Christmas in February - Prime Rib and Fixin's

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The Silver Fox and I live in an area surrounded by small cattle ranches and, seasonally, that can lead to beef bargains not found in other areas of the country. During the Christmas holidays, standing rib and and strip roasts can be purchased here for what ground beef costs in other communities. My mother raised no foolish children, so I take full advantage of these bargains and pack the freezer when those holiday sale signs appear. That leads to some wonderful meals, and one of the the things I love to do is to serve a "Christmas" meal at odd times of year. We had some good friends for dinner this past Sunday and I decided to celebrate their company with one of the rib roasts stashed in the freezer. Whenever I do this, I go whole hog and make a dinner fit for the groaning board of an English country estate. There is, of course, the roast, but authenticity demands Yorkshire pudding, and the "pud" demands a gravy we find too heavy for the juicy rare, red beef we so enjoy. I make the gravy a day or two before the meal, while the wine sauce is a task for the morning of the feast. Potatoes, too, are made early on and sit in a slow cooker protected by a shallow puddle of cream that keeps them milky white for serving. I do, however, postpone the puddings till the last possible moment. While they can be made ahead of time, we prefer ours so freshly warm and moist you can almost hear them begging to be drowned in gravy. They share the oven with chunks of roasting carrots whose preparation is sheer simplicity, but whose color adds brightness to what can easily become a beige meal. While many think it unnecessary, we are salad folk and I think the meal demands shades of crisp greens to make it complete. To be honest, the salad, made with watercress and Belgian endive, is nearly as expensive as the beef and actually more work to make, but I can't prepare this meal without knowing it will grace my table. I generally make rolls of some type for the feast and dessert depends on the whims or dietary restrictions of the folks sitting at my table. This past weekend we had a luscious pear torte and a creamy lemon pudding to end the meal. I can't feature all these recipes in one post, so I thought I'd pick and choose and share those for the roast and its various sauces with you today. I have several recipes for standing rib roast, but I recently resurrected this one which is failproof. I think you'll enjoy its flavor and ease of preparation. Here is how it's made.

A Kitchen Keeper Original - Sauerbraten

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Sauerbraten is one of Bob's favorite meals. I don't make it often, but his family tradition dictates that it be served on the last day of Oktoberfest. In Germany, Oktoberfest is a 15 day celebration that begins in mid-September and ends on the the first Sunday in October. If your German ancestors settled in the southern Illinois in communities like Effingham and Teutopolis, and you had a "sainted" mother who made Sauerbraten on that day, your Irish wife had better learn how to make it, or listen to that "sainted" mother shtick ad nauseam. This is a dish that flirted with popularity in the 50's and 60's but it had no staying power. Most recipes available at that time produced a pickled pot roast that was heavy on the sour and not generally appealing to American taste. Once the fascination with using gingersnaps in a gravy passed, so did interest in Sauerbraten for those not of German descent. I must tell you up front, that my version of the pot roast is not traditional. I go heavy on the wine and light on the vinegar to produce flavors that I enjoy. Fortunately, Bob has come to like my version of the dish as well. Sauerbraten is not hard to make, but it requires inactive wait time, so advance planning is necessary. If you decide to prepare it, you'll need three days to marinate the meat, and, if you follow my advice, another day once it's been prepared for its texture to firm for slicing. I think you'll like this version of the recipe. It produces a pot roast that has an almost velvety sauce that has beautiful color and a really pleasant sweet and sour flavor. When the kids were young, I'd serve Sauerbraten with homemade spaetzle, but these days I take the easy way out and make caraway noodles and red cabbage instead. I hope the more adventurous among you will give this recipe a try. It will not disappoint. Here is how my version of Sauerbraten is made.

