Yes, it’s true. You now can dress your wounds with look-alike cuts of beef.
Got a boo-boo?
Put a Porterhouse on it. Naturally.
Click here to give these to the ones you love. Show how much you care with beef bandages.
*Insert catchy jingle here.*
Photo courtesy of McPhee.com.
Doesn’t that look absolutely mouth-wateringly delicious?
This beef tenderloin with black peppercorn and mushroom sauce is a specialty at Lavendou in Dallas. Oh yum!
But — here’s the great thing — we have the recipe right here so you (and I) can make this at home!
You’ll need beef tenderloin for this recipe, and I like to use tenderloin tips — you can get them from my favorite place here.
Lavendou Recipe Tournedos Felix Faure Beef Tenderloin with Black Peppercorn and Mushroom Sauce
Recipe to Serve 4
The Ingredients
4- 8 oz Beef Tenderloin
2 Teaspoons of Salt
4 Teaspoons of coarse Black Peppercorns
2 Cups of Diced Mushroom
1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil
¼ Cup Butter
½ Cup of Cognac
½ Cup of Veal Stock
¾ Cup of Heavy cream
The Method Season both sides of each tenderloin with salt and pat them in the black peppercorns. Heat oil and butter in a large heavy skillet over high heat, and then sauté the tenderloins, 2 at the time, for 3-4 minutes on each side. Transfer the tenderloins to a heatproof dish and keep them warm in a 175 degree F oven. In the skillet, add the mushroom, sauté for 2 minutes, until cooked. Add the tenderloin to the skillet and carefully add the cognac and flame it. Add the veal stock, then a minute after, the cream, bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens. Serve the tenderloin coated with the sauce with some Pommes Frites!
Photo and recipe courtesy of SavorDallas.com.
Er, I mean, what a difference a year makes.
Last year at this time, I was preparing to go on a road trip to Florida where we spent a week with family celebrating the holidays.
You can read about our adventures here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
I’m telling ya, there was lots of good food to be had. Like this . . .
Beef tenderloin tips. Good stuff.
But this year, there will be no road trip. There’s a little thing called a recession going on. I don’t know if you’ve heard about it.
But after saving up for a very long time for last year’s beachside holiday adventure, it seemed out of the question this year. And indeed it is.
We had our food shipped to our door in Florida last year. And what a treat it was to have good, quality food right there at our fingertips. We KNEW the meat would be fabulous. And it was.
I hate playing a guessing game with the meat at the local supermarket in a town I’m not too familiar with. Heck, I don’t like it in towns I AM familiar with. So, we ordered what we wanted and it all came to us when we needed it. Like magic.
The good thing is, I can get that same quality anywhere I am in the country. So now that I’m home for the holidays this year, I’m having it delivered to my house. Um, which is not beachside in Florida. Boo.
We’re going to have a turkey, ham and all the trimmings on Christmas Day — and steaks! on Christmas Eve. And I will not be standing in line at the supermarket with the rest of humanity for it all.
Merry Christmas to me!!!
And happy holidays to you. The countdown at our house has begun . . .
Our friends over at Epicurious.com always have interesting things to stimulate our brains as well as our taste buds. Right now, they’ve got a poll going asking YOU (and me) what we typically eat for our holiday meal.
My beloved steaks are in the running, but take a look at what meal is the front runner. *Wink, wink* it’s one of my favorites, too!
What’s your vote?
Take the poll here.
Oh, and where can you get the most popular items in this poll? Right here of course.
Photo courtesy of Tastespotting.com.
What’s the most popular cut of beef?
Want to know how ground beef is used in most American households?
And the most popular side dishes?
You’re in luck!
Check out these “Beef Bytes” from beef.org. All the little tidbits you’d ever want to know about beef are included.
Enjoy!
http://www.beef.org/udocs/Beef%20Bytes%20Trivia.pdf
Oh. My. Gosh.
Aren’t these gorgeous?
You know, presentation means so much when it comes to a wonderful meal.
I’ve found that to be true with my kids. If I turn the carrots into a smiley face they get eaten up with much more vigor than if I just slapped them onto a plate.
We adults are a bit more sophisticated, so we don’t really want our food to smile at us. But we do want it to be pleasing to the eye. It makes the whole experience more, well, pleasing.
That’s why these colorful Steak & Boursin Wrapped Bells are perfect for a dinner party — or just when you want to please someone special.
