The Baking Beauties » Beef

How to Save Money When Buying Your Beef

Jeanine Friesen — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 15:21:00 +0000

With prices everywhere rising out of our control, we are all looking for ways to save money when grocery shopping. One of the obvious way to save money on your grocery bill is to buy your items in bulk. Today I’m going to share how we save money by buying our ground beef in large quantities. Ground beef is one of the most versatile meats that you can stock. With it, you can make a variety of dishes, like Porcupine Meatballs, Burrito Pie, and Mini Meatloaves. Although buying in bulk means putting more money up front initially, the price per pound is lower when you buy a large package of ground beef instead of a number of small packages.

Gluten-free Burrito Pie

But, what do you do with 4 pounds of fresh ground beef? It can be a little overwhelming, since you want to put it to use within a day or two of purchasing it. One way that I like to use up a large package of ground beef is to mix it up for hamburgers. I add onion, salt, pepper, gluten-free Worcestershire sauce, gluten-free oats, and egg, form them into patties, and place them in a single layer on a wax paper lined baking sheet. I place this baking sheet into the freezer until the burgers are frozen solid. I then put them in resealable bags, and have frozen gluten-free burgers on hand for whenever I want. I can take out as many burgers as I need from the freezer, and making a great meal can not get any quicker than that. You can also use the frozen patties to make homemade Salisbury Steak, served along with some mashed potatoes, you have a great meal in 30 minutes.

Gluten-free Hamburger Buns for those prepared burgers

In a similar fashion, you can also prepare and freeze meatballs ahead of time. I mix them up the same way I do hamburgers, form them into meatballs and freeze. Once they are frozen, I store them in a resealable bag and keep them there until one of those “I-don’t-know-what’s-for-supper” days. Some people pre-bake their meatballs before freezing them on baking sheets, I actually freeze mine before baking, and bake them while they are still frozen – no need to defrost. It works really well, and is very convenient. I then add them to whatever sauce I will be serving them with, or put them in the slow cooker to simmer for a few hours. In addition to being convenient, you also know what is in your meatballs – there is no mystery there.

Gluten-free Porcupine Meatballs

Besides a basic burger and meatball, scramble fried beef is probably the most popular way to use ground beef. Tacos, chili, and meat sauce for spaghetti all start with the same basic step: Frying your ground beef, breaking it into small pieces, drain (I like to rinse at this point as well), and add onion and garlic. If you’d like, you can also add shredded carrots at this point, increasing the veggie content without anyone knowing. But, what are you supposed to do with 4 pounds of seasoned ground beef? Well, thanks to Canadian Beef, I now know that you can fry all 4 pounds at one time, season it, and freeze it on cookie sheets. When your recipe calls for ground beef, simply measure out the pre-cooked amount of cooked ground beef, and continue with your recipe. This eliminates a step when it comes to preparing a quick dinner, since your meat is already pre-cooked. This process works great for any recipe that calls for you to fry up your ground beef as the first step . To see how it is done, watch this short how-to video by Canadian Beef:

Here are a few gluten-free recipes that would work beautifully with the precooked ground beef:

Gluten-free Cheeseburger and Fries Casserole

Gluten-free Beef Spaghetti Pie

Gluten-free Beef Stroganoff with Hamburger

What are some of YOUR favorite tips & tricks to lower the grocery bill a little?

This post is written not only to help you save a few dollars on your grocery bill, but also to feature Canadian Beef’s excellent selection of Easy Cooking and Quick Tip videos. Check them out for more great tips and tricks to help you make the most of your Canadian beef. In addition to being a major sponsor of the Food Bloggers of Canada Conference that I am attending this weekend, Canadian Beef is also a sponsor of Eat, Write Retreat in Philadelphia at the end of May. Canadian Beef is giving away six scholarships to Eat Write Retreat - you have until midnight tonight (April 10, 2013) to enter! My fingers are crossed!

Gluten-free Slow Cooker Barbecue Pulled Beef Sandwiches

Jeanine Friesen — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 13:28:48 +0000

The slow cooker is probably one of the most helpful, but most overlooked, piece of kitchen equipment you have. Most people have them, seldom use them to their full potential. Yet, slow cookers are fantastic for having a nice, hearty, healthy meal ready at the end of the day, without having to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Get it ready in the morning, or even the night before as long as you refrigerate it, set it, and go about your day. Come suppertime, when everyone is hungry and you all just got in from a busy day, supper will be ready for you, and you won’t have to resort to take-out.

