Showing posts with label meat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label meat. Show all posts

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Cuban Beef stew - Carne con Papas

It is cold and rainy outside and nothing will warm you up like a hearty bowl of stew.  This one take a little prep work but can simmer low and slow until you need it.  I have made it in the crock pot with great success as well.  You can skip the browning of the meat but I don't recommend it, browned just tastes better!  I also like to cut my own stew meat, that way I control the size of the pieces and can make them more uniform. 
This recipe is geared for 12 servings.  I like to freeze some for a quick meal another day.

Ingredients-
6 pounds beef round cut into chunks
1 Tbsp ground oregano
1 1/2 Tsp ground cumin
3 Garlic cloves minced
4 Tbsp vinegar
3 Tbsp Sherry or dry white wine
1 large onion - chopped
1 large green pepper - finely chopped
3 Tbsp olive oil
9 cups water
1 cup tomato sauce
4 large potatoes chopped into small pieces
4 large carrots sliced
2 cups green beans (fresh or frozen)
6 Tbsp Sherry or dry white wine
30 Spanish olives
Salt to taste

Trim excess fat from your roast and cut into desired size pieces  - I cut smaller for small people if only for adults I will cut into larger chunks.

Place cut pieces into a large bowl

In a small bowl combine - oregano, cumin, garlic, vinegar, Sherry, onion and green pepper and stir to combine marinade.

Pour over meat and coat meat well.  Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to overnight.

Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to a large pan over medium high heat.  Shake excess marinade off the meat and brown each piece.  For small pieces brown on 2 sides, for large pieces brown on all sides.  Work in batches until all the meat is browned adding oil as needed.

Combine browned meat, marinade, water and tomato sauce to a stock pot and bring to a low boil over medium heat.  Turn heat down and allow to simmer for 1-2 hours until meat is tender.  Do not allow the water to fully evaporate.  If water level gets low add more. (Crock pot directions at the end of the post.)

Slice carrots and chop potatoes, I like to do the ahead of when I need them and I cover them with cold water until I am ready for them.


If you are freezing any portion you want to remove it now before adding the potatoes - they just do not do well in the freezer.  We will talk about reheating later. 
Now add the carrots, potatoes and green beans.  Add water if needed to cover at least half way.

Bring heat back up to a low simmer and cook until vegetables are done and sauce has thickened.
Add the remaining Sherry and the olives.
Salt to taste - First taste the stew THEN add the salt!
Serve over hot rice or alone with crusty bread.
Enjoy!

Freezer directions -
Basically you are freezing the stew half way made.  You can just defrost and continue the recipe from where you stopped or for a quick meal defrost then add in a bag of frozen vegetables, heat and serve.

Crock pot - After browning meat combine all remaining ingredients in the crock pot and set on low for 6- 8 hours.

Monday, January 30, 2012

Picadillo (Cuban style ground beef)


Picadillo a Spanish word that translates to "hash" in English is a super simple meal that gets served quite a bit around our house.  Why?  1- it's easy, I always have the ingredients in the pantry and freezer 2- everyone eats it, yes even the little kids and 3- it's delicious!

I use 2 pounds of ground beef and that serves the 5 of us for dinner and lunch the next day.  This recipe easily scales up or down.

Ingredients-
2 pounds ground beef (ours is 90/10, but whatever you have will work since we will drain the fat off)
Olive oil
3 cloves of garlic - or 2 heaping tsp minced
1 large onion
1 15oz can tomato sauce
10 - 20 green olives and 2 tbsp brine - or 2 tbsp vinegar
1-2 Tbsp cumin
1 tbsp dried oregano
Salt and pepper

Add 1 Tbsp olive oil, ground beef and chopped onion to a large skillet
Brown over medium heat.  Once meat and onions are mostly cooked (hardly any pink left) drain the fat out.  This can be done by dumping everything into a colander but I don't like to wash more than I need to so I scoot all the meat to one side of the pan and hold it there with my spoon while pouring the fat in the sink.
Now add the garlic, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper.
Cook for 2 minutes.
Add tomato sauce, olives and olive brine or vinegar.
Stir to combine.
Once everything is heated through you can serve as is or turn the heat down to low and serve when needed.  If the sauce gets too thick just add a bit of water.

Add ins -
Peppers are good in this as well.  Just add in with the onions.
I often hide carrots in here too (just don't tell the my husband).  I chop them fine and add with the onions.

Left overs make good taco or burrito fillings.  I add in a bit of taco seasoning when reheating.

Enjoy!

Friday, January 27, 2012

What is meal planning?

Meal planning is simply planning meals before you cook them.  Some people like to shop first then plan meals around whatever was on sale.  Others like to plan first and shop only for what they need.  I do a combination of both. 
Before I sit down to plan a menu I open the pantry, fridge and freezer and take a quick inventory of what I already have on hand.  Then I plan meals, and make a shopping list for the remaining items.  After that is done I check the sales flyers for good couponing stock up deals.  We usually spend $10-$20 a week on sale items.  I do not go crazy here and it is easy to do.  My rule is if we wont use it I don't buy it - no matter what.  Period.  It is hard to pass up something that is free with a coupon but if you end up throwing it away unused you didn't save anything in the first place.

In my pantry -
Pastas, Rice, Beans (dried and cans), peanut butter, honey, maple syrup, cereal and oatmeal, dried fruits, crackers and pretzels,
Dry goods -
Flours (white, whole wheat, buckwheat), sugar (white, brown, agave nectar, stevia), baking powder and soda, spices, salt/pepper, baking chocolate, coffee and teas
In my fridge -
Milk, yogurt (homemade), eggs, juice, cheese, butter, condiments and dressings, fresh vegetables and fruit (depending on what is in season).
In my freezer -
Beef. We currently buy 1/2 a cow once a year.  This allows us to get organic grass fed beef for cheap than conventional meat at the grocery store.  Last year I paid $3.75 a pound.  That was for steaks, roasts, ribs, and ground cut to our liking.  Check out Eatwild.com for a farmer near you.
Chicken.  We get boneless, skinless chicken breasts from Zaycon foods (Sign up here to find a location near you).  They sell them in 40 pound cases for $1.79 a pound at the last event!
Dough for pizza crust and dinner rolls
Sauces. Tomato sauce and pesto made over the summer
Vegetables and fruit.  Corn, peas, green beans, stir fry mix, edamame, pureed pumpkin, blueberries and strawberries
Bread
Pre-made (by me) dinners and breakfasts

I am sure there is more but these are the basics for our house and the building blocks for our meal planning.