Beef Rouladen With Dill

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a dish that the Silver Fox enjoyed as a child. He had a very good mother - just ask him. She made rouladen and spaetzle for him whenever he asked, even during the searing heat of a Chicago summer. Unfortunately, he married an Irish girl who was a stranger to German cooking, and while she learned a thing or two over the years, her repertoire of German dishes was, and still is, quite limited. Rouladen was one of the first dishes she/I learned to make, and it appears on our table once or twice a year. Rarely, however, during the summer months. He, of silver mane fame, came home from the grocery store with a package of thin cut round steak and some ideas in mind. He was dreaming of rouladen, and because it is easier to make than Swiss steak, rouladen is what he got for dinner tonight. The recipe I use comes from Serious Eats and it is much easier to make than his mother's version. I can assemble these rolls in less than 30 minutes and they can table ready an hour after that, so, if you enjoy heavier food I think you will love the rolls and the ease with which they come together. The recipe is self-explanatory, so let's get right to the meat of it. Here is how this version of rouladen is made.

Beef and Barley Stoup - Yes Stoup!

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...A heavy soup in May? Yes, I know it's unusual, but it seemed a logical way to use some of the beef stock that I made yesterday. Our weather has been unpredictable, and the Silver Fox has been assisting a friend  on a project that is physically exerting. I thought a hearty, robust soup would fill his hungry belly and replace the calories burned while digging out old shrubs and dead tree stumps. Those of you who have worked in old orchards,  know it's hard, heavy work, particularly in the rain. The dish I'm featuring tonight is heavier than a soup, but lighter than a stew, so I thought the word stoup, first coined by Rachael Ray, would best describe the entree I want to share with you. The recipe is straight forward and not difficult to follow. I've slightly altered a recipe I found on Food52 to accommodate the ingredients that I actually had on hand. Whether you call it a soup, stoup or stew, I think you'll find this to be a wonderfully satisfying meal. It's substantial enough for dinner and when served in slightly smaller portions, makes a wonderful stand alone lunch. I do hope you give it a try. Here is how this super stoup is made.

A Quick Asian Inspired Meal - Maple Glazed Flank Steak

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a great Asian-inspired main course that is really easy to make. The recipe is simple to follow and you'll have no problem getting this steak to the table. Flank steak, however,  can be tricky to work with because, despite best efforts, it can be tough and stringy. I urge you to use a jaccard or fork to tenderize the meat before you place it in the marinade. The steak is remarkably flavorful and I love to serve it with rice noodles and an Asian cucumber salad. This version of flank steak comes from Cooking Light magazine and I know you and your family will love its figure friendly flavor. Here is how the steak is made.

The Long and Short of It - My Recipe Rotation - Short Ribs Côtes du Rhône

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is one of my favorite recipes. It's kissing cousin is, of course, beef bourguignonne, but this luxury version produces aromas that will drive you wild. Meaty short ribs replace stew meat. The ribs, along with some vegetables and herbs, soak for a day in a full bodied, deep crimson Côtes-du-Rhône, guaranteeing they'll be happily soused when they hit the saute pan. The ribs are browned in bacon drippings, then slowly braised at a temperature low enough to melt connective tissue while still allowing the beef to retain it's shape and glorious texture. The other usual suspects associated with bourguignonne - mushrooms and pearl onions - are assembled and tossed in the mix just before serving. Did I mention bacon? It's there, too. The braising liquid is reduced by half then used to nap the ribs, mushrooms and onions which are served atop a bed of noodles. Extra sauce is passed at the table. This is like no stew you have ever had. I hope you'll try it.

Effortless Slow- Cooker Italian Beef Sandwiches with Pickled Peppers and Provolone Cheese

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...So much of the food we prepare depends on what our families will eat. Many of you might find these Italian-style beef sandwiches too heavy for a summer meal. I have a very active family and their food choices are dictated less by the weather than might be the case for a less lively crew. If you have spent the day on or in the water, a sandwich like this one really hits the spot. I happen to like this hoagie because the beef used to make it is truly effortless, unless you are a stickler and feel you have to factor in the energy expended by plugging in the slow-cooker. As is the case with most really simple recipes, I have nothing to add to the instructions that come with it, except to urge you to give these sandwiches a try. Here is how they are made.

