Beef

I decided to make empanadas again, who doesn’t love a fried meat pie? This time, I went with Cheesburger Empanadas with “Special Sauce”. The special sauce is equal parts ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise. For the meat, I used Impossible burger instead of ground beef, but either will work fine – the cooking technique is the same for both.

While it isn’t too difficult a dish to make, there is some preparation. As always, it’s a good idea to have everything organized before you start – especially with this recipe. Once you start frying the pies, you won’t have a lot of time to do other things. You’ll want to watch the ones you have in the oil so they don’t burn.

I hope you will make these empanadas. They would be perfect for a picnic or party.

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Cheeseburger Empanadas with Special Sauce

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By Patrick Dulmage – Serves: 4-6

Cheeseburger Empanadas with Special Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup mustard
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup chopped pickles
• 1 lb ground beef or Impossible burger
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 8 slices American cheese, chopped
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 pkg empanada wrappers or 1 pkg puff pastry
• 1 quart oil for frying if using empanada wrappers

Instructions

1

If using puff pastry, pre-heat oven to 425 degrees / if using empanada wrappers, pre-heat the oil to 350 degrees in a dutch oven

2

In a mixing bowl, combine the ketchup, mustard, mayo, and chopped pickles, season with salt and pepper

3

In a large skillet over medium heat, add the onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes

4

Add the ground beef or Impossible burger, season with salt and pepper

5

Break apart the meat as it cooks, you want small crumbles

6

Once the meat is lightly browned, transfer to a mixing bowl

7

Let the meat and onions cool, then mix in about a 1/3 of the "special sauce" and the cheese

8

Prepare the empanada wrappers or puff pastry for filling. If using puff pastry, roll out the puff pastry and cut into 4 inch circles. Get a platter ready for the pre-cooked empanadas

9

Fill each wrapper with about 1-2 tablespoons of your meat/onion/cheese filling and a pinch of the chopped pickles

10

Wet the edges of the empanada with the beaten egg and fold over to seal the filling in

11

Try to press out any air near the filling, working your way out to the edges, then seal with a fork

12

Once you have the empanadas prepared, start frying them (or put in the oven if using puff pastry)

13

If frying, gently lower them into the oil with a spider

14

Once they are golden brown, remove to a wire rack or lined platter to drain

St. My Day is coming up soon. Just in case you don’t have a go-to recipe for Corned Beef and Cabbage, look no further!

Start with a 4-5 pound prepared corned beef from your local market. Make sure you have some Guinness on-hand, you will need one for this recipe. You will also need some potatoes, carrots, and of course – cabbage.

Because this is so easy to make, you also have time to make some Irish Soda Bread to go with it, but that’s another post.

Check out my version of Corned Beef and Cabbage this year. Let me know what you think. Oh, if you want to to something a little different with the leftovers, consider making some Reuben Egg Rolls. If there are any leftovers, that is my plan this year.

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Classic Corned Beef and Cabbage

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By Patrick Dulmage – Serves: 6-8

Prep Time: 15 minutes – Cooking Time: 3-4 hours – Total Time: 4 hours

Classic Corned Beef and Cabbage

Ingredients

• 4-5 lb prepared corned beef
• 1 14.9 oz can Guinness
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 lbs potatoes (Your choice of which type, pretty much any variety small potato is great. If you have bigger potatoes on-hand, just cut them into bite-sized pieces)
• 1-2 lbs carrots, washed and cut on the bias
• 1 medium head of green cabbage (I've used other types of cabbage and they have all turned out great)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 spice packet that comes with the corned beef (optional)

Instructions

1

In a 6 quart pot, over low heat, put in the corned beef with the fat side up. Also add the Guinness, enough water to cover the meat, the bay leaves, spice packet, and brown sugar.

2

Set the timer for 3 hours and prep the veggies.

3

When the timer goes off, add the veggies to the pot and reset timer for one hour.

4

If the meat isn't tender enough after four hours, take out the veggies and let the meat cook a little longer.

5

Once finished, let it rest about 10-15 minutes, slice and serve with the veggies and some Irish Soda Bread.

On the menu tonight, My Favorite Beef Stew! As cold as it has been lately, I needed something warm and comforting for dinner. I love it when the meat is so tender, it practically falls apart as you get it on your spoon. The potatoes and carrots have soak up some of that yummy, oniony, beef broth. SO GOOD!

I started with some good quality beef cut into bite size pieces. Brown the meat in batches. If you dump all three pounds in the pot to try to brown it, all you are going to get is grey, sad looking meat. Put enough in the pot to cover the bottom but leaving a little space between the pieces so they can actually get those brown bits you want. As you finish one batch, put it in a large bowl and continue browning the rest.