This Slow Cooker Barbecue Pulled Beef is so easy to throw together in the morning, let it cook all day, and by the evening, you have an amazing, flavourful sauce, and soft, tender beef. This beef is great to eat hot or cold, so it would be fantastic to take to picnics and potlucks.

Note: I served these on an Udi’s hamburger bun, they are fantastic for the days you don’t have time to bake.

To view the full recipe, click HERE.

Gluten Free Beef and Beer Stew with Rice

Jeanine Friesen — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 20:45:03 +0000

I have always been a huge fan of Jamie Oliver. It all started back when he was just a bachelor with a neat flat and a scooter. Now, he’s grown into a family man on a mission to make the world a better place, one lunch cafeteria at a time. So, he is a man I am impressed by, and when I am looking for inspiration for a meal, and feel stuck, or don’t have many ingredients in the house, I look to him and his recipes. Many of his recipes use everyday, down to earth ingredients, making it easy to find an answer to those “What’s for supper” days. In this case, the question is “What to do with this stewing beef?”. I had bought a package of stewing beef, but didn’t feel like making my regular stew (but the next time I do, I will be sure to blog that recipe, it has a beautiful brown gravy, loaded with veggies & topped with gluten-free dumplings. You’ll like it, I promise.)

Anyway, Jamie Oliver had an answer to today’s question. He has a recipe for a yummy looking beef and ale stew, which I used as inspiration for this dish. I made a few simple alterations along the way, but either way, I think you’ll enjoy it.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 lb stewing beef, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 dried bay leaves
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 large stick celery, chopped
1/2 cup chopped carrots
2 Tbsp olive oil
355 ml gluten-free beer (I used Redbridge, which is made from sorghum)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
14 oz. tin of crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup long grain white rice

Directions:

In a cast iron pot with a lid, heat the oil over medium heat. Saute the onions, celery, carrots, salt, pepper and bay leaf for 10 minutes.
Add the stewing beef, gluten-free beer and crushed tomatoes. Stir and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, cover with the lid and turn the heat down to low. Simmer for 3 hours.
Add the rice, stir, cover, and simmer an additional 30 minutes. Season with salt & pepper if necessary.

Alternately, you can cook the stew in a casserole dish in a 350° oven. Cooking times will remain the same.

Based on a recipe by Jamie Oliver

This recipe is being linked to Canadian Beef in hopes that I can win an all-inclusive scholarship to Eat, Write Retreat in Washington, D.C.

Update: I did not win the scholarship to the Eat, Write Retreat, just in case anyone was wondering. Thanks for tolerating my rapid beef postings.

Roasts ~ Which One to Buy?

Jeanine Friesen — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 21:15:08 +0000

In the last post, I shared with you how I made a Pot Roast using a chuck roast (also called a “cross rib” roast). But, how do you know what type of roast to buy? What if you have a family of 10 to feed? Or what if you are trying to impress your future in-laws? What if you don’t have all day to cook it, or you won’t be home in the early afternoon to pop it in the oven so that it will be ready at supper? Buying the right roast for you, and your situation, can be an overwhelming thing. When you stand in front of that well-stocked meat counter the cuts all sort of look the same. Sure, some are big and some are small. Some are expensive, while others are more affordable. Some have a lot of marbling, others are a solid red. But, which cut is right for you?

To begin with, we have to understand that the different cuts of meat obviously come from different parts of the cow. And different parts of the cow will either be lean & tender, or tough & thick. Those that are tender, will not require a lot of cooking time, but those that are tougher work best with a “slow & low” cooking method (by that, I mean a low temperature for a long time). Today, we’re just going to be looking at the roast cuts.

Oven Roasts:

Oven roast cuts are cooked with a dry heat and they do not require any liquids while cooking. For premium oven roasts, look for cuts from the sirloin, loin and rib. These cuts are more expensive, so if you are trying to impress your future in-laws, or hosting the boss for dinner, this may be the cut for you.

Other, more affordable, cuts of beef that work well for oven roasting are cut from the hip area. Look for words like eye of round, inside round, outside round, sirloin tip, bottom sirloin tri-tip, rump, and heel of round.

Pot Roasts:

Pot roasts are cuts of beef that are great when cooked with a moist heat by either braising, pot roasting, or simmering in a liquid. Cuts to look for include blade, cross rib, top blade, bottom blade boneless, brisket and shoulder.

Pot roasts are a great way to serve a family without breaking the bank. While the roast is cooking, it creates delicious gravy that can be served along with the meat, and the leftovers make great hot beef sandwiches. If you won’t be home early afternoon to pop it in the oven in time for supper, you can easily cook your pot roast in your slow cooker. Just pop it in the slow cooker in the morning, and at the end of the day you will be met by the welcoming aroma of a hearty supper.

