Ribeye Steak Cast Iron Pan
Ingredients:
2 bone-in ribeye steaks (or one large 2” thick steak)
kosher salt & ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, smashed
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
Directions:
Pat both sides of the room temperature steak(s) dry: season generously with salt and pepper.
Heat a medium cast iron skillet over medium high heat until very hot, about 1-2 minutes; add canola oil. Place the steak(s) in middle of skillet and cook, turning every 2-3 minutes, until a dark crust has formed on both sides, (about 12-14 minutes for one 2” thick steak). Reduce heat to medium low. Push steak(s) to one side of the skillet; add butter, garlic, thyme & rosemary to opposite side of the skillet, tilting the skillet towards the butter and cooking until butter is foaming, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Working carefully, spoon butter over steak(s) for 1-2 minutes, turning over once, until it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F for medium, or until desired doneness. Let rest 10 minutes. Serve individual steaks whole, or slice 2” steak.
Serve immediately.
Serves 3 -4
From prep to table 45 minutes
Shirley’s Oven Baked or Slow Cooker Roast Beef
(this recipe can be put into a slow cooker also – cook on low for 6 to 8 hours for fall apart tender – add vegetables with about 1.5 hours left)
Ingredients:
3 to 4 pounds Boneless Beef Chuck or English Roast
Butter or Margarine (butter does make a big difference!)
One can Campbell’s Golden Mushroom Soup (do not add water)
One packet Lipton’s or Knorr’s Dry Onion Soup Mix
Fresh Sliced Mushrooms
Optional – other fresh vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, onions
2 to 3 Beef Bouillon Cubes
Salt & Pepper to taste
Directions:
Sear roast beef on top of the stove 1 to minutes on each side in margarine or butter in a Dutch oven that can be put in the oven.
Spread Campbell’s Golden Mushroom Soup on top of the roast (do not add water to the soup concentrate). Sprinkle Lipton or Knorr Onion Soup Mix over the soup concentrate. Add sliced fresh mushrooms on top of the soup mixtures. If you wish to add other vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, or onions, add them later in the baking process – about 1 hour left in the baking time. Add one soup can of water to the bottom of the Dutch oven. Do not pour directly onto the soup layers.
Bake in 325 degree F oven in the covered Dutch Oven. Cooking the roast 3 to 4 hours at this low temperature will make the meat very tender and falling apart. The soup/water mixture keeps the meat very moist even cooking it this long. If you prefer to slice your roast, cook a shorter amount of time.
Remove roast and vegetables from Dutch oven and place on a serving platter or storage dish. Spoon some of the thin beef stock onto it. Cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
On top of the stove, add beef bullion cubes for added seasoning to the thin mixture in the Dutch oven. Taste mixture. If it is too rich, add a little water. This is the time to add salt & pepper to taste. Bring to a boil – use a corn starch/water thickening to bring the consistency to the level that you prefer for gravy.
The thin beef stock can also be saved the way it is to do noodles another day. Don’t thicken the stock if you are going to cook noodles in the mixture.
The gravy is great with mashed potatoes.
Leftovers are wonderful as a sandwich with fresh bread and your favorite toppings such as yellow mustard or horseradish sauce and including the cooked mushrooms. Warm the mushrooms and beef slightly, put on buttered bread with condiments. Yum! Mert’s favorite!
Korean Bulgogi
Ingredients:
½ medium yellow onion sliced into slivers
2 green onions
3 cloves minced fresh garlic
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 pinches ground black pepper
2 tablespoons roasted sesame seeds yellow or black
¼ teaspoon finely minced ginger (optional)
Up to a tablespoon of agave syrup or honey (optional)
Vegetable oil
1 – 1.5 pounds of thinly (shaved) boneless ribeye steak
Directions:
Add the onions, green onions, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, red pepper flakes, pepper and sesame seeds to a medium size bowl. Add the optional minced ginger if you like. Whisk all the ingredients for about 10 seconds.
Add the sliced beef to the bowl and gently massage the beef with the Bulgogi marinade for approximately 2 minutes.
If cooking the Bulgogi immediately, allow the beef to soak in the marinade for at least 30 minutes before cooking. If you plan on cooking later, cover the bowl in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator until ready to cook.
To cook the beef Bulgogi, drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to a hot pan – a cast iron or heavy pan works the best.
Add the marinated Bulgogi to the pan and cook the beef in batches, not to overcrowd the pan. The beef only needs about three minutes to cook. The Bulgogi should be cooked through – no medium rare beef.