Make sure you have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go so you don’t forget anything. As much as I prep, I sometimes forget an ingredient – try not to do that.

After the meat has been browned, you’ll deglaze the pot and then start adding the veggies. Check out the recipe below to get the full instructions on making My Favorite Beef Stew.

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Beef Stew, My Favorite

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By Patrick Dulmage – Serves: 10-12

Prep Time: 15 minutes – Cooking Time: 3 hours – Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes

My Favorite Beef Stew

Ingredients

• 3 tbs Olive Oil, bacon fat or duck fat
• 3 lbs Stewing beef - your choice - ground chuck, short ribs, oxtail, bottom sirloin flap, brisket, or cross-cut shanks
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/4 cup brandy or cognac
• 1 cup red wine - a nice wine that you would drink
• 2 cups Vidalia or Spanish onion, chopped
• 6-8 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can diced tomatoes, (14.5 oz can)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 lb carrots, scrubbed and cut into 1/2 inch rounds or cut at an angle
• 2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 10 oz frozen peas

Instructions

1

Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees

2

Pre-heat large Dutch oven

3

Season the beef with salt and pepper and brown it in batches. Be sure not to crowd the pan so that each piece gets browned on each side

4

Continue cooking in batches until all the beef is cooked

5

Once the beef is cooked, add the cognac and 1/3 of the wine to deglaze the pot. Scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to get all those brown bits

6

Simmer over medium heat about a minute, add the onions and cook about 5-6 minutes

7

Add the garlic and cook about a minute

8

Add the tomatoes and tomato paste along with the rest of the wine, beef broth, and the beef (including juices)

9

Season with salt and pepper

10

Bring to a simmer and then bake for 2 hours

11

Add the potatoes and carrots

12

Lower the temperature of the oven to 225 degrees and bake another hour

13

Take the stew out of the oven and stir in the peas

On the menu tonight – Oxtail with Parsnip and Carrot over Cilantro Lime Rice!

Recently, I reached out on Facebook to see what you all wanted to see me make. Oxtail was one of the suggestions and since I’d never made it, decided I would give it a try. It turned out FANTASTIC!

Even after trimming the fat on the oxtail, this is still a pretty rich dish. The lime in the rice helps cut through the richness and really brightens up the dish. This one takes some time to make. You can make it all in one day or do the prep on the oxtail and then cook the following day.

I got started early by searing the meat, then started cooking the veggies. By the time I had it on the oven an hour, the house smelled amazing. I checked it out after an hour and a half and it was tough not to just start plating right then.

After taking a peek, I put it back in the oven. After an hour passed, I added the parsnip and carrot, then let it go for the last half hour. While the meat was resting, I started cooking the Cilantro Lime Rice.

When it was time to plate, I wanted it look as special as it tasted. I started by putting down a pretty dome of rice, then arranged the oxtail around the rice. The plate wouldn’t be complete without some vegetables, so I carefully arranged the parsnip, carrot, and some bell pepper.

The sauce in the pot is gold. I put some of it along with some veggies in the blender to make a sauce to cover the meat and rice. Aesthetically, it looks better without the sauce, but it is SO good it had to go on the plate.

I couldn’t be happier with the way the dish turned out. If you haven’t made this, I hope you will give it a try, it isn’t complicated. If you have made this before, I hope you try my version and see what you think.

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Oxtail with Parsnip and Carrot over Cilantro Lime Rice

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By Patrick Dulmage – Serves: 4

Prep Time: 2.5 hours – Cooking Time: 4 hours – Total Time: 6.5 hours

Oxtail with Parsnip and Carrot over Cilantro Lime Rice

Ingredients

• 2-3 lbs oxtails
• 2 limes
• 2 tbsp seasoning salt
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp ground Allspice
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion (sliced)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 2 cups beef broth*
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 green bell pepper (sliced)
• 1 red bell pepper (sliced)
• 1 yellow bell pepper (sliced)
• 3 carrots, cut into thirds or quarters lengthwise (try to keep the pieces about the same size)
• 3 parsnips, cut into thirds or quarters lengthwise (try to keep the pieces about the same size)

Instructions

1

Trim oxtails of fat

2

Place the oxtails into a bowl of cool water

3

Squeeze the lime juice into the water then drop the limes into the bowl

4

Allow oxtails to soak for 10 mins; drain off water and rinse with water again

5

Pat oxtails dry with paper towel

6

Season the meat with seasoning salt, onion and garlic powders, allspice, and Worcestershire sauce.

