Where's the Beef?

Today's post deals with a question from an old commercial: "Where's the beef?", and includes Bush’s® Big Game Chili and Chef John's American Goulash. Enjoy!

HEARY BEEF STEW WITH RED ONIONS AND ALE

This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, "In this cozy beef stew, tender chunks of meat in a silky, savory, ale-tinged sauce share the pot with wedges of red onion and sweet nuggets of carrot. A little coriander and allspice add fragrance and depth to the mix, while a spoonful of tomato paste deepens and rounds out the flavors. Like all stews, it tastes even better a day or two later, and can be frozen for up to two months. Serve it over something soft and buttery to soak up the sauce: a mound of mashed potatoes, noodles or polenta."

Time: 3 hours; Yield: 6 servings

This was featured in "Looking for Comfort? Turn to This Beef Stew", and can be found online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021592-hearty-beef-stew-with-red-onions-and-ale.

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch chunks

Kosher salt and black pepper

3 medium red onions

1 to 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more as needed

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

2 cups beef or chicken stock, preferably homemade

1 cup ale or beer (nonalcoholic is fine)

1 rosemary sprig

3 carrots, sliced

1 tablespoon cider vinegar or sherry vinegar, plus more to taste

Chopped chives, for garnish

Flaky sea salt, for garnish

Preparation

Season the beef all over with salt and pepper. Set aside while you prepare the onions.

Peel the onions. Cut 2 of them in half root to stem, then thinly slice them crosswise into half-moons. Cut the third onion, root to stem, into 1/2-inch wedges.

Dust the beef cubes lightly with flour. Heat butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a large Dutch oven or other pot over medium-high. Add beef, in batches taking care not to crowd the pan, and sear until it’s good and dark all over, 5 to 6 minutes per batch. Transfer beef cubes to a bowl as they brown. Add more oil and adjust heat if necessary to prevent burning.

Stir in sliced onions and raise heat to medium-high if you lowered it. Cook until pale golden brown and soft, 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant and lightly golden at the edges, 2 to 3 minutes longer.

Make a well in the center of the onions, then stir in tomato paste, coriander and allspice; cook, stirring until paste is darkened, 1 minute. Stir in stock, ale, 1 cup water and rosemary sprig. Return beef and any juices to the pot and bring to a simmer. Partly cover the pot and simmer gently for 45 minutes.

Give the beef a stir, then add onion wedges. Simmer for 15 minutes, then stir in carrots and continue to simmer until the meat, onions and carrots are tender, 30 to 45 minutes longer.

If the sauce seems thin, use a slotted spoon to transfer meat and vegetables to a platter; cover with foil to keep warm. Discard the rosemary. Return pot with liquid to stove and simmer until thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in vinegar. Taste and add more salt and vinegar if you like. Spoon sauce over meat and garnish with chives, flaky sea salt and more black pepper.

CHEF JOHN'S AMERICAN GOULASH

This comes from Chef John at Allrecipes. He wrote, "One of my all-time favorite comfort food meals growing up was the beef goulash they served in my school cafeteria alongside a slice of buttered white bread and a carton of milk. Little did I know that it wasn't really goulash, but an Americanized version, invented to stretch a small amount of beef into enough food for a not-so-small family. This is one of those very simple dishes that does not taste simple--perfect for your weeknight dinner rotation."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour; Additional Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; Servings: 12

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/275489/chef-johns-american-goulash/.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, diced

2 pounds ground beef

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste

2 tablespoons paprika

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

2 bay leaves

1 quart chicken broth

1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 (24 ounce) jar marinara sauce

1 cup water

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 cups elbow macaroni

1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley

1 cup shredded white Cheddar cheese (Optional)

Directions

Heat oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and ground beef. Cook, breaking the meat into small pieces, until browned, about 5 minutes. Cook and stir until liquid is evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes more. Add garlic, salt, black pepper, cayenne, paprika, Italian seasoning, and bay leaves.

Cook and stir until flavors come together, about 3 minutes. Pour in chicken broth, diced tomatoes, and marinara sauce. Rinse out the jar with 1 cup water and pour into the pot. Add soy sauce, stir, and bring soup to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and simmer to let flavors intensify, about 30 minutes.

Increase heat to medium-high and bring soup to a simmer. Add macaroni; simmer, stirring occasionally, until just barely tender, about 12 minutes. Check for doneness after 10 minutes.

Remove goulash from heat. Discard bay leaves; stir in parsley and Cheddar cheese. Cover and let rest for 5 minutes. Taste and season as desired.

Chef's Notes:

Make your own Italian herb mix with any desired blend of oregano, thyme, rosemary, sage, parsley, and basil.

Feel free to swap water for chicken broth.

You can also add beans to turn this into an excellent pasta fazool.

TACO SPAGHETTI BAKE

This is from Betty Crocker kitchens, and begins, "This easy, family friendly casserole, dotted with melty pockets of cheese, proves that tacos and spaghetti are a match made in heaven."

Prep Time: 35 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes; Makes 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/taco-spaghetti-bake/d777fa4f-7a46-4106-a893-bbc49e9fa97c.

