Italian Recipe: Homemade Bolognese Sauce

Perhaps one of our favorite pasta sauces is the Beef Bolognese. It's a good, hearty ragù sauce that fills you up with some protein to balance out the carb-loaded pasta. Bolognese sauce comes from the vibrant, northern Italian city of Bologna, though exactly what constitutes an authentic sauce & pasta combination is hard to say.

Historians and foodies bicker over the type of pasta to use: purists argue for tagliatelle, while others even opt for macaroni noodles. Some say tomatoes and tomato paste should be kept to a minimum. One thing is for sure: a good bolognese has a soffrito base of aromatic and flavorful veggies. Our recipe incorporates sautéed onion, carrots and celery.  It makes for a sauce with rich flavor and wonderful texture. Read on for the full recipe... 

Bolognese Ragù Sauce

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons minced onion
• 2 tablespoons minced carrot
• 2 tablespoons minced celery
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 3/4 lb ground beef chuck
• 4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• table salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 28oz can whole tomatoes, finely chopped, juice reserved

1. Cook the bacon in a pan until crispy. Pat with paper towels, then crumble.

2. Heat the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, garlic, and celery. Sautè until softened but now browned (about 6 minutes).

3. Add ground meat, bacon, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Use the edge of a wooden spoon to crumble meats with the edge of a wooden spoon so no clumps remain. Cook the meat until it loses its raw color, but has not yet browned (about 3 minutes).

4. Add milk and bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer until the milk evaporates and only clear fat remains.

5. Add wine and bring to a simmer until the wine evaporates. Add tomatoes and their juice to bring to a simmer.

6. Reduce the head to low so the sauce just barely continues to simmer until the liquid has evaporated (about 3 hours.)

7. Adjust seasonings with extra salt to taste and serve. 

8. Enjoy!

Street Food Recipe: Russian Beef Chebureki

Never heard of chebureki? Well, if you haven't been to Eastern Europe (and particularly Russia), that's not surprising! Over there it's a massively popular street food, and it's not so different from a Mexican empanada. Chebureki are made from unleavened dough. They're filled with spices, onions and ground meat, and fried in oil. Pop one as a snack or make a plate as an appetizer to share with family and friends. 

No time to make homemade dough? You can also throw these together with raw tortillas from the refrigerated foods aisle at your local grocery store. Read on for our favorite recipe... 

Beef Chebureki

(makes 7 servings)

Ingredients:

2 1⁄2 cups flour

1⁄2 cup water

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon vodka (optional)

1⁄2 teaspoon sugar (white)

1⁄2 pound ground beef

1⁄2 onion (medium, finely chopped)

6 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon parsley flakes (or finely chopped fresh parsley)

vegetable oil (for deep frying)

salt and pepper (to taste)

 

 

Directions:1. In a large bowl, sift together sugar, salt (about 1/3 teaspoon) and flour. Add olive oil and vodka. Add water to the flour mixture (a small amount at a time) mixing it and kneading dough until it's even, soft and doesn't stick to your hands. Add a little more flour if the dough is sticky, or water if it's stiff. Place the dough aside and prepare the filling.
2. In a separate bowl, mix together ground beef, finely chopped onion and parsley. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and stir in milk.

3. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough until it is about 1/10-1/8 inch thick. Cut circles using a small tea plate. Gather the rest of the dough into a ball and roll again. Repeat until you used all the dough.

4. Place about 2 tablespoons of the filling on one side of the circle, leaving 1/2 inch space at the edges.

5. Fold the other half of the circle over and pinch the edges firmly together using your fingers.

6. Make sure there is no air inside chebureki and the edges are closed tightly. 

7. In a large skillet, heat the oil for deep frying (it should cover about 1/2 of a cheburek), reduce heat to medium and place 3 or 4 chebureki into oil (depending on the size of your skillet). Fry chebureki on both sides until nicely and evenly brown (about 5 minutes per each side).

8. Drain on paper towels, let rest for a few minutes. Serve while still hot.

Mexican Recipe: Delicious Beef Tacos

Tacos can be found all over the world, though of course they originated down south in Mexico. They first made their appearance in the 19th century around the silver mines. So what makes the taco so special? Well much like a sandwich, tacos are incredibly customizable. Every last detail of a taco is up to the eater from the shell, to the protein, to the garnishes. Everyone has their own way of building their taco.