Mini Quick Roasts:

Do you only have a small family, or you are don’t have a lot of time to get supper ready? Than the mini quick roasts, which are beef roasts cut to be under 1 lb (500 grams), are perfect for you. Look for words like sirloin tip, eye of the round, outside round, inside round, bottom sirloin, cross rib or top sirloin. Using a dry heat, a mini quick roast can be cooked to medium in less than an hour.

Rotisserie Roasts:

Looking to try something a little different? Why not cook your roast on the BBQ using a rotisserie. Rotisserie roasts are cut so that they will cook up to perfection on the grill. Look for words like sirloin tip, outside round, inside round and cross rib.

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Whatever cut of beef you prefer, the label on the package of meat should help you identify it’s cooking method. For example, top sirloin grilling steak or stewing beef cubes. Hopefully the next time you are standing in front of the meat counter in the grocery store, you won’t feel quite as overwhelmed, and a few of these tips will pop into your mind. If you do feel at a loss, just talk to the person behind the meat counter, they are usually very knowledgeable and can help you pick the perfect cut of beef for you.

For a lot more great beef buying, cooking, and serving information, check out the Canadian Beef website. After spending a few days looking around there, I have to tell you, I am very impressed with the website. It includes a lot of valuable information like how to pick your favorite cut of steak, how to cook a roast perfectly, and also a variety of recipes using any cut of meat.

This recipe is being linked to Canadian Beef in hopes that I can win an all-inclusive scholarship to Eat, Write Retreat in Washington, D.C. The contest runs until Monday, February 24th, so expect a few more beefy recipes between now and then.

Jeanine’s Pot Roast

Jeanine Friesen — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 14:53:45 +0000

I woke up this morning to see the snow falling and the wind blowing and making it dance past the windows. If there is something that winter teaches a person, it is that warm, comforting meals are one of the few things that make these days (of shoveling) bearable. Simply, put together a few basic ingredients, let it slowly roast in the oven for hours, and you will have that wonderful, comforting smell wafting through your house in no time. Plus, since a pot roast doesn’t need attention, you are free to go out sledding with the kids, curl up at the fireplace with a book, or shovel the driveway.

Again, this is “Jeanine’s Pot Roast” because everyone has their own way of doing things. There are as many ways to make a roast as there are colours of crayons, so feel free to use this only as a guide to create YOUR pot roast. If you don’t like something, omit it, or if you insist on adding something else, feel free. This is just the way that I have developed that my family enjoy.

Ingredients:

2-3 lb Chuck Roast (my preferred slow cooking roast)
900 ml of low sodium, gluten-free beef broth
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
2 sticks of celery, cut into large pieces
1 handful of mini carrots (or 2-3 carrots, cut up)
1/2 tsp black pepper
3/4 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup cold water
1/4 cup cornstarch

Directions:

Place your roast, onions, celery sticks and carrots in a heavy casserole or stock pot with a tight fitting lid. Pour the beef broth over the roast & vegetables, and add in the pepper, rosemary, thyme and bay leaf.
Cover and bake at 275°F for 3-4 hours. The roast will be done when a fork can easily be inserted into the roast, and the meat is fall-apart tender.
Remove roast from casserole to plate, and cover with foil. Let it sit for 10 minutes before cutting.
While the roast is resting, it is time to make a delicious gravy. Strain the remaining beef broth into a medium stock pot. This will remove the cooked vegetables and herbs. Bring the broth to a boil over medium-high heat. Whisk together the cold water and cornstarch. While the broth mixture is boiling, slowly whisk in some of the water/cornstarch mixture. Your gravy will thicken. Add only enough of the cornstarch mixture until you reach your desired consistency. Remember, gravy will always thicken a little bit more as it cools, so you still want your gravy to be on the slightly runny side, so that it is not thick when you serve it. Season your gravy with salt & pepper to your liking.
Using a sharp knife (or even an electric knife), cut the roast across the grain, or across the muscle fibers. Cutting the meat this way will shorten the fibers, making your meat seem more tender.
I like to boil small potatoes and carrots in a separate pot, and just top with and the meat with the gravy when serving.

This recipe is being linked to Canadian Beef in hopes that I can win an all-inclusive scholarship to Eat, Write Retreat in Washington, D.C. The contest runs until Monday, Febuary 24th, so expect a few more beefy recipes between now and then.