Skillet American Chop Suey

Serves 4

• 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided use
• 1 lb. 90% lean ground beef
• 1 onion, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, cored and chopped medium
• 1 celery rib, chopped medium
• salt and ground pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 8 oz elbow macaroni (about 2 cups-dry)

Making the minutes count:  Before cooking, mince the onion. While the beef cooks, chop the bell pepper and celery.  While the vegetables cook mince the garlic.

1. Cook Beef: Heat 1 Tbsp. of oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add beef and cook, breaking it into pieces with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 3 minutes.  Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
2. Saute Vegetables: add remaining Tbsp oil to skillet and return to medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion, bell pepper, celery and 1/2 tsp salt and cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 4 minutes.  Stir in Garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Simmer Macaroni: Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, macaroni, and browned beef. Cover and cook, stirring often and adjusting heat as needed to maintain a vigorous simmer, until macaroni is tender, 10-15 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

 Source: This recipe for "Skillet American Chop Suey" is from America's Test Kitchen's book The Best 30-Minute Recipe (page 148) 

Slow-Cooker Barbecued Beef Tips

from Cooks Country

Flap meat is sold in different configurations: as whole steaks, strips, and pieces. For this recipe, buy a whole steak and cut it into 2-inch pieces yourself. You'll need a metal steamer basket and five 10-inch skewers.


Serves 6

3	tablespoons soy sauce
3	tablespoons tomato paste
3	tablespoons dark brown sugar
	Salt and pepper
3 1/2	pounds beef flap meat , cut into 2-inch pieces
3	tablespoons vegetable oil
1	onion, chopped fine
2	garlic cloves , minced
1	cup tomato sauce
1	cup ketchup
2	teaspoons cider vinegar
1	teaspoon hot sauce

1. Combine soy, tomato paste, brown sugar, and ½ teaspoon pepper in 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Pat steak dry with paper towels and thread onto skewers.


2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown 3 skewers on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to baking dish with soy mixture and turn to coat. Repeat with additional 2 teaspoons oil and remaining skewers.


3. Add onion, remaining oil, and ½ teaspoon salt to now-empty skillet and cook over medium heat until onions are browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomato sauce and ½ cup ketchup and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until very thick, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to slow cooker.


4. Set inverted metal steamer basket in slow cooker. Following photo 3, place skewers on steamer basket, scraping soy mixture over meat. Cover and cook on low until meat is tender, 5 to 6 hours (or cook on high 4 to 5 hours).


5. Transfer skewers to serving dish, slide steak off skewers, and tent with foil. Pour juices into bowl, let settle, then skim fat. Transfer 2½ cups defatted juices and remaining ketchup to medium saucepan and bring to boil. Simmer over medium heat until reduced to 1½ cups, about 10 minutes. Stir in vinegar and hot sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Pour 1 cup sauce over steak tips. Serve, passing remaining sauce at table. (Steak tips can be refrigerated in airtight container for 2 days.)





STEP BY STEP: Getting Barbecue Flavor from the Slow Cooker. Really.

1. SEAR Brown the skewered steak tips in a skillet to intensify the flavor of both the meat and the sauce.	2. COAT Once the meat is browned, coat it with a potent wet rub.
3. ELEVATE Lay the skewers on an inverted steamer basket to keep them out of the liquid.

Stovetop Well-done Hamburgers

Serves 4. Published January 1, 2007. Cook's Illustrated.

Adding a panade (a paste of bread and milk) to the ground beef creates burgers that are juicy and tender even when well-done. For a burger that cooks up flat, press the center of each patty down with your fingertips before cooking. Serve the burgers on your favorite buns or rolls.


Ingredients

1 large slice high-quality white sandwich bread , crust removed and discarded, bread chopped into 1/4-inch pieces (about 1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons whole milk
3/4 teaspoon table salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 medium clove garlic , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
2 teaspoons steak sauce , such as A-1
1 1/2 pounds 80 percent lean ground chuck
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
6 ounces cheese , sliced, (optional)
4 hamburger buns or rolls
Instructions

1. Mash bread and milk in large bowl with fork until homogeneous (you should have about 1/4 cup). Stir in salt, pepper, garlic, and steak sauce.

2. Break up beef into small pieces over bread mixture. Using fork or hands, lightly mix together until mixture forms cohesive mass. Divide meat into 4 equal portions. Gently toss 1 portion of meat back and forth between hands to form loose ball. Gently flatten into 3/4-inch-thick patty that measures about 4 1/2 inches in diameter. Press center of patty down with fingertips until it is about 1/2 inch thick, creating slight depression in patty. Repeat with remaining portions of meat.

3. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until just beginning to smoke. Add meat patties, indentation side up, and cook until well-browned, about 5 minutes. Using wide spatula, flip burgers and continue cooking, about 4 minutes for medium-well or 5 minutes for well-done. Distribute equal portion of cheese (if using) on burgers about 2 minutes before they reach desired doneness, covering skillet with lid to melt cheese. While burgers cook, toast buns. Serve on buns with desired toppings.

Recipe Testing

A Half-Ounce of Prevention Our quest for a juicy well-done burger ended when we hit upon a surprisingly effective addition--a bread-and-milk paste (or panade).

Skirt Steak Fajitas on a Charcoal Grill

Notes: Toast the cumin in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant (about 1 minute), then remove the pan from the heat so the cumin won't scorch. Serve the fajitas as is or with salsa, shredded cheese, and/or sour cream. To use flank steak instead of skirt steak, see related tip, "Telling Skirt Steak and Flank Steak Apart".


Serves 4


1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic , minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons ground cumin , toasted (see above note)
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
1 jalapeno chile, seeded and chopped fine (1 chipotle can be substituted for the jalapeno)
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro leaves
2 skirt steaks , each about 3/4 pound
2 large onions , cut into 1/2-inch slices
3 bell peppers (large), 1 red and 2 green, tops and bottoms removed, then cut in half lengthwise and seeded
12 (6-inch) flour tortillas



1. Whisk lime juice, 2 tablespoons oil, garlic, soy sauce, cumin, brown sugar, and chile in bowl. Transfer 1/4 cup marinade to bowl, add cilantro, and set aside. Prick steaks with fork about 50 times on each side, then cut each steak in half crosswise. Place steaks in large zipper-lock plastic bag, pour in marinade without cilantro, seal bag, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. Remove steaks from bag, pat dry with paper towels, and discard marinade in bag.

2. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (about 100 coals) and burn until coals are covered with fine gray ash. Pour coals into pile on one side of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and let grill heat up 5 minutes. Scrape cooking grate clean.

3. Meanwhile, brush onions and peppers with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Grill onions and peppers, turning occasionally, until charred and softened, 8 to 12 minutes (peppers will cook more quickly). Move vegetables to cool side of grill. Grill steak directly over coals until seared on both sides but still pink in center, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer steak and vegetables to serving platter, pour cilantro marinade over, cover with foil, and let rest 5 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, toast tortillas over hot fire, about 10 seconds per side. Wrap in aluminum foil to keep warm. Slice steak as shown in photo and cut vegetables into finger-length pieces.
Serve immediately with warm tortillas.

8/2006 - Cook's