This recipe is for what is probably the most common form of taco we know: the beef taco. No, we aren't just dropping a packet of pre-seasoned mix into a pan, we're using fresh spices to really make this dish pop! Keep reading below for the recipe...

Beef Tacos

(makes 8 servings)

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons corn oil
• 1 small onion, chopped small
• 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1lb ground beef (at least 90%lean)
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce (NOT pasta sauce)
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons cider vinegar

Directions

1. Heat oil in the skilled over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally until softened.
2. Add garlic, spices, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and stir, cooking until fragrant (about 1 minutes).
3. Add ground beef, and brown. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to prevent scorching.
4. Add tomato sauce, chicken broth, brown sugar, and vinegar. Bring to a simmer.
5. Reduce the heat to medium low to keep simmering, stirring occasionally. Make sure to break the meat up so there are no big chunks.
6. Once the liquid has reduced and thickened (about 10 minutes), taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Serve in taco shells or tortillas, top as desired. 
8. Enjoy!

Comfort Food Classic: Our Favorite Glazed Meatloaf

When you're in need of comfort food, it's hard to beat the ease and traditional feel of a classic meatloaf. There are many variations on the dish, but the end product is almost always the same: a loaf of meat that is cut into slices like bread and served, often times with a savory gravy.

Interestingly, while meatloaf as we know it only really entered cookbooks in the late 1900's, it dates back to the 5th century, originating in the area around what would become Germany and Belgium. This cousin to the Dutch meatball made its way over to America during colonial times where it was made of ground pork and cornmeal. Today, meatloaf typically consists of ground beef, vegetables, and bread crumbs. This recipe, however, calls for something a little different: crushed saltine crackers. Scroll below for the details...

Glazed Meatloaf Recipe

(makes 4-6 servings)

Ingredients

• 3 ounces grated Monterey Jack cheese
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup minced onion
• 1 rib celery, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 carrot, minced
• 1/2 cup minced green onion, including the onion greens
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/3 cup ketchup for meatloaf, and 1/2 cup for glaze
• 1 1/2 lbs of ground beef (chuck, or 85% lean)
• 3/4lbs Italian pork sausage casing removed
• 1 cup crushed saltine crackers
• 2 large eggs, beaten slightly
• 1/3 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
• 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Spread the cheese out on a plate and place in the freezer until ready to use.
3. Lay out a rimmed baking sheet and place a cooling rack in the center. Wrap the cooking rack in foil, and use a skewer to poke holes into the foil, then spray with cooking spray or lightly coat with oil.
4. Heat the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat until foaming. Add onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and green onions. Cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes, or until carrots are tender.
5. Add salt, black pepper, thyme, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, and 1/3 cup of ketchup. Cook for another minute, then set aside to allow to cool.
6. Whisk together broth and eggs in a large bowl until combined. Stir in saltines, parsley, and the onion mixture.
7. Crumble the frozen cheese, then sprinkle over the mixture.
8. Add ground beef, then mix gently with your hands.
9. Transfer the meat to the foil on the cooking rack and shape into a 10" x 6" rectangle or so, smoothing out the top and edges with a moistened spatula.
10. Bake about 55 to 65 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the center reads 135F to 140F.
11. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and turn on the broiler.
12. While the meatloaf is cooking, combine 1/2 cup ketchup, the hot pepper sauce, ground coriander, cider vinegar, and brown sugar in a small saucepan.
13. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently until thick and syrupy (about 5 minutes).
14. Spread half the glaze over the cooked meatloaf , then place under the broiler.
15. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until glaze bubbles and begins to brown.
16. Remove the meatloaf from the oven again and spread on the remaining glaze, then broil for another 5 minutes.
17. Let the meatloaf cool 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
18. Enjoy!

Italian Recipe: Amazing Beef and Sausage Lasagna

Homemade lasagna is one of those hearty, cheesy, belly-warming dishes that provides the cook many opportunities for creativity and improvisation.

