Tag Archives: Beef

Slow Cooker Vietnamese Beef Pho

My husband and I got married five years ago this month.  On my bachelorette weekend, friends, seeking to figure out just how well I knew this man, had orchestrated a questionnaire à la The Newlyweds game show.  My husband had answered the questions in advance and as we prepared to go out on Saturday night, it was my job to give the same answers.  The more answers that matched-up, the better suited we were for each other.

Aside from the fact that the game was played (and I did not do very well), I don’t remember many of the questions from that evening with one exception.  When asked what my greatest fear was, my husband had answered that it was leaving the coffeemaker on.  And there it was.  For all my protestations that my fears were of a higher nature, I couldn’t deny that what causes me the most anxiety in life is being able to remember whether I unplugged a household appliance before leaving our home.

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Grilled Flank Steak with Watermelon Salsa

When it’s this hot, easy and refreshing are my two qualifications when it comes to preparing dinner. This recipe qualifies on both counts.  It also uses one of my favorite cuts of meat: the flank steak.  Lean and flavorful flank steak is an economical alternative to the prime cuts yet still a step up from the humble skirt steak.  Yes, some might say that flank steak has a reputation for being tough, but I promise that cooking it to medium-rare and slicing it against the grain will eliminate any gnashing of the teeth around your dinner table.

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Flank Steak with Argentine Chimichurri Sauce

Argentina is known for its beef, but it should also be known for the perfect condiment for that beef: chimichurri sauce.  An herb sauce that can be found on every table in Argentina (it’s the Argentine version of ketchup), this delicious sauce is the perfect accompaniment to any grilled meat.  From humble skirt steak to a New York strip, your belly will say “yes” to this flavorful and green addition to your next cook-out.

Traditionally, chimichurri sauce is made with parsley and oregano, but my version uses cilantro for a little twist.   For a busy weeknight, I love to serve chimichurri sauce with a flat iron steak or flank steak, both of which are fairly economical cuts of meat that easily feed a crowd.  With the help of a food processor to make the chimichurri sauce, dinner comes together in minutes.

Hungry for more?  Click here to see me demonstrating how to make this recipe on WCNC’s Charlotte Today show.

Keep reading for the recipe.
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Empanadas de Carne (Beef Empanadas)

In college, I spent a semester studying abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina.   The apartment where I lived during that time was above a little shop that sold empanadas by the dozen. Empanadas are turnovers that contain a variety of fillings.  My favorite type of empanada in Argentina was one filled with ham and cheese, reminiscent of a croque monsieur.   Packed in a large box and decoratively crimped to indicate their filling, these savory pastries were my South American substitute for pizza  and I ate dozens of them during my time abroad.
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Braised Pot Roast

Ready for the Oven

If you read my post from a couple weeks ago regarding my purchase of 50 pounds of apples, it will come as no surprise to you that I am also an impulse buyer when it comes to meat.  Whenever I see meat on sale at the grocery store, I can’t help but buy it.  Ribeyes, pork loins, and leg of lamb all find their way into my cart if the price is right.  At home, I either incorporate my recent purchase into a meal for that week or into the freezer it goes for a future dinner.

This method of selecting meat led me to pick up a 4 pound piece of meat a couple of weeks ago.  The price per pound was ridiculously low and the fact that it was a large hunk of red meat meant that it would be a hit with my husband.  I pulled it out of the freezer this weekend to defrost and spent much time thinking about how I would prepare it and how delicious it would be.  What I did not think too much about was what type of meat I had bought.  And when I finally took a minute to look at the label, I realized that I wasn’t working with prime rib, but rather a somewhat less exciting bottom round roast.  No wonder it was so cheap! 
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