Beef Braciole (Stuffed Italian Beef Roll)

 The family loved this recipe.  Flank steak stuffed with breadcrumbs, herbs, cheeses, salt, pepper; cooked in a delicious sauce.  This sauce was truly delicious.  Very flavorful and not overpowering - paired well with the flank steak.
It is somewhat time consuming to prepare but well worth it.  Be sure to pound the steak until it is 1/4- inch thick otherwise the steak could be a little tough.

Beef Braciole (Stuffed Italian Beef Roll)

From Tasty

Ingredients:

½ cup bread crumbs

1 cup shredded pecorino romano cheese, plus more for serving

½ cup fresh basil, chopped

⅓ cup shredded provolone cheese

½ cup fresh italian parsley, chopped

8 cloves garlic, minced, divided

kosher salt, to taste

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

¼ cup olive oil

1 lb flank steak

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 medium carrot, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 cup dry white wine

28 oz crushed tomato, 1 can

2 dried bay leaves

1 tablespoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 lb  pasta, or polenta, cooked, for serving, optional

¼ cup fresh basil, cut into ribbons, for serving

Preparation
1. In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs, pecorino Romano, ½ cup (20 g) chopped basil, provolone, parsley, 5 minced cloves of garlic, salt, pepper, and the olive oil. Stir and set aside.
Lay the flank steak on a cutting board. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Cover the the meat with a sheet of parchment paper. Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound the steak until it’s ¼ inch (6 mm) thick.
2. Remove the parchment and sprinkle the bread crumb mixture evenly over the steak.
Starting from the bottom, roll the meat into a log. Using butcher’s twine, tie up the roll so it holds its shape while cooking. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Heat the canola oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the steak roll and, without moving it, cook until a dark brown crust forms on one side, about 3 minutes. Turn the roll and repeat until all sides and the ends have been seared. Remove the roll from the pan and set aside.
4. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
5. Add the butter, carrot, onion, celery, remaining 3 cloves of garlic, salt, and pepper to the pan and cook until caramelized, about 5 minutes.
6. Add the white wine and stir to loosen any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Cook until the wine reduces and the pan is slightly dry again.
7. Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.
8. Return the beef roll to the pot. Cover and bake for 1 hour, flipping the roll halfway through (if the sauce is drying up too much, add more crushed tomatoes or water), until the beef is tender.
9.Slice the braciole and arrange on a serving platter with the sauce. Serve the braciole with orecchiette or polenta. Garnish with grated pecorino Romano and fresh basil.
Enjoy!

Serves 8

Mongolian Beef and Noodles

I did not know what to make for dinner the other night. Luckily, I found this tasty recipe for Mongolian Beef and Noodles.  Flank steak slices are marinated in soy sauce with brown sugar, ginger, sesame oil, garlic and red pepper flakes.  I added green bell pepper strips instead of the green onions called for in the recipe.
All of the ingredients are cooked and then a sauce and noodles are added.   Instead of using rice noodles, I used Ramen noodles.  I cooked the noodles until they were tender and saved the seasoning packet for another use.  I made sure all of the ingredients were coated with the sauce.
The result was a delicious healthy dinner enjoyed by the family.  I was repeatedly asked to make this dish again, which I will.


Mongolian Beef and Noodles
From Betty Crocker

Ingredients
12oz  flank steak
1/3 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup carrots, cut into matchsticks
3 green onions, cut into 1-inch long slices on the diagonal
1/2 cup beef flavored broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
10oz uncooked wide rice noodles, cooked as directed on package
3 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions

Steps
1 Place flank steak in freezer 30 minutes. Cut against the grain into 1/8-inch slices; place in medium bowl.
2 In small bowl, beat soy sauce, brown sugar, gingerroot, sesame oil, garlic and pepper flakes until sugar is dissolved. Add 1/4 cup of the soy sauce mixture to beef; toss to coat. Reserve remaining soy sauce mixture. Cover and refrigerate beef 45 minutes.
3 In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add half of the marinated beef, spreading it out into single layer; cook 1 minute on each side until browned. Transfer beef to plate. Add another 1 tablespoon oil to skillet; repeat cooking remaining half of beef. Transfer  to plate.
4 Reduce heat to medium. Add carrots; cook and stir about 2 minutes or until they begin to soften. Add 3 green onions cut into 1-inch slices; cook another minute.
5 Add broth to reserved soy sauce mixture. Beat in cornstarch and water with whisk; add to hot skillet. Cook until sauce is boiling and thickened. Add beef and cooked rice noodles; toss to coat with sauce, and heat through. Transfer to serving plate; garnish with 3 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions.

Slow Cooker Korean Beef

Another great recipe for your slow cooker that is easy and delicious.  Flank steak is cut into strips and coated with cornstarch.   The steak is cooked in a sauce for 5 hours composed of sesame oil, garlic, soy sauce,  beef befog, brown sugar, onion and red pepper flakes.  Once the beef is cooked through and tender, I served it over rice.  You can garnish with green onion and sesame seeds, if you wish.



Slow Cooker Korean Beef
The Recipe Critic

Ingredients:
1 ½ pounds Flank Steak
¼ cups cornstarch
2 tablespoons Sesame Oil
½ teaspoons mince Garlic, Cloves
½ cups Soy Sauce
½ cup beef broth
¾ cups Brown Sugar
¼ cup onion, chopped
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
sesame seeds and green onions, for garnish
Instructions:
Cut flank steak into thin strips. In a ziplock bag add flank steak pieces and cornstarch. Shake to coat.
Add sesame oil, minced garlic, soy sauce, beef broth, brown sugar, onion, and red pepper flakes to the slow cooker. Stir ingredients. Add coated flank steak and stir again until coated in the sauce.
Cook for high 2-3 hours or on low 4-5 hours until cooked throughout and tender. Can serve over rice and garnish with green onions.

