Beef Jerky and a Burger Rub

I have been wanting to try and make jerky for a long time, and I finally gave it a shot; well two shots anyway. My first attempt was on my Ugly Drum Smoker, it was a failure. It cooked the meat instead of drying it out and left me with a dried out flavorless strips, as you can see. The second go was a success! I did it in my big ugly grill I built this year. I used one of the charcoal baskets from a weber to help hold the charcoal, it have me the best way to keep the temp under 200 degrees F and around 150 degrees at the grate. I seasoned them with a rub that I LOVE on hamburgers. Making jerky is so easy I hope you give it a try.

Hamburger Rub
3 tsp salt
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp mustard powder(optional)

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix with fingers. Makes about 1/3 of a cup.

Jerky
Some cure their jerky or marinade it to help prepare it for dehydrating. I started with a bottom round roast and trimmed it of all the fat. I then sliced with the grain at 1/4 inch thick. Once I had sliced the whole roast, I applied all of the Hamburger Run and tossed the meat to make sure it was well coated. I then went outside and started one small basket of charcoal, it's about 20 briquettes and tossed on one chunk of hickory to add some smokiness to the jerky. Now it was time for the hard part. Keeping the temp below 200 degrees for 4-6 hours and watching the delicious jerky take shape. The jerky is was done at 6 hours and was a deep burgundy color and firm to the touch.

Holla Beef Enchiladas!

Happy Cinco De Mayo!!! I hope every one has a great day enjoying friends, family, good drinks, and most of all some good food. If you haven't decided on what to eat for dinner and want something really filling then I've got the recipe for you. I found this recipe from an episode of, yup you guessed it, Guy's Big Bite! Guy calls this dish Holla Beef Enchiladas, I guess because their so good they'll make ya' Holla! Which is true because we loved them!

This recipe was a great challenge for me because it required me to do two things I haven't done thus far; brazing and using my new dutch oven. I have to say the entire process went very smooth, but this is not a quick and easy meal so be sure to leave it for when you have plenty of time to be in the kitchen.

Ingredients
5 1/2 pounds chuck, trimmed and ut into 2 inch cubes
1/2 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp freshly cracked black pepper
2 tbsp canola oil, plus more for frying
2 yellow onions, peeled and sliced in 10inch rounds
8 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 cup low-sodium beef stock
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup warm water
Enchilada sauce, about 4 cups worth
16 corn tortillas(6 inch)
2 cups grated cheddar
2 cups grated pepper jack cheese
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1 (6 ounce) can sliced black olives
1 cup sour cream, for garnish

Directions
Preheat oven to 350º F.

Trim, cut, pat dry, and season the beef with salt and pepper. Coat the bottom of a large heavy Dutch oven with oil. heat the oil, over medium heat, and brown the beef, in batches, being careful to not crowd. Add 1 tbsp of oil, if needed, to finish the beef. As the beef browns, add it to a bowl and keep warm, Add 1 tbsp of canola oil to the pot over medium heat and add the onions; cook for 3 to 4o minutes. Add the garlic, cook for 1 minute more, then stir in the stock to deglaze the pan. Add the browned beef, the vinegar and the water and cover tightly. Put the pot in the oven and after 45 minutes, give the beef a stir. Cover and cook for an additional 2 hours and 15 minutes, stirring every 30 to 45 minutes. remove from oven and let cool for 20 to 30 minutes. Shred with forks, incorporating the onions and garlic.

When ready to assemble, put 1/2 cup enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 13 by 9 inch baking pan. heat a medium saute pan over medium-high heat with just enough enchilada sauce to coat the bottom. Dip the tortillas, 1 at a time, into the sauce, and cook until tender, about 1 minute each. Combine the cheeses in a medium bowl. Remove the enchiladas to a flat surface. Fill each with some of the shredded meat and cheese, (reserve some cheese for the top of the baking pan). Roll and arrange them, seam side down, in the baking pan, packing the enchiladas tightly. Add additional sauce to come 1/3 up the sides of the enchiladas, then sprinkle a line of cheese, lengthwise, down the center of the pan. Garnish with green onions and black olives. Bake until bubbly, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, let sit for 5 minutes and then serve with sour cream
Serves 8

Creamy beef and mushrooms with noodles

I am always on the look out for recipes that have decent serving size and less then 500 calories, so when I found this recipe from Kraft I knew I had to try it. With ingredients like Zesty Italian dressing, garlic, onion, sour cream and paprika you know it's loaded with flavor.

Ingredients
1 tbsp. canola oil, divided
1 lb. boneless beef sirloin steak (3/4 inch thick), cut into strips
3 cups yolk-free whole wheat egg noodles, uncooked
1/4 cup Kraft Light Zesty Italian Dressing
2 onions, chopped(I would suggest either 2 small onions or one medium to large onion)
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced(I omitted this with good results)
3 Tbsp. minced garlic
3 Tbsp. paprika (I suggest experimenting with less paprika as 3 Tbsp. was incredibly strong)
3/4 cup fat-free reduced-sodium beef broth
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup reduced fat or light sour cream
1 small tomato, chopped

Heat 1 1/2 tsp. oil in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add half the meat; cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes. or until evenly browned. Transfer to bowl. repeat with remaining oil and meat.