Most recipes call for using one type of meat - beef - as the main ingredient; however, using only ground beef can render the dish too bland, and relying solely on Italian sausage can overpower it. By using the flavor profile of both, you'll end up with a unique balance that's just right. Keep reading below for our favorite two-meat lasagna recipe...

Lasagna Recipe

(makes 12 servings)

Ingredients

• 1lb sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
• 3/4 lb lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup minced yellow onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 28oz crushed tomatoes no salt added
• 12oz tomato paste
• 13oz tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespooon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 12 lasagna noodles
• 16oz ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4lb mozzarella cheese, sliced
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

• In a Dutch oven, cook the sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until the meat is well browned.
• Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water.
• Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, 2 tablespoons parsley.
• Let the mixture simmer for about 1 1/2 hours, covered, stirring occasionally.
• Bring a large pot of slightly salted water to a boil.
• Cook noodles in the boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes.
• Drain and rinse the noodles.
• In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• Preheat the oven to 375F
• In a 9"x13" basking dish, spread 1 1/2 cups of the meat sauce on the bottom. Arrange half the noodles lengthwise over the meat sauce. Spread half the ricotta cheeze mixture over the noodles, then add a third of the mozzarella cheese slices. Top with another 1 1/2 cups of the meat sauce, then add 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. Repeat this process with the remaining ingredients, then top it all with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
• Cover with foil, then bake for 25 minutes.
• Remove the foil, then bake an additional 25 minutes.
• Let cool 15 minutes before serving.
• Enjoy!

Fix-And-Forget Recipe: Slow-Cooked Beef Stew

Today's recipe is yet another hearty dish designed to warm you up on a chilly day. This beef stew is filled with delicious beef and vegetables, and best of all it doesn't take much work to make. Just add the ingredients to a slow cooker before leaving for work, and by the time you get back the stew should be ready to serve the family.

Like any slow cooker recipe, this beef stew is absolutely open to all sorts of additions and adjustments. Play around with different broths, add a cup of red wine, or throw in a few extra spices as you see fit. Keep reading below for our delicious beef stew recipe...

Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe

(makes 6-8 servings)

Ingredients

• 1 large onion
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 large potatoes, cut into 1/2" chunks
• 1 cup fresh green beans cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1lb stew-meat beef chunks
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 3 cups beef stock
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste

Directions

1. Put the ingredients except for the flour and tomato paste into the slow cooker and stir to combine.
2. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours or high for 4 to 5 until the beef is tender and potatoes are fork-tender.
3. Stir the stew once or twice as it cooks if possible.
4. 30 minutes before serving, transfer a ladle-ful of broth to a small mixing bowl.
5. Add the flour and tomatoe paste. Whisk until mooth, then stir the mixture back into the stew and cook for the remaining half hour.
6. Serve hot.
7. Enjoy!

Comfort Food Classic: Dilled Pot Roast in Mushroom Sauce

Pot roast is an American classic. When looking for a recipe, we wanted something simple that you could set up in the morning and have ready by the time you're home from work. Of course, what pot roast is complete without a sauce to be served with it?

This recipe uses fresh mushrooms, sour cream, and the roast drippings to create a savory, complex flavor that perfectly complements the meat. Serve this dish with vegetables on the side (we love green beans with this) for a complete meal. Keep reading below for our pot roast recipe...

Dilled Pot Roast with Mushroom Sauce

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

• 2.5 to 3lbs top round beef roast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped (or 2 tsp dried dill)
• 1 onion, cut into 4 thick slices
• 4 ribs celery, cut into chunks
• 1/2 cup red wine divided
• 1/4 cup water
• 1lb mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup light sour cream

Directions

1. Mix together salt, pepper, and dill.
2. Pat the roast dry, then rub the seasoning all over.
3. Place onion slices and clery in the bottom of the slow cooker.
4. Pour water and 1/4 cup red wine over the vegetables.
5. Place the roast on top of the vegetables.
6. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.
7. When roast is almost done, saute the mushrooms in an oiled pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the mushrooms are tender.
8. Turn the heat on low and stir in the sour cream and remaining 1/4 cup red wine. Season with salt and pepper.
9. Remove the roast from the slow cooker onto a serving plate. scoop out vegetables with a slotted spoon and serve with the roast.
10. Stir in any drippings left in the slow cooker with the mushroom sauce.
11. Pour mushroom sauce on top of the roast and serve.
12. Enjoy!