Serves 4

Slow Cooker Barbecue Beef Sandwiches

Barbecue Beef Sandwiches are a great meal and an easy one to prepare. You just need to put the ingredients in a slow cooker, cover, cook, and go on with your day.  When you are ready for dinner just shred the meat, return to the sauce, stir in the beef to get it coated with the delicious sauce and pile high on rolls.  Serve with red onion slices and/or dill pickle slices.  I usually have sides of beans, corn, and Cole Slaw.

Slow Cooker Barbecue Beef Sandwiches
From My Recipes

Ingredients

5 tablespoons dark brown sugar, divided
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 (1-pound) flank steaks
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup tomato paste
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons molasses
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 (2 1/2-ounce) submarine rolls, halved or Hamburger Buns -  butter toasted
Red onion slices (optional)
Dill pickle slices (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine 1 tablespoon brown sugar and pepper; rub over both sides of steaks.
2.Combine 1/4 cup brown sugar, onion, and next 9 ingredients (onion through salt) in an electric slow cooker. Add steaks; turn to coat. Cover with lid; cook on high-heat setting for 1 hour. Reduce heat setting to low; cook for 7 hours.
3. Remove steaks; reserve sauce. Shred steaks with 2 forks. Return shredded steak to cooker; stir into sauce.
4.Spoon 1/2 cup steak mixture onto bottom half of each roll; top with onion and pickles, if desired. Cover with tops of rolls.

Serves 10

Beef Stir-Fry With Bell Peppers And Black Pepper Sauce

Stir Fry is one meal that pleases the family.   Meat and veggies cooked in a rich and flavorful sauce - deliciousness in one pan.  I like it because it is an easy one pan meal to  prepare. In this recipe there is not a bunch of different veggies- just peppers.  I enjoy cooking with peppers because they add a very nice mild sweet flavor to dishes.  The mellow sweet flavor is complimented by the peppery punch in the sauce.  Add some fresh ginger, garlic, and scallions -  just delicious.

Make this dish some night and enjoy its wonderful flavors.


Beef Stir-Fry With Bell Peppers And Black Pepper Sauce

From Cook's Illustrated Magazine

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon plus 1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 pound flank steak, trimmed, cut into 2- to 2 1/2-inch strips with grain, each strip cut crosswise  against grain into 1/4-inch thick slices
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons dry sherry or Chinese rice wine
3 teaspoons cornstarch
2 1/2 teaspoons packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons coarsely ground pepper
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 red  bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1.4-inch-wide strips
6 scallions, white parts sliced thin on bias, green parts cut into 2-inch pieces
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
Cooked rice

Directions:
1. Combine 1 tablespoon water and baking soda in medium bowl.  Add beef and toss to coat.  Let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes.
2. Whisk 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sherry, 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, and 1/2 teaspoon sugar together in a small bowl.  Add soy sauce mixture to beef, stir to coat, and let sit at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes.
3. Whisk remaining 1/4 cup water, remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, remaining 2 tablespoon sherry, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, remaining 2 teaspoons sugar, oyster sauce,  vinegar, sesame oil, and pepper together in second bowl.
4. Heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in 12-inch non stick skillet over high heat until just smoking.  Add half of beef in single layer.   Cook without stirring for 1 minute.  Continue to cook stirring occasionally, until spotty brown on both sides, about 1 minute longer.  Transfer to bowl. Repeat with remaining beef and 2 teaspoons vegetable oil.
5.  Return skillet to high heat, add 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, and heat until beginning to smoke.  Add bell peppers and scallion greens and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are spotty brown and crisp tender, about 4 minutes.  Transfer vegetables to bowl with beef.
6.  Return now-empty skillet to medium-high heat and add remaining 4 teaspoons vegetable oil, scallion whites, garlic, and ginger.  Cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.  Return beef and vegetables to skillet and stir to combine.
7.  Whisk sauce to recombine.   Add to skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce has thickened, about 30 seconds.  Serve immediately over cooked rice.

Slow Cooker Carne Asada

Carne Asada is my favorite meat for making burritos and tacos. It is very flavorful and tender.  When making Carne Asada, I usually use flank steak and marinade it.  You can also use skirt steak.  This is the first time I have made it in a slow cooker and it was delicious.  The meat was tender, moist, and had a wonderful flavor.  I usually serve the Carne Asada with tortillas, sliced radishes, cilantro, avocados, and lime wedges.

Slow Cooker Carne Asada
From Slow Cooker Gourmet Adapted Slightly by From My Southwest Kitchen

Ingredients:
1 (2.5-3) pound flank steak
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup orange juice
2 cloves minced garlic
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Flour or corn tortillas
Garnishes: Cilantro,  lime wedges, sliced radishes, avocado chunks

Directions:
1. Place flank steak in the bottom of the slow cooker.
2. Add the olive oil, orange juice, garlic, lime juice, honey, cilantro, salt, chili powder, and cumin in a small mixing bowl and whisk together.

3. Pour the marinade over the flank steak.  Cover and set the slow cooker to low.  Cook for 8 hours.

4. Remove the meat from the slow cooker and shred with 2 forks.  Place the meat back in the slow cooker and coat with the juices.
5. Serve on tortillas and garnish with lime wedges, sliced radishes, and avocado chunks.

Serves 6