Where's the Beef?

If you've been around since the 1980s, or love watching old commercials, you're aware of one of the age-old questions: Where's the beef?.

Okay, so it's not necessarily an age-old question, but you get the idea. And to answer the question, today's post deals with beefy recipes, including Cajun-Style Meatloaf and Steak, Roasted Tomato and Bean Chili. Enjoy!

IRISH TACOS

This comes from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. He wrote, "You can certainly eat corned beef with boiled cabbage and carrots, but it can be a great deal more exciting to pile the shredded meat — ruddy pink, salty, fatty and meltingly sweet — into warm flour tortillas, then top it with a bright, crunchy, slightly fiery cabbage slaw. The contrast between the soft and the crisp, the salt and the sweet, is fantastic — particularly if you adorn each taco with a few pickled jalapeños and, perhaps, an additional swipe of mayonnaise. It’s not fusion cooking, nor appropriation. It’s just the fact that everything tastes good on a warm tortilla."

Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Time: 30 minutes

This was featured in "What if You Could Make Great Corned Beef?", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018643-irish-tacos.

Ingredients

2 to 2 1/2 pounds corned beef (see recipe)

1 small head of green cabbage, cored and thinly sliced

3 carrots, peeled and sliced into julienne

1 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt or sour cream

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste

1 1/2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce, or to taste

12 to 16 flour tortillas, warmed

Sliced fresh or pickled jalapeños

Preparation

Warm the corned beef in its cooking liquid, or wrap it in foil and set on a sheet pan in a 350-degree oven for 20 minutes or so.

Make the coleslaw: Mix cabbage and carrots together in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, yogurt or sour cream, cider vinegar, salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce to taste.

Pour half the sauce over the cabbage and carrots and toss to coat thoroughly. Season to taste. Reserve remaining sauce.

When the corned beef is hot, remove from liquid or foil and use two forks to shred it. Serve with the warmed tortillas, sliced jalapeños, the slaw, remaining white sauce and some hot pepper sauce.

HOMEMADE CORNED BEEF

This comes from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. He wrote, "“The reason to corn your own beef is flavor,” said Michael Ruhlman, a chef and passionate advocate of the process. He wrote about it with Brian Polcyn in their book, “Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking and Curing.” “You can achieve tastes that aren’t available in the mass produced versions,” he said. Feel free to experiment with the “pickling spices” called for below — you can customize them, if you like, from a base of coriander seeds, black peppercorns and garlic — but please do not omit the curing salt, which gives the meat immense flavor in addition to a reddish hue. (It’s perfectly safe, Mr. Ruhlman exhorts: “It’s not a chemical additive. Most of the nitrates we eat come in vegetables!”) Finally, if you want a traditional boiled dinner, slide quartered cabbage and some peeled carrots into the braise for the final hour or so of cooking. Or use the meat for Irish tacos."

Yield: 3 to 12 servings; Time: 3 hours, plus 5 days' bring

This was featured in "What if You Could Make Great Corned Beef?", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018642-homemade-corned-beef.

Ingredients

2 cups coarse kosher salt

1/2 cup sugar

5 garlic cloves, smashed

5 tablespoons pickling spices

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pink curing salt (sodium nitrite)

1 4- to 5-pound beef brisket

2 bottles of good beer

2 bottles of good ginger beer

Preparation

Brine the brisket: In a medium pot set over high heat, combine about a gallon of water, the salt, the sugar, the garlic, 3 tablespoons pickling spices and the pink curing salt. Stir mixture as it heats until sugar and salt are dissolved, about 1 minute. Transfer liquid to a container large enough for the brine and the brisket, then refrigerate until liquid is cool.

Place brisket in the cooled liquid and weigh the meat down with a plate so it is submerged. Cover container and place in the refrigerator for 5 days, or up to 7 days, turning every day or so.

To cook brisket, remove it from the brine and rinse under cool water. Place in a pot just large enough to hold it and cover with one of the beers and one of the ginger beers. If you need more liquid to cover the meat, add enough of the other beer, and the other ginger beer, to do so. Add remaining 2 tablespoons pickling spices. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn heat to low so liquid is barely simmering. Cover and let cook until you can easily insert a fork into the meat, about 3 hours, adding water along the way if needed to cover the brisket.

Keep warm until serving, or let cool in the liquid and reheat when ready to eat, up to three or four days. Slice thinly and serve on sandwiches, in Irish tacos (see recipe) or with carrots and cabbage simmered until tender in the cooking liquid.

INDIVIDUAL MEAT LOAVES

This yummy recipe is from Ina Garten on the Food Network. Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; Level: Intermediate; Yield: 6 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/individual-meat-loaves-recipe-1952034.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon good olive oil

3 cups chopped yellow onions (3 onions)

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup canned chicken stock or broth

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 1/2 pounds ground chuck (81 percent lean)

1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs (recommended: Progresso)

2 extra-large eggs, beaten

1/2 cup ketchup (recommended: Heinz)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan. Add the onions, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent but not brown. Off the heat, add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste. Allow to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, onion mixture, bread crumbs, and eggs, and mix lightly with a fork. Don't mash or the meatloaf will be dense.