Steak Pimenton with Harissa Sauce

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I must tell you this is another of my almost-famous "-ish" creations. The Silver Fox and I had nothing like this the entire time we were in Spain and Morocco, but it was inspired by the herbs and spices that are used there. It also serves as a wonderful vehicle to introduce a fiery North African condiment called harissa. The steak has a spicy "Come to the Casbah" flair, due in part to a simple rub that's used for flavoring, but the coup de grâce, comes from the harissa oil that is poured over the steak before it is served. Talk about good! The ingredients needed to make this steak can be found in any large market, and the good news is they keep forever. Chances are you'll go to your grave with the granulated garlic and onion still in your pantry. I like to use a flat iron steak for this recipe, but any cut normally used to make London Broil can be substituted, as long as it is tenderized. I use a jaccard to tenderize ours. The steak is at its best when it sits several hours before grilling. If you don't have a grill, or the weather is foul, use a griddle pan and sear the steak over high heat on a burner. I know those of you who try this recipe will be pleased. It's simple to make and it is delicious. Here is how the steak is made.

Poor Boy Steak

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I saw this recipe on Kami's blog, "No Biggie", and I knew I had to give it a try. The recipe was created by her mother, Debbie Markle,  who won first place for it at a beef cook-off  while she was still in high school. Kami uses her mother's marinade for an upgraded version of the recipe which swaps tri-tip steak for the pot roast used in the original dish.  I probably should change the name of the recipe because poor boy's don't eat tri-tip steak in this area of the country, but because I'm featuring the recipe exactly as it appeared on No Biggie, it didn't feel right to play with her title. There are a couple of things I wanted to share with you. You know that horrid orange French dressing that we hate to use. Well, I used it here because that is what would have been available at the time of her mother competed in the beef cook-off. I also swapped Heinz 57 Sauce for the ketchup to add extra flavor to the marinade. If you decide to give this recipe a try, remember that it needs to marinate for 24 hours before it is grilled. While it is not inexpensive to make, it is very easy to prepare. I'll be making this again, but the next time it surfaces in my rotation, I think I'll use a pot roast so I can compare the two versions. I do hope you give this recipe a try. Here is how Poor Boy Steak is made.

Marinated Top-Sirloin Steak

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We've had days of rain, some of near biblical proportions, and it's been unseasonably cold here in Oregon. Our last big "do" of the holiday season was last night and with no pressing commitments and the promise of clear weather, we decided to play hooky for the day and head to the coast to replenish our supply of smoked salmon. That, of course, meant that the meal I had planned for dinner tonight had to be simplified, and I decided that steak would be the easiest to prepare once we were home. The steaks I had in the freezer happened to be top-sirloins, which, while economical, are not particularly flavorful and can be quite chewy. I knew they needed marination to improve their taste and texture, so, I did a quick microwave defrost and prepared this sauce which I know helps to tenderize cheaper cuts of beef. I understand that my use of instant minced onions and garlic will horrify some of you, but a gal has to do what a gal has to do, and I wanted to get on the road as quickly as possible, lest the weather gods change their minds and necessitate removal of the ark from the garage. I keep dehydrated onions and garlic in my pantry for emergency purposes, but I've also been known to use them when I'm in a hurry or putting together a marinade such as the one I'm featuring tonight. Their use makes this marinade effortless to assemble and steaks that spend some time in it are really flavorful. I do hope you'll have the opportunity to give this recipe a try. I know you will not be disappointed. Here is how the marinated steaks are made.

Braised Beef Short Ribs - Away A While Recipe Favorites

Braised Beef Short Ribs Cotes-du-Rhone

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is one of my favorite recipes. It's kissing cousin is, of course, beef bourguignonne, but this luxury version produces aromas that will drive you wild. Meaty short ribs replace stew meat. The ribs, along with some vegetables and herbs, soak for a day in a full bodied, deep crimson Côtes-du-Rhône, guaranteeing they'll be happily soused when they hit the saute pan. The ribs are browned in bacon drippings, then slowly braised at a temperature low enough to melt connective tissue while still allowing the beef to retain it's shape and glorious texture. The other usual suspects associated with bourguignonne - mushrooms and pearl onions - are assembled and tossed in the mix just before serving. Did I mention bacon? It's there, too. The braising liquid is reduced by half, then used to nap the ribs, mushrooms and onions which are served atop a bed of noodles. Extra sauce is passed at the table. This is like no stew you have ever had. I hope you'll try it. You can find the recipe, here.