Taste the Korean Bulgogi and if you would like it a bit sweeter, drizzle a little agave syrup or honey – ensure it is evenly coated. Repeat this process with each batch.
Serve the Bulgogi with steamed rice.
Serves 4
From prep to table 25 minutes
Recipe link sent to us from Tina Cooper, Eagle MI
How to Grill the Best Burger
Start with a clean grill – scrub with grill brush then oil the grill by dipping a folded paper towel in oil and rub the oil soaked towel on the grates.
Mert’s ground chuck or burger blend are the best lean to fat ratios for burgers.
Keep the Meat Cold. Heat from your hands combined with room-temp ground beef can melt and smear the fat, preventing the fat from binding with the lean meat, causing too much of it to render during the cooking process, resulting in a dry, dense burger. Keep the meat cold and shape the patties as quickly as possible. After you shape your patties, put them back into the fridge until you are ready to grill.
Don’t Over-Mix the Ground Beef. Evenly sprinkle your seasonings over the ground beef and use your hands to fold them in gently.
To correctly size your patties to fit on your buns, make your burgers about 1 inch thick at the edges, and one in larger than the bun.
Dimpling your Patties. Shape your patties so the outer ½ inch of the patty slightly taller than the middle. Rather than smash the patties together in your hands, place approximately 5 oz of meat on a tray or platter lined with parchment (or the shiny size of the butcher paper the meat came in). Gently flatten the top of the burger and make your wide shallow depression (dimple) with one hand while pressing your other hand against the sides, form a circle. This creates a depression without overheating or overworking the ground beef.
Preheat grill to 450 to 500 degrees before adding your patties, whether charcoal/wood or gas grills.
How Long to Grill Burgers. Check the temperature of the burger by inserting the meat thermometer through the side, not through the top.
Rare burgers cook 4 minutes (125 degrees internal temp)
Medium-Rare burgers cook 5 minutes (135 degrees internal temp)
Medium burgers cook 6-7 minutes (145 degrees internal temp)
Well-done burgers cook 8-9 minutes (160 degrees internal temp)
Flip – Don’t Press! – Your Burgers. Once you put those patties on the grill, don’t press them down. Pressing forces the fat and flavor out of the burgers which results in dry, bland patties. Feel free to frequently flip your burgers – it will cook the burger more evenly.
When to Add the Cheese? Add cheese about 1 minute before the burger is finished cooking.
When to Toast the Buns? Butter the top & bottom of the bun and then put them on the grill out of direct heat. Start toasting the buns when you have a minute left on the patties.
Don’t Forget to Rest Your Burgers. Let the burgers rest for a minute after they come off the grill. This allows time for the juices to redistribute throughout the burger.
How To Grill The Best Burgers
Ingredients:
2 pounds ground chuck OR burger blend – keep cold
4 cloves minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced fresh onion
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 ¾ teaspoons ground black pepper
½ teaspoons salt
6 hamburger buns
Butter for buns
Directions:
Put the cold ground beef in mixing bowl. Sprinkle the other ingredients evenly over top. Fold the meat over a few times to get everything mixed – 30 to 45 seconds. Do not over handle the meat.
On a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or the shiny side of the butcher paper that the meat came in, divide the meat into 6 equal parts. Gently form each portion into a patty that is 4 inches across with 1 inch sides and a shallow depression in the middle. You want the outer ½ inch of the patty to be slightly taller than the inside. Cover the patties with plastic wrap & put in the fridge while doing other tasks.
Preheat the grill to 450 to 500 degrees F. Butter the insides of all of the buns and set them near the grill.
Place patties over direct heat. Cook to your desired doneness:
Rare 4 minutes to 125 degrees F internal temp
Medium-Rare 5 minutes to 135 degrees F internal temp
Medium 6-7 minutes to 145 degrees F internal temp
Well-done 8-9 minutes to 160 degrees F internal temp
Flip burgers, but do NOT press down on the patties at any time.
Add cheese & toast the buns when you have about 1 minute left on the cooking time. Cheese on the burger, buttered side of the bun face down over indirect heat.
Rest the burgers: Remove the burgers and buns from grill and transfer to a clean platter. Let the burgers rest for 1 minute before serving.
Condiment Suggestions: tomato jam, mayo, bacon jam, garlic aioli, blue cheese sauce, sautéed mushrooms, Thousand Island, lettuce, tomato, pickles, red onion.
Makes 6 burgers
From prep to table 15 to 18 minutes