Hearty English Recipe: Cottage Pie

or a fairly simple dish, look no further than the rustic roots of the United Kingdom. Cottage pie (also known as shepherd's pie when the meat is lamb) is a traditional dish cooked by shepherds and farmers.

Because lamb has fallen out of the American palette, most modern cottage pies are made with ground beef. We added in a few additional seasonings to really make the flavors pop in this dish. Keep in mind, this dish is a meal on its own. There is no need to serve it with additional sides, save perhaps for some leftover Yorkshire pudding.

Cottage Pie Recipe

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2lbs lean ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped carrots
• 1/2 cup corn
• 1/3 cup peas
• 1 1/2lbs to 2lbs potatoes.
• 8 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400F
2. Peel and quarter the potatoes. Boil in lightly salted water for about 20 minutes (or until tender).
3. Meanwhile, melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large frying pan.
4. Saute the onions and carrots in the butter until tender (about 10 minutes). 
5. Add the ground beef and saute until well browned.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste with Worcestershire sauce, beef broth, thyme, rosemary, and cornstarch.
7. Cook uncovered over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure it's well mixed.
8. In a bowl, mash the potatoes with the remaining butter, minced garlic, and salt to taste.
9. Place beef and vegetable mixture in the bottom of a baking dish. Distribute the mashed potatoes on top. Feel free to use a fork to make interesting patterns in the mashed potatoes.
10. Distribute the shredded cheese on top.
11. Bake in the oven until bubbling and brown on top (about 30 minutes). For a slightly more crusty top, broil for the last few minutes.
12. Enjoy!

Comfort Food Recipe: Slow Cooked Beef Stroganoff

Here's a great recipe for beef stroganoff filled with plenty of that mushroom and onion flavor. It's interesting to note, though, that the earliest versions of the recipe, (dating back to the 1860's) didn't have onions or mushrooms like most of us today would expect. Instead, the dish was traditionally cooked with mustard and bullion.

This recipe, however, is based off that 1950's-style dish that includes beef strips and a mushroom, onion, and sour cream sauce. Serve it over a bed of egg noodles, and garnish the dish with fresh dill to really make the flavors pop. Since this is a slow cooker recipe, you can prepare it the morning of, or even the night before and get home to a perfectly cooked meal. Keep reading below for our beef stroganoff recipe...

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

• 1lb round top steak, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 8oz sliced mushrooms (about 2 cups)
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1 cup beef broth
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese
• 8oz sour cream

Directions

1. Place steak, onion, parsley, Dijon mustard, salt, dried dill, black pepper, sliced mushrooms, and garlic into the slow cooker. Stir well
2. In a small bowl combine flour, Worcestershir sauce, and broth, whisking until well blended.
3. Add broth mixture to slow cooker, then stir well.
4. Cover with lid and cook on high heat for 1 hour, then reduce the heat to low and cook for another 7 to 8 hours or until steak is tender.
5. Before serving, stir in the cream cheese, and cook covered on high for another 10 minutes.
6. Stir in the sour cream, then serve over rice or egg noodles. Garnish with fresh dill or parsley
7. Enjoy!

Comfort Food Classic: Slow-Cooker Southwest Chili

Nothing beats a good chili on a cold day, especially when it's served with our favorite cornbread. We wanted to create a hearty, hot chili in true Southwest style: plenty of meat, plenty of beans, and of course corn. When crafting this recipe, we wanted to make something that was easy, because who wants to put in a lot of work when it's chilly outside and you just want to curl up by the fire? 

To make easy chili, the slow cooker felt natural. From there, it was finding the right layer of ingredients to really make this chili shine. We used canned beans for the simplicity, but if you would prefer to use dried beans, just quick brine them. Use 1/2lb dried pinto beans, and combine with 3 tablespoons of salt and 4 quarts of water in a large Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over high heat, then remove the pot from the heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour. After that, just drain and you're good to go. Ready to make some serious comfort food? Scroll below for our favorite slow-cooker chili recipe...