Divide the mixture into 6 (10 to 11-ounce) portions and shape each portion into a small loaf on a sheet pan. Spread about a tablespoon of ketchup on the top of each portion. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the internal temperature is 155 to 160 degrees F and the meat loaves are cooked through. Serve hot.

STEAK, ROASTED TOMATO AND BEAN CHILI

Recipe Yield: Makes 8 servings.

Source: TBC

Recipe and photo appears courtesy of Cattlemen's Beef Promotion Board.

To view this online, go to https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/steak-roasted-tomato-and-bean-chili.

Ingredients

3 pounds Shoulder Steaks, cut 3/4-inch thick

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2-1/2 cups no-salt added roasted tomato salsa

1/4 cup chili powder

2 tsp ground cumin

2 cans (15 ounces each) no-salt added black beans, rinsed, drained

Optional Toppings/Additions

Guacamole, chopped fresh cilantro, chopped purple onion, chopped tomato, shredded cheese

Directions

Cut beef steaks into 3/4-inch pieces.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in stockpot over medium heat until hot. Brown beef in three batches. Set aside.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil, bell pepper and onion to same stockpot. Cook and stir 6 to 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Return beef and accumulated juices to stockpot.

Add salsa, chili powder and cumin; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover tightly and simmer 1-3/4 to 2-1/4 hours or until beef is fork-tender.

Stir in beans; cook, uncovered, 10 to 15 minutes or until beans are heated through, stirring occasionally.

Serve chili in bowls. Garnish with Toppings, as desired.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 289; Fat: 10 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Fiber: 6 g; Sodium: 264 mg; Cholesterol: 78 mg; Protein: 32 g; Carbohydrates: 23 g

CAJUN-STYLE MEATLOAF

This comes from Diana Rattray at The Spruce Eats. She wrote, "This Cajun-style meatloaf is packed with flavor and healthy ingredients. The loaf is made with ground beef and ground pork, making for a moist and flavorful meatloaf. The "holy trinity" of onion, bell pepper, and celery, along with Cajun seasonings give the meatloaf Louisiana flavor.

"Use ketchup or chili sauce as a topping for the meatloaf, or make a delicious homemade Creole sauce for topping and serving. Fresh or store-bought salsa is another excellent option.

"Serve meatloaf sliced with some ketchup or salsa on the side. Some sides that go well with meatloaf are boiled or mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, green beans, corn, peas, and broccoli."

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 75 minutes; Total Time: 95 minutes; Makes 6 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/spicy-cajun-seasoned-meatloaf-3058296.

Ingredients

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1/4 cup onion (finely chopped)

1/4 cup red bell pepper (or green, finely chopped)

1/4 cup celery (finely chopped)

1 large egg (beaten)

1/4 cup milk

1/3 cup finely ground breadcrumbs

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

1/2 pound ground pork (or more beef)

1 medium tomato (seeds removed, cored, finely chopped)

1 1/2 teaspoons salt-free Cajun seasoning

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Optional: ketchup (or chili sauce)

Directions

Heat the oven to 350 F.

Line a rimmed baking pan with foil or spray a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook until the vegetables are softened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg with the milk; add the breadcrumbs, beef and pork, chopped tomato, Cajun seasoning, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Add the cooled vegetable mixture and blend well with your hands.

Optionally, to check a meatloaf for seasoning, take a small amount and shape it into a flat patty. Fry the patty until it is cooked through and taste it. Adjust the seasonings, as needed.

Loosely pack the meatloaf mixture into the prepared baking pan or loaf pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

If desired, spread ketchup or chili sauce over the top of the meatloaf about 10 minutes before done.

Tips

If your Cajun seasoning contains salt, increase the Cajun seasoning to 2 1/2 teaspoons and decrease the salt to 1/2 teaspoon.

To check a meatloaf for doneness, use a reliable instant-read thermometer. The minimum safe temperature for ground beef or pork is 160 F. Ground poultry must be cooked to a temperature of at least 165 F.

Instead of the classic loaf shape, bake the meatloaf mixture in muffin tins.

Bake two loaves and freeze one for a future meal.

GOULASH

This is from Molly O'Neill at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Molly wrote, "There is no high drama about simmering a stew. However fine, stew is a homey, intimate exchange, a paean to the way living things improve when their boundaries relax, when they incorporate some of the character and flavor of others. Soulful, a word inextricably linked with a good sturdy stew, is the payoff to the cook who plans a little and has the patience to abide."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

This recipe was featured in "A Simmer of Hope", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/4736-goulash.

Ingredients

2 teaspoons unsalted butter

2 medium onions, peeled and thinly sliced

2 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

1 pound beef stewing meat, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups beef broth, homemade or low-sodium canned

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preparation

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until wilted, about 10 minutes. Stir in the paprika and caraway seeds and cook 1 minute more. In a bowl, toss the beef with the flour to coat well. Add the beef to the onion mixture. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup of the broth, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot. Gradually stir in the remaining broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a slow simmer. Cover and cook until the beef is tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Stir in the lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Serve over wide egg noodles.