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup white wine (you can also use red)
1 cup beef broth
2 1/2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat; swirl to coat. Add steaks and cook four minutes per side, or until meat is cooked to desired. Remove steaks from pan and keep warm.
2. Add butter to pan. Add minced onion and saute for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until mushrooms have darkened and start to give off moisture. Pour white wine into pan and let simmer for 3 minutes.
3. Combine beef broth and flour in a bowl until combined, and then add to pan. Let mixture simmer until reduced and thickened. Pour over steaks.

Chinese Beef and Peppers

My mom used to make a fantastic beef and green pepper dinner, and I remember it being smothered in a fantastic tomato sauce, but when I saw Jessica's recipe over at Foodmayhem, I knew I didn't have time to call mom for her recipe (which I will. very soon.). Nonetheless, this is a fantastic dish, and very simple to make. I may never need takeout again.

If you want Jessica's awesome step-by-step photo instructions, be sure to hit up the direct link to the recipe below. I adore Foodmayhem, so I know you won't be disappointed by their many awesome recipes (I also recommend the Garlic Knots and Ma Po Tofu recipes).

Chinese Beef and Peppers
From Foodmayhem.com

1 pound flank steak
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon rice wine
1/2 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 1/2 medium green bell pepper, sliced
any spicy chili, small thin slices (optional)
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons vegetarian oyster sauce

Directions
1. Slice flank steak against the grain in 1/4″ slices. For thicker parts of the flank steak, you may need to slice the strip in half so it’s not too wide.
2. In a medium bowl, mix beef with soy sauce, rice wine, and sugar. Set aside for 15 minutes.
3. While beef is marinating, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or similar on high. Add peppers with a sprinkle of salt. Stir and fry for a minute, and remove from heat and set aside. The peppers should still be crisp. After the peppers rest for a few minutes, they will excrete some liquid (amount varies with different peppers). Drain and discard the liquid.
4. When beef has rested 15 minutes and peppers are ready, mix cornstarch into marinated beef.
5. Heat 2 tablespoons oil on high in a wok or similar. Add beef and stir quickly, separating the slices. When beef has started turning color with some pink spots remaining, add vegetarian oyster sauce. Stir quickly to distribute. Add peppers back in. Give a few good tosses and serve with rice immediately.

Pot Roast in the Slow Cooker

I use my slow cooker year round, even if it may seem a little odd to most folks. Despite its usefulness for producing tender meat out of tough cuts in the winter months, it's also great for the summer, when you don't want to heat up your kitchen. But during the fall and winter, it still gets more use since I'm a comfort food lover. There is simply nothing greater than walking into your home after a long day and smelling pot roast. It's incredibly satisfying to every sense, even touch. Tender, falling apart meat is soft on the tongue and usually puts me into a state of ecstasy. Each time I eat pot roast, I remind myself why I could never give up meat. I.just.can't.do.it.

I know a lot of people don't like to make pot roast in a slow cooker because of past experiences with grayish meat, but if you brown the roast first before adding to the slow cooker, the meat is a nice golden color and never produces the gray tones everyone decries. Here's what it should look like after only 3-4 minutes of browning:
















And here is what the slow cooker pot will look like before the slow cooker works its 8-10 hour magic:



Slow Cooker Pot Roast
(from All Recipes)

4 pounds chuck roast
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of paprika
1 packet dry onion soup mix
1 cup water
3 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 cup frozen peas

Directions
1. Take the chuck roast and season with salt, pepper, and paprika to taste. Brown on all sides in a large skillet over high heat.
2. Place in the slow cooker and add the soup mix, water, carrots, onion, potatoes and celery.
3. Cover and cook on low setting for 8 to 10 hours. Add peas during the last 20 minutes of cooking.

Note: The original recipe calls for 3 potatoes, peeled and cubed, but I omit them because I prefer to serve pot roast over mashed red potatoes.

Meatloaf and blizzards

Snow! Glorious, glistening snow! The Palouse region of eastern Washington is currently under a blizzard warning, so what better time to blog about comfort food than a day spent snuggling with furry children? Some serious inches have dropped since it began snowing last night, with no sign of slowing down anytime soon, and every time it snows, I break out the slow cooker or start craving meatloaf and pot roast (which will be the subject of my next post).

Despite its resurgence in the foodie world, meatloaf remains one of those meals that people tend to view as unappealing, perhaps because of its "blue plate special" connotation. My mom made the most fantastic meatloaf--simply put together with no fancy ingredients, and delightfully moist. I'm recreating her excellent meatloaf here, along with cauliflower puree, which is a healthier option than mashed potatoes (although I do include a potato so the consistency isn't too soupy).


Snooty Snark's Meatloaf

8 oz. ground pork
6 oz. ground beef
4 oz. tomato sauce
1/4 cup minced onion
1 egg
Salt and pepper
3/4-1 cup instant oatmeal
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tbsp. Worcestershire

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together pork, beef, tomato sauce, onion, egg, salt and pepper by hand. Add oatmeal to mixture a bit at a time, adding more if the mixture is too wet or less if the mixture is just dry enough to hold shape.

2. Coat a 5"x9" baking dish with cooking spray and place meatloaf into loaf pan, shaping to conform to dish. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes. Mix ketchup and Worcestershire in a small bowl and set aside. Remove from oven and drain out fat, then brush with ketchup and Worcestershire. Bake another 25-35 minutes, or until meat is cooked through.

Cauliflower and Potato Puree

1 head cauliflower, white florets cut into pieces
1 Yukon Gold potato (you can use any potato, but Yukon yields the best consistency)
3 tbsp. butter
Splash of half and half
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

1. Steam cauliflower for 10-15 minutes, or until florets are tender but not mushy. Boil Yukon potato (cut into pieces for faster cooking time) until a knife cuts through potato easily.

2. Remove potato and cauliflower from heat and pour into food processor along with butter, half and half, and s&p. Pulse until desired consistency. Taste for seasoning, adjust if needed, and serve.