Slow-Cooker Southwest Chili

(makes 10 servings)

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 medium yellow onions, diced
• 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
• 6 gloves garlic, chopped
• 2 small cans corn kernels no salt added, drained
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 2lbs lean ground beef
• 1lb hot Italian sausage
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 28oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 can tomato paste
• 1 bottle lager (Sam Adams work very well)
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 tablespoon light molasses
• 2 15oz cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 small jalapeno chili peppers, seeded, stemmed, and diced
• 2 arbol peppers, seeded, stemmed, and diced
• 3 teaspoons minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

Directions

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook and break apart the ground beef and sausage. Cook until beef is evenly browned, and sausage is cooked (about 8 or so minutes). Drain and discard any excess grease.
2. Combine the remaining ingredients in the slow cooker. Cover, and cook on low for 10 hours, or high for 4 hours.
3. To serve, garnish with cheese and serve with sour cream.
4. Enjoy!

Easy Stir Fry Recipe: Beef With Broccoli

Today we're featuring a fantastic recipe straight out of your favorite Chinese restaurant: beef with broccoli. It's a little sweet, plenty tangy, and grounded in the earthy flavor from the broccoli. How could we get this stir fry recipe just right so the beef came out tender, not chewy, and the broccoli was cooked just right? Also, what makes the best sauce?

One staple of this stir-fry dish is its thinly sliced beef. Most food stores sell the beef pre-sliced as a sort of stir-fry beef, but don't fall for that. Instead, get a whole flank stead and cut it yourself against the grain, sliding it thin and at an angle. It'll give you good practice with your knife skills, and also lead to a more tender, better tasting beef that doesn't need to spend long in the wok. The thin slices of meat also carry some great flavor when marinated. We also blanched the broccoli before adding to the stir fry to give us the best, crisp texture. For the sauce, we used a combination of oyster sauce, soy sauce, and dry sherry. To find oyster sauce, look in the international section in your food store. Keep reading below for our favorite beef with broccoli recipe.

Beef With Broccoli

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

MARINADE

• 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon cooking oil
• 1 teaspoon dry sherry
• black pepper to taste

SAUCE

• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon dry sherry
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch

BEEF AND BROCCOLI

• 1lb flank steak
• 3/4lb broccoli florets
• 2 tablespoons high-heat cooking oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Directions

1. In a bowl, combine the ingredients of the marinade. Ad the beef, and let marinate for 10 minutes at room temperature.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the sauce and set aside.
3. Cook the broccoli in a small pot of boiling, salted water for 2 minutes then drain thoroughly.
4. Heat a large wok or skillet on high heat (don't use a non-stick skillet, or at the very least don't use a teflon coated skillet due to the high heat used in this recipe) until a drop of water sizzles and instantly evaporates on the surface of the pan.
5. Add the oil and swirl to coat. Immediately add the beef and spread out all over the surface of the wok or pan in a single layer, and allow to fry undisturbed for 1 minute. Flip the beef slices over, then add the garlic to the pan to fry for an additional 30 seconds. Pour in the sauce, add the broccoli and bring to a boil. Cook and stir until the sauce thickens (about 30 to 45 seconds). Serve hot over rice.
6. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Recipe: Beef Bourguignon

For a beef stew that's absolutely packed with flavor, look no further than beef bourguignon. It's a wonderfully savory dish with red wine, slow cooked beef, onions, and of course mushrooms. It's the perfect dish to enjoy on a cold, winter day.

When considering how to put this recipe together, we wanted to do something nice and simple. The natural solution, of course, was to use the slow cooker. With that in mind, we cooked the meat first: some bacon, followed by the beef cooked in the bacon fat followed by the vegetables to really help spread the flavor around. We deglazed the pan with some wine to add an extra layer of flavor to the dish before simmering it all in the slow cooker. To finish everything, we stirred in the bacon we cooked with the mushrooms. Keep reading below for this fantastic recipe...

