Asian Inspired Spicy Barbeque Beef

On May 1, 2019 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Recipes4 Comments

We are always looking for meals that we can cook in a single pot and this one packs a lot of flavor. We chose a chuck roast, but it would be equally good with a beef brisket, but you need a meat with enough fat that it stays tender and juicy. Asian inspired meals can be found everywhere these days on menus throughout the world. We cooked this in a slow cooker, but it could have just as easily been cooked in a roasting pan or Dutch oven pot in the oven at 300 degrees in the same amount of time. It is simple, easy, and delicious.

INGREDIENTS

3 lb Chuck Roast (Pot Roast)
10 oz Package of Mushrooms – cleaned and stems removed
1/2 small Yellow Onion – thickly sliced
10 Fingerling Potatoes – medium to small
1 cup Ketchup
1 cup Light Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Soy Sauce – low-sodium
1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce
1 1/2 tsp Granulated Garlic
1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 tbsp Olive Oil

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix the ketchup, brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon of garlic, and salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Season the roast with salt, pepper, and the remaining garlic, being sure to season all sides. Brown the roast in the pan, about 4 minutes per side. Place the roast into a slow-cooker that has been sprayed with non-stick spray, add the onions and cover with the sauce. Add the red pepper flakes and cook on low for about 3 hours and then add the mushrooms and potatoes. Cook for another hour. Serves about 4 people.

Roasted Rack of Lamb

On April 24, 2019 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Recipes1 Comment

Lamb is something that you’ll find on a lot of menus throughout Europe, but for some reason it isn’t that common in the United States. When you do find it, it is often very expensive and the portions are small. Not everyone enjoys lamb since it can taste a little gamey, but we like the flavor. In our opinion, it needs to be cooked to no more than medium-rare, otherwise it can get a little tough. Rack of lamb can be an elegant meal and we asked the butcher to “French cut” the bones, which is simply removing the meat and fat from the bone tips. Some people like mint jelly with lamb, but we prefer to simply roast it with herbs like rosemary and thyme. This recipe is for two, but one of the nice things about rack of lamb is that the recipe can easily adjusted by adding more ribs (chops).

INGREDIENTS

2 to 3 lbs of Rack of Lamb (about 4 to 5 ribs or chops)
4 tbsp Unsalted Butter
1 1/2 tsp Dried Rosemary
1 1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
1 tsp Granulated Garlic
Salt and Pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Trim some of the fat off of the rack of lamb, leaving about a quarter inch of fat. Combine room temperature butter with the rosemary, thyme, and garlic. Slather the fat cap of the lamb with the butter mixture. The butter just adds some additional fat to help keep the lamb tender and adds additional flavor. Sprinkle with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Heat an oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with a non-stick coating spray. If you have French cut the lamb, wrap the bone tips with aluminum foil to keep them from burning in the oven. Place the lamb in the oven and roast it for 10 minutes. Then turn the heat down to 300 degrees and continue to roast the lamb for an additional 20 to 30 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 135 degrees. Let the lamb rest for 15 to 20 minutes and then cut the rack into individual chops and serve, usually two chops per person.

Do You Have a Holiday Meal Tradition?

On December 20, 2017December 19, 2018 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Recipes2 Comments

We have mentioned before that we have certain meals that we always eat during the different holidays. On Christmas Day, we always have prime rib and Yorkshire pudding, which is typically an English tradition, but we have adopted it for ourselves. It is actually pretty easy to prepare and we usually find prime rib on sale, which makes it more economical for this special dinner. One of the best things about making prime rib are the sandwiches that you make with the leftovers during the following days, especially if you save the juice from the prime rib and make French Dip sandwiches. Last year, we were in Prague during Christmas, so we didn’t end up having prime rib, so we are looking forward to having it more than ever this year. We will be in Chicago visiting our youngest daughter for Christmas, so we will be leaving the cooking up to her. We are looking forward to seeing how she prepares our traditional dinner, but here is the recipe that we would normally prepare.

Ingredients

6 – 8 lb Prime Rib (3 or 4 ribs)
5 Garlic Cloves – minced
1/4 cup Prepared Horseradish
4 tbsp Fresh Rosemary – roughly chopped
1 tbsp + 1 tsp Thyme
1/4 cup Sea Salt
1/8 cup Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3/4 cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
3 Eggs
3/4 cup Whole Milk
1/2 cup Pan Drippings from the Prime Rib

Instructions

Stir together the flour and salt into a bowl. In another bowl, beat together the eggs and milk. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until fully incorporated. Stir in 1 tablespoon of Rosemary and 1 teaspoon of thyme. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the prime rib, bone side down, into a large roasting pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine the garlic, horseradish, 3 tablespoons of the rosemary, 1 tablespoon of the thyme, sea salt, pepper, and olive oil. Whisk the ingredients until it forms a paste (whisking instead of stirring allows the ingredients to bind together). Generously rub the paste over the top (the fat cap) of the prime rib. Roast the prime rib in the oven for 2 – 2 1/2 hours (approximately 20 minutes per pound) until it reaches an internal temperature of 125 degrees. Pull the roast from the oven and set it aside, tented, for 20 to 30 minutes to rest (cutting into the roast without letting it rest will cause the juices to run out and the prime rib to be dry). Increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees. Pour the pan drippings into a 9 inch square baking dish. Place the baking dish into the oven for 5 minutes to get the drippings smoking hot. Take the baking dish out of the oven, pull the batter out of the refrigerator, and add the cold batter to the pan drippings. Place the pudding back into the oven and cook until puffed and dry, about 15 to 20 minutes.