Cook noodles as directed on package, omitting salt. Meanwhile, heat Italian dressing in same skillet on medium heat. Add the next 4 ingredients; cook 12 min. or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in broth and peas; simmer 2 min. or just until peas are tender. Add meat; cook 1 to 20 minutes. or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Stir in sour cream until well blended.

Drain noodles. Serve topped with meat mixture and tomatoes.

Prep 20 min. Total 40 min. Makes 4 Servings

Mexican Grilled Beef (Carne Asada)

A while back we celebrated my Father-in-law's Birthday party and I was given the request for Mexican Food. Now it was time for something different then the traditional taco bar that my wife would prefer, so I began to scour grilling cook books for a good recipe. This one I found in Steven Raichlen's Planet Barbecue! I was so happy to finally get the chance at making another of his recipe's that he has graciously scoured the globe to collect.

In the process of making this meal I learned the draw back of grilling with propane, the fire blows out with a strong enough wind and it's difficult to tell just how much cook time you have left in a bottle. I have also learned to keep a bag of charcoal on hand just in case the propane decides to run dry before your done grilling. But none the less I was able to finish cooking and we had a great time too.

For Grilling
2 poblano peppers, or 4 banana peppers, or other large, moderately hot chile's
1 bunch scallions, trimmed
1 sweet onion, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices
1 1/2 pounds beef flap meat, skirt steak, hanger steak, or another thin cut of beef (I used flank steak)
Coarse Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
20-24 corn tortillas, preferably freshly made at a Mexican tortilla shop or market, or 12 small flour tortillas

Meat drippings or vegetable oil

For Serving
One or more of these accompaniments:
1 small head green cabbage (about 1 pound), cored and sliced paper-thin
1 large or 2 small cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 bunch radishes, stemmed and thinly sliced
2 ripe avocados, pitted, peeled, cut into wedges or diced, and sprinkled with fresh lime juice to keep it from discoloring
1 cup sour cream
1 cup coarsely grated queso blanco or cotija or jack cheese

3 limes, quartered

1. Set up the grill for direct grilling and preheat it to high. Ideally, you'll grill over wood fire, but you can achieve a similar effect by using dry wood chips on a charcoal or gas grill.

2. When ready to cook, brush and oil the grate. If you are using a charcoal grill, toss the wood chips or chunks on the coals, if using. If you are using a gas grill, add 2 cups of wood chips, if using, or chunks to the smoker box or place them in a smoker pouch under the grate. If you are using poblano peppers or banana peppers, arrange them on the hot grate and grill them until the skins are darkly browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side, 12 to 16 minutes in all (banana peppers will take a little less time than poblanos). Arrange the scallions and onion on the grate and grill them until golden brown on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Place the scallions or onion on the grate for about 6 minutes after the peppers have grilled.

3. Transfer the grilled vegetables to a chopping block or cutting board. Leave the fire burning. Cut the poblanos into strips, discarding the seeds. Cut the scallions and onion into 2-inch pieces. Arrange the grilled vegetables on a serving platter.

4. Generously season the beef on both sides with salt and garlic powder and pepper, if using. Add the remaining wood chips, if using. Arrange the meat on the hot grate and grill until cooked to taste, 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium. (Mexicans prefer their carne asada medium to medium-well done.) Transfer the grilled beef to a chopping block or cutting board, reserving any of the meat drippings, if desired. Leave the fire burning. (Meat drippings will come from the plate or tray that you place the cooked meat on after cooking.)

5. Lightly brush the tortillas with meat drippings or oil, if desired (this is not necessary but does make the tortillas a little richer and moister). Arrange the tortillas on the hot grate and grill them just long enough to warm them, about 15 seconds per side.

6. Chop or thinly slice the beef across the gran. To eat the carne asada, place a few slices of beef on a warm tortilla, then pile on the grilled vegetables, raw vegetables, sour cream, cheese and salsa(s) of your choice and add a squeeze of lime, if desired.

I found that slicing them across the grain and on the diagonal made it possible to make thin slices that are easier to chew. Also I prepared chicken and seasoned it the same as the steak, since not everyone in my family is big on steak.

Easy Beef Enchiladas

We love Mexican food and are in need of something quick and easy, and this recipe from Campbell's is just that. It's a great recipe that can be put together and ready to eat in about 30 minutes, making it great for school nights.

1 pound ground beef
1 package taco seasoning mix or burrito seasoning mix
1 can re-fried beans(about 16 ounces)
1 can Campells's Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup(10 3/4 ounces
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
12 flour tortillas (10 inch), warmed
1 1/2 cups prepared enchilada sauce
Shredded Cheddar cheese

Heat the oven to 350 F. Cook the beef in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until well browned, stirring often to separate meat. Pour off any fat. Stir the seasoning mix, beans, soup, onion and rice, if desired, in the skillet.

Divide the beef mixture among the tortillas. Roll up the tortillas and place seam-side down into a 3-quart shallow baking dish. Pour the enchilada sauce over the filled tortillas and sprinkle with the cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the enchiladas are hot and bubbling.