Beef Bourguignon

(makes 6 servings)

Ingredients

• 6 slices thick cut bacon diced
• 3 lbs lean stew beef cut into 2" cubes
• 2 yellow onions, sliced
• 3 medium carrots, diced
• salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 3 cups red wine
• 3 cups beef stock
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1 bay leaf, crumbled
• 20 pearl onions peeled/skinned (or use thawed frozen ones)
• An herb bouquet of (4 parsley sprigs, one bay leaf, and one quarter teaspoon thyme all tied in cheesecloth)
• 1lb fresh white button mushrooms sliced

Directions

1. Warm up a skillet, then add the bacon. Cook until the fat has rendered and the bacon is nice and crispy. Remove the pan from the heat, and transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels. Pour off all but a tablespoon of bacon fat from the pan, reserving the rest of the grease for cooking.
2. Return the pan to medium-high heat. Pat the beef dry and sprinkle with flour, salt, and pepper.  Just before the bacon fat is smoking, add a single layer of beef cubes. Sear the meat in batches, flipping the pieces after 1 to 3 minutes.
3. After each batch, transfer the seared beef to the slow cooker. Deglaze the pan with 1/4 cup of wine, using a spatula or wooden spoon to scrape off any browned bits from the bottom of the pan while the wine simmers. Pour the wine over the seared meat once the pan is cleaned.
4. Add 1 more tablespoon of leftover bacon grease to the pan and repeat the  searing of the meat and deglazing of the pan until all the meat is seared.
5. Add one more tablespoon of the bacon grease to the pan and cook the yellow onions with 1/4 teaspoon of salt until soft and browned (6 to 8 minutes). Add the carrots and cook until softened. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook until fragrant. Transfer the vegetable mixture to the slow cooker.
6. Wipe the pan clean and warm one more tablespoon of bacon grease (or vegetable oil) over medium heat. Cook the mushrooms with 1/4 teaspoon salt until they release all their liquid and the liquid has evaporated. The mushrooms should end up a nice golden brown (about 8 to 10 minutes). Transfer the mushrooms to a clean bowl and set aside.
7. Stir together the mixture in the slow cooker with an additional 1 teaspoon salt, the thyme, and the crumbled bay leaf. Add the herb bouquet to the mixture and pour in the beef broth and remaining wine over the mixture. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
8. Just before serving, stir in the reserved bacon, pearl onions, and mushrooms, then cover and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove the herb bouquet the serve.
9. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Sandwich: French Dip Roast Beef

If there is one sandwich that is very popular in my house, it is a good roast beef with au jus sauce. Getting a great, authentic au jus sauce is hard. however. Sure, we could use a powdered gravy, but it just doesn't taste the same. I wanted to find a recipe that would provide a great au jus sauce as well as a fantastic roast beef just waiting to be thinly sliced and added to a sandwich.

It turns out, this great roast beef as well as the au jus can be made easily in the crock pot. That beef flavor was important, so of course cooking the roast in the crock pot was necessary. From there, we added a combination of soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce to get that classic flavor. To add a little more strength to the au jus, we cooked with whole peppercorns, a bay leaf, and used a little more beef broth in the base. Keep reading below for this fantastic recipe...

French Dip Roast Beef Sandwich

(makes 8 servings)

Ingredients

• 1 medium yellow onion
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3-4 peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• salt to taste
• 3lb boneless beef bottom roast

Directions

1. Slice the onion into 1/4" rings and layer the bottom of the crock pot.
2. Trim the roast of visible fat, then salt both sides of the roast. Place on top of the onions. 
3. Add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker, pouring the broth and soy sauce over the beef. If the roast isn't covered, add enough water to almost cover the meat in liquid.
4. Cover and cook on high for 4-6 hours or low 10-12 hours. Remove the meat from the liquid. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing thinly across the grain.
5. Serve the meat in a sandwich with a small cup of the au jus to the side.
6. Enjoy!

Satisfying Soup Recipe: Beef Stew

We wanted to make a stew that was not only hearty, but full of complex flavor. The trick was to use a large chuck eye roast for the marbling instead of standard stew beef.

From there, we used as large of a pan as possible to sear the beef. Crowd the beef chunks too close together, and the beef never has the proper chance to sear and brown. Then before adding the onions and carrots to the broth, we caramelized them. Keep reading below for this fantastic stew recipe...