Steak & Boursin Wrapped Bells
EatingWell Test Kitchen
For an even quicker preparation, try deli roast beef.
Servings: 16 pieces
Total Time: 10 minutes
Ease of Preparation: Easy
Health: Low Sodium, Diabetes Appropriate, Heart Healthy, Low Cholesterol, Low Sat Fat, Low Carb, Low Calorie
Ingredients: Steak-&-Boursin-Wrapped Bells
16 thin slices grilled steak, such as filet mignon (about 8 ounces)
1 cup light Boursin cheese, divided
4 ounces thinly sliced bell pepper
Steps:
1. Spread each steak slice with 1 teaspoon Boursin cheese and top with bell pepper slices.
2. Roll the steak around the bell pepper slices.
Nutrition: (Per piece)
Calories – 37
Carbohydrates – 1
Fat – 2
Saturated Fat – 1
Monounsaturated Fat – 0
Protein – 5
Cholesterol – 13
Dietary Fiber – 0
Potassium – 66
Sodium – 34
Nutrition Bonus – Protein, vitamin C, potassium, zinc.
Photo and recipe courtesy of arcamax.com.
Oh, it’s getting cold outside. And that means it’s time for stew.
You know, the kind you take your time with and let simmer until you’re ready for dinner — the old-fashioned way.
Here, “Pa” gives us his secrets for making absolutely perfect steak stew.
P.S. Do you like other stuff (like peas in the photo below)? Add them to personalize your own stew!
| PA’S STEAK AND STEW DELIGHT | |
| 1 lb. cube steak (cut into pieces)
4 lbs. stew meat 1 pkg. chricio (2) sticks 1 1/2 bottle Holland House red wine (for cooking) 1 lg. onion 3 green peppers 1 tbsp. hot crushed peppers 2 1/2 tbsp. paprika 3 cans Hunts tomato sauce 2 c. water 2 1/2 lbs. potatoes In large pot heat 4 tablespoons of cooking oil. Cut up onion and 1 pepper (dice). Cook until about 1/2 done. Add paprika. Add crushed pepper; simmer 10 minutes on low. Add wine and put all meat in; cook for 2 hours on low heat. Add the rest of the peppers and potatoes (diced) 45 minutes before the meat is done. |
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Recipe courtesy of Cooks.com.
Photo courtesy of Janni402 at Recipezaar.com.
I was craving meatloaf.
I know, it sounds weird, maybe kind of twisted. And it’s SOOOO suburbia.
But I wanted meatloaf.
It’s been really cool outside here and meatloaf is the perfect warm-you-up dinner.
And my husband couldn’t agree more. Heck, he benefits when I have beef cravings.
I think I had been dreaming about it — which is why I made this picture look kind of dreamy around the edges. Like the meatloaf is floating on a cloud.
Who wouldn’t want to see meatloaf floating on a cloud?
All right, I saw some hands. If you raised your hand, you’re dismissed. The rest of us will discuss how I make my meatloaf.
I use ground beef with onions already in it. It’s scrumptious. Then, add a cup of Italian breadcrumbs, oregano, salt and pepper to taste. Mix in an egg to to help it form the loaf.
Lay bacon strips over the top of the loaf and bake at 350 degrees F for just under an hour.
Oh, the smell is heavenly. The onions, the bacon, the oregano. You can smell it all. FOR AN HOUR.
It’s almost torture.
But then, just when you think you can’t stand it any longer — it’s ready to eat.
It was a dreamy evening scarfing down dreamy meatloaf with my dreamy husband. It was almost like an episode of Mad Men, only without all the yucky stuff on Mad Men.
Hooray for meatloaf!
Mmmm. It’s getting a slight bit cooler outside and that makes me crave rich, red meat.
Come on, I know I’m not the only one.
This amazing recipe for Mustard Beef Tenderloin looks like just the ticket. See what YOU think!
Mustard Beef Tenderloin
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
Preparation:
Mix together mustard, vinegar, olive oil, pineapple juice, tarragon and pepper. Simmer in a saucepan until evenly heated. Keep warm. Preheat grill. Lightly pound filets with kitchen mallet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on grill and cook about 4 minutes on each side or until desired doneness. Remove from grill. Place about 2 tablespoons of mustard mixture on a plate and place filet onto the sauce.
Recipe courtesy of bbq.about.com.
Photo courtesy of KansasCitySteaks.com.
School is back in session so what better time to brush up on a lesson that is near and dear to my heart? Yes, class, it’s time for a lesson on steak.