7

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hrs

8

Preheat oven to 340 degrees F

9

Heat oil in a Dutch oven or an oven safe pot with a heavy lid

10

Sear oxtails on all sides until browned; remove and set aside

11

Add in the onions and saute until browned

12

Now sprinkle in the flour; add in more oil one tablespoon at a time if more is needed

13

Stir the flour until it begins to brown

14

Add in the minced garlic and tomato paste. Stir for one minute

15

Pour in the red wine to deglaze

16

Now add in the broth and bring it to a boil

17

Add the oxtail back into the pot along with the rosemary and thyme sprigs.

18

Stir well.

19

Add the bell peppers on top

20

Close the lid and place on the middle rack of the oven

21

Bake for 3-3 1/2 hrs or until meat is fork tender

22

Skim off any fat on the surface of the gravy

23

Taste and adjust seasoning as needed

24

Potatoes and/or carrots may be added in the last 30 mins of cook time.

25

Once finished, let it rest and start on the rice.

26

Cilantro Lime Rice

27

Rinse the rice in a colander until the water runs clear

28

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil with the rinsed rice and butter

29

Once the water comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low

30

Let it sit for 18 minutes

31

After timer goes off, add the cilantro, lime juice and zest

32

Fluff the rice with a fork

Notes

Serve over rice, grits, or potatoes.

On the menu tonight – East Coast Donair! What is that?! It’s very much like a gyro. The seasonings include a lot of oregano and paprika along with a little cayenne for some heat. The sauce is garlicky and sweet.

I saw this dish made on Diner’s Drive-ins and Dives. Guy was somewhere in Canada, they made this dish and it looked great. It IS great! You should try it out yourself the next time you’re in the mood to try something a little different. If you can make meatloaf, you can make this dish. When you make it, let me know what you think.

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East Coast Donair

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Serves: 6-8

Prep Time: 30 minutes – Cooking Time: 2 hours – Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

East Coast Donair - very similar to a gyro.

Ingredients

• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 4 tsp sweet paprika
• 4 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp pepper
• ¾ tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 lbs ground beef
• 3-4 cloves garlic, pressed or finely grated
• Sauce:
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 2/3 granulated sugar
• 1 ½ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ cup white vinegar
• The Rest:
• 8-10 Lebanese-style Pita bread
• ½ Vidalia or red onion thinly sliced
• Shredded iceberg lettuce
• Chopped plum tomatoes

Instructions

1

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

2

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, ground beef, garlic, onion powder, salt, pepper, oregano, paprika, and cayenne pepper.

3

Mix the meat and spices to thoroughly combine.

4

Put the meat on a rimmed baking sheet and form into a 4”x6” loaf. Bake for about 2 hours or internal temperature of 160 degrees.

5

While the meat bakes, make the sauce.

6

In a bowl, stir together evaporated milk, sugar, and garlic powder until sugar dissolves. Add vinegar, gently stir mixture 4-5 times (don’t overmix). Cover and refrigerate for an hour.

7

Assembly:

8

Thinly slice the cooked meat loaf.

9

Heat 1 tbsp in a non-stick skillet, cook the beef slices until browned on each side.

10

Transfer to a bowl and continue cooking the meat slices.

11

Warm the pita bread.

12

Top the pita with beef, some of the Donair sauce, onion, lettuce, and tomatoes.

13

Enjoy!

On the menu tonight- Empanadas! What’s an empanada? Basically a meat hand pie. My version has ground beef, onion, red and green bell pepper, and poblano pepper.
OMG! So good! They aren’t difficult to make. Great for on the go meals and easy to store leftovers. LOL, there won’t be any leftovers! SO good!

If you would like to make your version, check out the recipe below.

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Beef Empanadas

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By Patrick Dulmage – Serves: 8

Prep Time: 15 minutes – Cooking Time: 40 minutes – Total Time: 55 minutes

Beef Empanadas

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 onion minced/fine dice
• 1 tsp cumin
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ red bell pepper, fine dice
• 4 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons adobo
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 egg, beaten to coat the pastry
• Empanada Dough:
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp salt
• 4 oz butter
• 2 oz white vinegar
• 2 oz water
• 1 egg

Instructions

1

Preheat skillet to medium heat with olive oil

2

Add the beef, onion, garlic, pepper, cumin, salt and pepper.

3

As the meat cooks, break it up with a wooden spoon or spatula.

4

Cook until the meat is browned and cooked through.

5

Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Notes

This recipe demonstrates the method. You can fill the empanadas with anything you like. Take it vegetarian and fill it only with veggies like mushrooms, onions, jalapeno, and poblano. Or fill them with ham and cheese... the possibilities are endless.