Beef Stew Recipe

(makes 4-6 servings)

Ingredients

• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 boneless beef chuck eye roast cut into 1 1/2" pieces
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, halved and cut pole to pole into slices
• 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups red wine
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4oz salt pork
• 1lb Yukon Gold potatoes
• 1 1/2 cups frozen pearl onions, thawed
• 2 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
• 1/2 cup water
• salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 300F. In a small bowl, combine the garlic and tomato paste. Set aside.
2. Pat the meat dry with paper towels. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat until starting to smoke. Add Half the beef and cook until browned on all sides (about 8 minutes). Transfer the beef to a large plate and repeat with the remaining oil and beef.
3. Reduce the heat to medium and return the first batch of beef to the pot. Add the sliced onion and carrots to the Dutch oven and stir to combine with the beef. Cook, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits (1 to 2 minutes). Add the garlic and tomato paste mixture and cook, stirring constantly until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until no dry flour remains (about 30 seconds).
4. Slowly add the wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. Increase the heat to high and allow the wine to simmer until thickened and slightly reduced (about 2 minutes). Stir in the broth, bay leaves, thyme, and salt pork. Bring to a simmer, cover, and transfer to the oven. Cook for 1 1/2 hours.
5. Remove the pot from the oven, and remove and discard the bay leaves. Stir in the potatoes, cover, and return to the oven. Cook until the potatoes are almost tender (about 45 minutes).
6. Use a large spoon to skim off any excess fat from the surface of the stew. Stir in the pearl onions and cook over medium heat until the potatoes and onions are cooked through (about 15 minutes). The meat should offer a little resistance, but not be falling apart.
7. In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the 1/2 cup water and allow to soften for 5 minutes.
8. Increase the heat to high and stir in the softened gelatin mixture and simmer until the gelatin is dissolved and the stew is thickened (about 3 minutes). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
9. Enjoy!

Creative Meatball Recipe: Swedish Meatballs

We were in the mood for meatballs, but instead of relying on the tried and true Italian ones, we went for something a little different. Swedish meatballs hit the spot: a brown gravy sauce filled with delicious ingredients like nutmeg and cardamom. A surprise ingredient found its way into the meatballs: baking powder. This kept the meatballs delicate and juicy. Try serving these meatballs with a little lingonberry jelly on the side (cranberry or raspberry jam will also work), or why not mix the jelly right into the sauce? No matter how you serve these, they are nothing short of delicious. Keep reading below for this fantastic recipe...

Swedish Meatballs

(makes 6-8 servings)

Ingredients

MEATBALLS

• 1 large yellow onion, grated through a cheese grater
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2/3 cup milk
• 4 slices bread, crusts removed and cut into pieces
• 2 eggs
• 1lb ground pork
• 1 1/2lbs ground beef
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons black pepper

SAUCE

• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1 quart beef stock
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
• salt
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

Directions

1. Saute the grated onion in the butter over medium-high heat until the onions have softened and turned translucent (3-4 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the bread pieces with the milk. Set aside for 15-20 minutes, or until the bread soaks up all the milk. Once it has, process the bread in a food processor or blender, then pour it into a large bowl.
3. Add the cooled onions to the bread and milk mixture, then add the rest of the meatball ingredients. Mix well for about 2 minutes, or until all the ingredients are well combined.
4. Form the meat into individual meatballs. you should end up with about 40 to 50 meatballs.
5. Heat 6 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, reduce the heat to medium and add some of the meatballs, being careful to not crowd the pan. Work in batches, browning on all sides. Don't cook all the way through yet. Once browned, remove the meatballs from the pan and set aside, repeating with remaining meatballs.
6. With the remaining pan butter, whisk in the flour, stirring often to let the flour cook until it's about the color of coffee to form a roux.
7. Meanwhile, in another pot heat the beef stock until it's simmering. Slowly add the beef stock to the roux at little at a time, making sure to continually stir. Keep stirring until all the stock is in and the sauce becomes silky. Add the brown sugar and stir until dissolved.
8. Add the meatballs to the sauce and turn the heat down to low. Cover the pot and cook on low for 10 minutes. you may need to do this in batches.
9. To finish, remove the meatballs to a serving dish. Add the sour cream, salt, and lemon juice and mix well. Serve the meatballs with the sauce and lingonberry jelly on the side.
10. Enjoy!