Chef Sandy goes through the ins and outs of cuts for us here. And if you pay attention you might just get an extra recess.
I often get the question, “What kind of steak should I buy?”
Well, that kind of depends on a few factors…
-What do you want to spend?
-What sort of texture do you want?
-What is the doneness level that you prefer?
-What kind of fat percentage do you want?
-What cooking method are you planning to use?
Here is a brief overview:
Many of the cuts of beef that are used for steaks are cut from the loin portion of the beef.
Most of us are well aware that filet or beef tenderloin (and Chateaubriand) are all part of the same very expensive cut of beef. There is very little waste, very little work for the cook (little trimming is necessary) and it is appropriate for anything and anyone who likes steak, even at the fanciest meal. The texture of tenderloin is very tender, and some say that the flavor is not assertively beefy enough, but that is really a matter of choice.
Many times this cut of meat will be served with a sauce or an equally luxurious topping like a bleu cheese topping or it will be wrapped in bacon, all of which will enhance the flavor. This is the priciest cut of steak, but again, there is no waste, and not too much shrinkage, so what you buy (and pay for) is what you get to eat.
But what is the difference between a T-bone and a Porterhouse? How about a KC Strip and NY Strip?
A Porterhouse is a steak with a T-bone in the middle, and a large portion of both tenderloin and strip loin. A T-bone is the same steak, but the tenderloin portion is usually smaller than a silver dollar, or even non-existent. The bone-in nature of this steak usually yields great flavor, and oftentimes at the grocery store the T-bones actually have a large filet portion (and should therefore be labeled as the more expensive Porterhouse — shh, we won’t tell).
The difference between a KC Strip and a NY Strip is basically a marketing difference. Depends on where you are from. Either could come with a bone, but often not, and both are a generally oblong shaped steak, with not much visible marbling, but fat around the outside (non-bone side) of the meat. Depending on where you shop, and what part of the country you are from, these steaks are often in the high-middle of the price range for quick cooking steaks.
A ribeye or Delmonico steak is well marbled with fat, and because of its high fat content, can be cooked more well done and still remain juicy. This kind of steak will flame up on the grill, so it should definitely be watched carefully. One trick I have used is to first grill the steak on the grate to get grill marks (and flavor) and then put heavy duty foil on the grill and put the steaks on top to finish cooking them without incinerating them.
Sirloin steaks on the other hand, may need marinating to become juicy. They should not usually be cooked to more than medium doneness and oftentimes are sliced thinly against the grain for presentation to help ensure a tender dining experience. Flank steak and skirt steak (fajitas) are also cuts of meat which should be marinated, cooked quickly to a med-rare or medium doneness and sliced across the grain for tenderness.
Round steaks are usually too tough to use a direct cooking method, and are better suited to another preparation method like braising — think Swiss steak. Brown, then cook the steak until tender in flavor liquid (gravy) for a few hours. Many different cultures have variations on this theme, and a thin round steak can also be used as a wrapper for flavorful ingredients, with the whole bundle braised in flavorful liquid for a delicious meal. Italians call it Braciole (may also be made with flank steak) Germans have Rouladen. Long story short, braise it for great taste and tenderness.
If you are making Chicken Fried Steak, the traditional choice is a tenderized round steak. This is a piece of meat which has been put through a process which mechanically pounds the steak and breaks up the tissues with thousands of little blades. This is the only way to use this steak in a quick cooking manner, otherwise you would end up with shoeleather. I have seen Chicken Fried Ribeye and Chicken Fried Filet on some fancier menus here in Texas, and since these are more tender pieces of meat, no mechanical tenderizing is necessary. Tasty, and about as decadent as you can get…
If you have any questions about a piece of meat you are considering buying, just ask. At many grocery stores or even Web site, sometimes they have flip guides to cuts of meat and preferred cooking method, and sometimes even stickers on the actual meat packages which say “Great for the Grill” or “Best for Braising” or some similar catchy tips. Or better yet, try some new choices next time you go to your favorite steak restaurant, and make a note to yourself about what you like and the preparation methods you enjoy.
Then you can try them out at home!
Photo courtesy of acjc.edu.
Hi! My name is Dena P., and I love steak. In fact, I’ve been on a quest for the perfect steak for a few years now.
I love experimenting with food and I like to get my family, friends and neighbors involved. They add a lot to my cooking experience by helping me perfect techniques and sharing recipes.
