Lamb
Recipe: Braised Lamb Shank
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 3 hours | Servings: 4
Description: Cooked Lamb Shanks
Ingredients
- 4 -6 lamb shanks
- 2 tablespoons fat (bacon grease, beef tallow, ghee, avocado oil)
- 1 peeled and medium diced yellow onion
- 2 peeled and medium diced carrots
- 2 medium diced ribs of celery
- 1 peeled and medium diced turnip
- 1 peeled and medium diced parsnip
- 4-5 garlic cloves
- 12-15 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
- 1 small bunch of parsley
- 2 cups of red wine
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 48 ounces of beef stock
- Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Lamb: Season the lamb on all sides with salt and pepper.
- Add the fat to a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and sear the lamb until golden brown on all sides, which takes about 3–4 minutes per side. Once brown, remove them from the pot and set aside.
- Next, add the onions, carrots, celery, turnips, parsnip, and garlic into the pot and brown well, which takes about 10 minutes while stirring occasionally.
- Deg laze with the red wine and cook until the amount of liquid is reduced by one-half.
- Add in the tomato paste, stir until combined, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more.
- Add in the stock, followed up by adding in the parsley, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper, and mix until combined.
- Next, add back in the lamb shanks, place a lid over the pot, and cook in the oven at 350° for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
- Remove the lamb from the pot and strain the vegetables. Cook the remaining liquid over high heat for 4 to 5 minutes, or until it thickens up a touch more.
- Serve the lamb shanks with optional risotto and pour some of the sauce over the top.
Calories: 511 kcal Carbohydrates: 26g Protein: 48g Fat: 14g Saturated Fat: 3g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 8g Cholesterol: 127mg Sodium: 983mg Potassium: 1769mg Fiber: 5g Sugar: 10g vitamin A: 5559IU vitamin C: 27mg Calcium: 125mg Iron: 6mg
Source: https://www.billyparisi.com/braised-lamb-shanks-recipe/#recipe
Beef
Recipe: Easy Beef with Broccoli
Fast and easy is the best kind of recipe for families on the go. Having flexibility to use what you have on hand is always a plus. You can customize it for your preference for protein and vegetables, and it works just as well if you double or triple the recipe for a larger crowd or for the leftover lover in your home.
The recipe uses beef flank steak and broccoli but can be made with any roasting or stewing meat, thinly sliced in 2-inch strips, and firm vegetables of choice, such as:
Beef—round, sirloin or chuckPork—loin, leg or shoulderLamb: sirloin or legChicken/Turkey—thigh or breast
Veggies: broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, carrots, celery, cabbage or combination
The prep time and nutritional information are based on the recipe below. Substitute ingredients are provided in the asterisked notes at the bottom. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
- 1 to 1.25 pounds flank steak (sliced into thin strips, no more than 1/4-inch thick)
- 1/4 cup potato starch*
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil (divided)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1/2 medium onion (thinly sliced)
- 4 cloves garlic (pressed or finely minced)
- 1 teaspoon dried or 2 teaspoons fresh ginger (or to taste)
- 1/2 cup coconut aminos
- 1/2 cup water
- 3/4 cup (brown sugar, packed*)
- 4 to 6 cups* bite-size broccoli florets
- 2 to 3 green onions (sliced into thin segments)
- Optional toppers (to taste:)
- red pepper flakes
- sesame seeds
Directions:
- In a bowl or large zip-top bag, add the steak and starch and toss to coat. Set it aside while preparing the sauce.
- To a medium saucepan, add 1 tablespoon avocado oil, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, garlic, and ginger, and heat over medium-high for about 1 minute, or just until garlic is fragrant, taking care not to scorch it.
- Add the coconut aminos, water, and brown sugar, and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil and allow it to boil for about 2 to 3 minutes. Then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened and reduced. While it simmers, sear the steak.
- To a large skillet, add the remaining 2 tablespoons avocado oil, onion and the steak. Cook over medium-high or high heat until steak is cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes, flipping the pieces intermittently to ensure even cooking.
- Add the broccoli.
- Evenly drizzle in the sauce mixture, noting it will bubble up dramatically. Toss the beef and broccoli to coat evenly with the sauce. Simmer for about 3 to 5 minutes at medium-high, or until the broccoli is as crisp and tender as desired.
If you use 6 cups of broccoli or other veggies, your sauce may thin from the additional water and juice that cooks off them in this final step. If you desire a thicker, cling-to-the-ingredients-style sauce, add a slurry of 1 tablespoon cornstarch in 1 tablespoon water to the skillet and stir for the last minute of cook time or until your sauce has thickened to your desired level.
Turn off the heat, add the green onions, and stir to incorporate.
Optionally, sprinkle with red pepper flakes and sesame seeds. This makes the dish taste more authentic and gives it flavor without adding much heat.
Serve immediately.
The recipe will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Nutrition:
Total Fat: 29g Saturated Fat: 7g Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 19g Cholesterol: 90mg
Sodium: 1300 mg Carbohydrates: 91g
Fiber: 26g Sugar: 37g Protein: 53g
Substitutes:
* Potato Starch: use the same amount of rice flour or corn starch. You can also eliminate this ingredient for a healthier version, but you must cook the sauce down a little longer.
*Brown sugar: use the same amount of coconut sugar or use ½ cup maple syrup. You can also reduce the sugar to only ¼ cup if you prefer a less sweet version.