Ingredients

12 oz uncooked spaghetti

1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef

1 cup chopped onion

1 package (1 oz) Old El Paso™ original taco seasoning mix

1/4 cup water

1 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso™ chopped green chiles

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 can (14.5 oz) Muir Glen™ organic fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can (15 oz) Muir Glen™ organic tomato sauce

2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (8 oz)

8 oz Kraft™ Velveeta™ pasteurized prepared cheese product, cut in 1/2-inch cubes

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cook spaghetti to al dente as directed on package.

In 5-quart Dutch oven, cook beef and onion over medium heat 8 to 9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown; drain. Stir in taco seasoning mix, water, chiles and cumin; stir until well blended. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese and the spaghetti; stir well to blend. Pour mixture into baking dish. Scatter cheese cubes throughout casserole, and push gently into pasta mixture. Top with remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until cheese is melted and lightly browned.

Expert Tips

Garnish with sour cream, sliced jalapeño chiles and chopped fresh cilantro.

Ground turkey can be substituted for ground beef in this recipe.

SMOTHERED SKILLET BEEF BURRITOS

This is from Betty Crocker kitchens, and begins, "Love burritos and enchiladas? With these hearty burritos, smothered in enchilada sauce, you never have to choose a favorite! They come together in one skillet for a quick dinner that’s packed with Mexican flavor."

The recipe ends with, "If you need a way to combine your love for enchiladas and burritos, this is the recipe for you! Let’s face it — the best part of enchiladas is the melty cheese and enchilada sauce, so why wouldn’t a skillet of hearty beef burritos smothered in the same topping be just as delicious? Once you’ve made this recipe, if you still have a hankering for more, we’ve got plenty more burrito recipes for scoping out your next dinner idea. We’ve got breakfast burrito recipes, too, so you can eat burritos for all meals of the day! Looking for a lighter swap? We bet this recipe would be just as tasty made with ground turkey. "

Prep Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes; Makes 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/smothered-skillet-beef-burritos/15381158-d997-40e2-b7ef-86685ee2c54d.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef

1/2 cup diced onion

1 package (1 oz) Old El Paso™ original taco seasoning mix

1/2 cup water

1 package (11 oz) Old El Paso™ flour tortillas for burritos (8 inch)

1 cup Old El Paso™ refried beans (from 16-oz can)

1 1/2 cups cooked rice

2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (8 oz)

1 can (10 oz) Old El Paso™ enchilada sauce

Chopped fresh cilantro leaves, if desired

Lime wedges, if desired

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. In 12-inch ovenproof skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add beef and onion; cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown. Drain, and return mixture to skillet. Stir in taco seasoning mix and water. Cook over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes longer or until thickened. Transfer to medium bowl. Clean out skillet; spray with cooking spray.

Place tortillas on work surface. Divide refried beans, rice and beef mixture among centers of tortillas in 4-inch long strip. Evenly top with 1 cup of the cheese. Roll up into burritos, and place seam side down in skillet. Bake 25 minutes.

Drizzle with enchilada sauce; sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake 8 to 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and burritos are heated through (165°F). Serve with cilantro and lime wedges.

Expert Tips

To roll burritos, fold one edge of tortilla over length of filling, tucking filling in slightly. Then fold two short edges over. Roll filled tortilla over toward remaining unfolded edge.

For a fun twist, swap 1 can (15 oz) Progresso™ black beans, drained and rinsed, for the refried beans.

BUSH’S® BIG GAME CHILI

This is from BUSH'S® Best, and begins, "Your friends will become big fans of this hearty chili recipe, made with two types of BUSH'S® Chili Beans. Garnish with chopped green onions and sour cream for added flavor."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 35 minutes; Servings: 10 cups

To view this online, go to https://bushbeans.com/en_US/recipe/big-game-chili.

Ingredients

1 can (16 oz) BUSH'S® Chili Beans

1 can (16 oz) BUSH'S® Dark Red Kidney Beans

1 lb lean ground beef

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes

1 can (6 oz) tomato paste

1/2 cup water

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp chili powder

2 tsp oregano

2 cloves garlic, chopped

Garnish:

Chopped green onion

Sour cream

Directions

In large pan, cook beef, onion, and green pepper until meat is browned. Drain excess grease.

Stir in remaining ingredients, except green onion and sour cream. Bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Garnish with green onion and dollop of sour cream.

EASY BEEF BURRITO SKILLET

This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "This tasty one pan dish is done in less than 20 minutes and dishes are done in less than 1!"

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Makes 6 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/easy-beef-burrito-skillet.

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef

1 (1 oz) package Old El Paso™ taco seasoning mix

1 cup water

1 cup chunky salsa

1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

4 (6 inch) Old El Paso™ Flour Tortillas, sliced into 1-inch strips

1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup sliced green onions

Preparation

In a large skillet, brown beef until no longer pink. Drain. Add taco seasoning, water, salsa, and beans. Cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Reduce heat to low.

Stir in the tortilla strips and then top with cheese. Remove skillet from heat and let cheese melt.

Top with sour cream in the center and sprinkle with green onions. Serve immediately.

Expert Tips

Use a mild salsa if you're making it for kids.

You can stack your tortillas and use a pizza cutter to slice them all in one easy step.