                    

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Nearly Perfect Rump Roast

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Your success with this recipe will depend on the quality of the beef you are able to buy. Years ago, I could purchase a rolled rump roast that needed only to be seasoned prior to baking. The roast was tender and flavorful and truly effortless to make. While this recipe is a testament to the ease with which this type of roast can be prepared, the prepackaged meat available in supermarkets can be tough and you may not always get the results you hoped for. That's not the fault of this preparation. I've seen this recipe for a while now, and I wanted to have beef for sandwiches in the refrigerator for the upcoming holiday weekend, so I decided to give it a try. I was really pleased with the results and wanted to share the recipe and a tip or two with you. My first caution is important. The beef must be at room temperature for the meat to cook within the specified time. It also should sit for 20 minutes before it is sliced. The next time I make this, I plan to season the roast the night before I plan to serve it. It can handle a lot of salt, so don't be alarmed by the amount called for in the recipe. You may even want to use a bit more. If you use a rectangular piece of meat, you'll get the best results if you slice it against the grain after it has had time to rest. This is a nice recipe to have in your hopper, and when you decide to give it a try, flirt with the butcher to get the best rump roast he has in his locker. Here is how the roast is made.

Beef, Blue Cheese and Onion Man-Sized Sandwiches

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite... I usually pull this recipe from my files at this time of year. I like to have it handy when rain threatens to wash out our barbecues or picnics and a quick change of plans is necessary. In addition to being delicious, it's easy to make, and, in the great scheme of things, it actually borders on being economical. It also happens to be a favorite of the Silver Fox, so, should you by chance see him doing a rain dance, know that he is manifesting a craving for beef and has not yet come completely unwrapped. The recipe is easy to follow and once the onions are sliced, the oven does the bulk of the work, making it possible to have these sandwiches on the table in less than an hour. I like to serve these with a cheesy orzo, marinated cucumbers and tomatoes and the best rolls I can find. I hope you'll give this simple but delicious sandwich a try. I know the adults at your table will enjoy them, though the blue cheese may be to strongly flavored for younger eaters. Here is how these sandwiches are made.

Frugal Foodie Friday - Cube Steak with Mustard Cream Sauce

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I  haven't been tracking the cost of beef lately. The Silver Fox and I don't eat a lot of it, so when I buy beef I generally go for the higher end cuts and don't pay too much attention to what they cost. I was, however, really set back on my heels last week when I went to purchase a pound of ground beef. Hamburger meat was a dinner staple in the early years of our marriage. Its cost was perfect for a pauper's purse and most women my age owned, or were familiar with, a little book called 101 Ways to Cook Ground Beef. We knew them all, but with its cost approaching $5 a pound I'm not sure our younger counterparts would find the book a terrific money saver. The irony was that some steaks cost less than ground meat and I was able to buy cube steaks for $2.99 a pound. I was looking for something I could share with you on Frugal Friday, so I picked up a package and decided that "cube steak something" would be my feature for the week. Fortunately, I found a terrific recipe for cube steaks on the Epicurious website and can report, that while these steaks are not filet mignon, the sauce makes this pedestrian cut of beef quite delicious. If you use red onion instead of shallots and beef stock or chicken stock instead of vermouth, the cost of this entree will fit within the confines of most food budgets. The steaks are simple to prepare, and if you don't overcook them, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by just how good they are. I served the steaks with a salad and rosemary roast potatoes. The rosemary in the potatoes was a great counterpoint to the mustard in the sauce and together the combination was a match made in heaven. I have one caution to share with you. The recipe calls for rubbed sage. Rubbed sage is feathery, so if you have to substitute the ground variety, cut way back on the quantity you use or your cube steaks will end up tasting like turkey dressing. Budget conscious or not, this is a nice family recipe that also happens to be easy on the cook. In my book, it's really hard to beat fast, easy and cheap. I hope you'll give this recipe a try. Here is how the cube steaks are made.