Adapted from this source, adapted from P.F. Chang’s Mongolian Beef.
Double Beef Chili
Servings: 10–12 servings
Chili is not just a cold-weather meal in Texas. We like our chili - spicy, filling, and full of good-for-you ingredients. This recipe is great to prepare for a crowd and easy to adjust for more servings, adding more sweet potato and beans. The sweet potato balances out the heat of the spices. We recommend using organic ingredients whenever possible.
Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons of fat - such as bacon grease (beef tallow, or avocado oil)
- 2 pounds of ground beef
- 2 pounds trimmed beef brisket* (cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 2 medium yellow onions (chopped)
- 1 medium poblano pepper** (chopped (about ½ cup))
- Sea Salt and coarsely ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons ancho chili powder (for mild chili, only use 1 T)
- 3 tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 cups water (or any bone broth)
- 1 28-ounce can crush tomatoes
- 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
- 3 15-ounce cans black beans or 3 cups fresh cooked black beans
- ½ cup chopped poblano (may substitute 1–4 oz can of diced green chiles)
- 2 pound sweet potatoes (cut into 3/4-inch pieces)
- Optional for serving: Shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese (sour cream, sliced jalapeños, and chopped onions.)
- *Cubed Brisket (Sirloin, Round or Chuck roast meat—all work well. You may also use Pork, Lamb, Venison, or a combination of other meats in this recipe as long as 2 lbs are ground and 2 lbs are cubed meat.)
- **1 4 oz can of diced green chiles may be substituted - add them with the can of tomatoes.
Directions:
- First, brown the meat. In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of fat until shimmering. Add the ground meat and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stir, and break up the meat until cooked through and beginning to brown- about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a large bowl. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of fat to the pan. Season the meat chunks with salt and pepper on all sides and add them to the pan. Cook until browned on all sides, turning only once the meat releases easily from the pan - 10 to 15 minutes total. Transfer the cubed meat to the bowl with the ground meat. Using the remaining fat in the pan (about 2 tablespoons), add the chopped onions and fresh poblano; coat them with the fat. (if using canned chiles, wait until you add the canned tomatoes)
- Reduce the heat to medium. If the pan seems dry, add a little more fat. Season the onions and poblano peppers with salt and pepper, then cook and stir until soft, about 5 minutes.
- While the onions and peppers soften, mix together the dry spices: ancho chili powder, cumin, coriander, garlic powder, and oregano, and divide into two portions. Add half of the spice mixture to the onions and peppers, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until the spices are fragrant and begin to stick to the pan. Add the water/broth, scraping the bottom of the pan as it bubbles away, then add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and can of chilis, if fresh poblanos were not used, earlier.
- Allow the mixture to come to a simmer, then stir in the beans with their liquid if canned beans are used. If fresh cooked beans are used, add 3/4th cup of bean liquid when adding the 3 cups of cooked beans. Add the cubed sweet potatoes and all the reserved beef. Return to a simmer, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover, and cook the chili for 2 hours, stirring every hour or so. Alternatively, you may put the covered Dutch oven in a 325 oven for 2 hours. To finish the chili, add the remaining half of the spice mixture and stir well.
- Let the chili rest for 5 minutes. Add additional salt, cumin, and chili powder to taste, then serve piping hot, garnished with shredded cheese, sour cream, sliced jalapeños, avocado slices, and chopped onions. Allow any leftover chili to cool completely before storing it in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days or freeze. Reheat over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes before serving.
Beef, Lamb & Pork
Recipe: Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf
Bacon Wrapped - 3 Meat Loaf
This meat loaf is a family favorite, and even the pickiest eaters want seconds. The recipe is easy to prep ahead of and, for smaller families, split into two loaves. One for now and one to freeze.
Servings: 6-8
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons fat (bacon grease, beef tallow, ghee, or avocado oil)
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (1 teaspoon fresh thyme)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 3 teaspoons of cayenne pepper
- 1/2 cup whole milk or plain/Greek yogurt
- 2 lbs meatloaf mixes or 50% ground beef (25% ground pork, 25% ground lamb)
- 1.5 cups crushed bread crumbs (regular, gluten-free, or 16 saltine crackers)
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley leaves (minced)
- 8 slices of raw bacon
- 1 can tomato paste
- 1 cup warm spaghetti sauce
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Heat oil in a skillet. Add onion and garlic; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Set aside while preparing the remaining ingredients.
- In a medium bowl, mix the eggs with the thyme, salt, pepper, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, and milk/yogurt. Add the egg mixture to the meat in a large bowl with the breadcrumbs, parsley, and cooked onion mixture. Mix all together, with clean hands, until mixed evenly, and the mixture no longer sticks to the side of the bowl. Turn the mixture into a 9x13 Pyrex pan and, using wet hands, shape it into a loaf (approx. 9x5). Brush with 5+ tablespoons of tomato paste. Lay bacon across the width of the loaf, tucking ends underneath the loaf with a spatula. Bake the loaf until the bacon is crisp and the internal temperature is 160 F, about 1 hour. Cool for 20 minutes and serve topped with extra warm spaghetti/tomato sauce.
Ingredient Notes: It is hard to find less than 1 lb of any meat. I recommend doubling the whole recipe (2 lbs beef and 1 lb each lamb and pork, or other meats) and making into 2 loaves, freezing the 2nd (before adding tomato sauce and bacon).