Oxtail Ragu � Worth the Wait

Other than a completely unnecessary braising step right in the middle of the video, this oxtail ragu came out amazingly well. My thought was to roast the oxtails in the sauce, in a slow oven to see if I could achieve the tender-sticky meat I know and love, while slowly reducing the sauce at the same time. I couldn�t. 

Well, actually, it would have eventually gotten tender, but I wasn�t prepared to find out how long that was going to be. Like I said several times during the video, I want you to roast your oxtail and onion until nicely browned, but then transfer everything into a pot, add the rest of the ingredients, and simmer until the meat comes off the bones with minimal effort.

The only way to screw up this incredibly succulent cut of beef is to not cook it long enough, which is why I better not read any 3-star recipe reviews that say, �Good flavor, but wasn�t as tender as I wanted.� Just remember to not braise, and keep simmering until it yields completely to your fork. I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions:

(Pro tip: since this does take so many hours to simmer, it's almost always best to make this the day before you serve it)

3-4 pounds oxtail, cut into 2-inch sections, rubbed with olive oil, and seasoned generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

1 large yellow onion, diced

6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

-- Roast at 425 F. for 45-60 minutes until browned

-- Transfer into a sauce pot, and add the following

1/4 cup sherry vinegar

4 cups tomato sauce or puree, or more if desired

2 cups chicken broth, or enough to cover the oxtails

* You can add as much sauce and/or stock as you want, as long as you have at least enough to cover

1 sprig rosemary

2 springs thyme

2 springs oregano

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes

- Simmer on low, many hours, until tender

- Should be enough sauce and meat for 1 pound of pasta

Super Deluxe Steak Nachos � Regular Nachos for the Big Game? I Don�t Think So.

I�m still trying to figure out how this video for super deluxe steak nachos ended up being over nine minutes long. I�ll blame the fact that I showed you how to do the steak and faux refried beans, but still, I always feel a little uneasy whenever we go past seven or eight minutes. Also, I don�t get overtime.

Be that as it may, this is one of my all time favorite party foods, and I�ve wanted to show you my version for a long time. As you may have heard, the Super Bowl is just a few weeks away, and this should get serious consideration when formulating your snack line-up.

Feel free to cook your meat medium-rare, or less, but as I mention in the video, I think medium works best if you�re using the recommended skirt steak, or flap meat. These cuts have a beautiful, beefy flavor, which, in my experience, is only maximized if cooked to a certain point.

Even though the meat is reheated when we melt the cheese, I still think medium is the way to go, and not just flavor-wise. I think the texture is better as well. These cuts are a little on the chewy side, which is accentuated if cooked rare. Having said that, whether you used raw, or completely well-done beef, you�re still going to be thrilled with the results. I still hope you give these super deluxe steak nachos a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 3 of the same sized platters as I used:

For the steak:

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 1/2 pounds skirt steak or flap steak (aka flap meat) seasoned on both sides with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and chipotle to taste

- cook to a medium (about 135 to 140 F. internal temp)

For the beans:

2 tablespoons bacon fat or lard

1 yellow onion, diced

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

2 (15-oz) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 1/2 cups water or chicken broth, plus more as needed

1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

You also need:

corn chips

12 ounces sharp cheddar

12 ounces Monterrey Jack
diced avocado (tossed in lemon juice and salt) 
diced white onion 
diced tomato 
finely diced jalape�o pepper 
sour cream 
freshly chopped cilantro 
* serve with hot sauce on the side, and lots of beer

Borscht-Braised Beef Short Ribs � It Sure Beats Beets

Even though I often joke about naming dishes a certain way to help with the search engines, I rarely actually do. Mostly because I don�t get a bonus for extra traffic, but with this borscht-braised beef short ribs, I fully admit to intentionally not using the �B� word.

I would hate for someone who thinks they hate beets to not even watch the video. I figured if we could trick them into at least seeing the dish in all its colorful glory, they�d simply have to give it a try. Unless they don't like beets, and gorgeous things.

By the way, I can totally relate to the �I don�t eat beets� people, as I am one. I�ve never been a big fan, but in certain things, like borscht, I love them. With that simple soup as an inspiration, I thought the flavors would work nicely with the rich, fatty short ribs, and they sure did.

Will this be enough to change your mind about beets? There�s only one way to find out. I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions:

1 tbsp vegetable oil

3 pounds beef short ribs, cut into 3-inch pieces, seasoned generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

3 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf

1 cup cubed carrots

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 pound beets, cut in large pieces (about two large ball sized beets, cut in eighths)

2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

- Optional step: when you taste your finished sauce, if you want to add some acidity to balance the sweetness, adjust with a splash of white vinegar.

- Garnish with sour cream and chives

Billionaire�s Franks & Beans � Welcome to the Top 1% of Comfort Foods

Maybe it�s the billionaire(s) in the news lately, but for some reason I decided to take one of America�s most frugal meals, franks and beans, and give it a high-end makeover. Besides, all the other classic comfort foods have been fancified, hipsterized, and/or molecular gastronomized; so I figured I would take this one down. And by down, I mean up.

Usually, franks and beans is made by opening up a couple cans of baked beans, and heating it up with some sliced hotdogs. Not exactly something you�d serve to visiting dignitaries. However, by adding some fresh veggies, plain beans, and high-quality beef hot dogs, we can achieve something much healthier, equally delicious, and every bit as comforting.

So, how much more will it cost you to make this usually cheap dish, using these upscale ingredients? It�s tempting to say, if you have to ask, you can�t afford it, but that�s not the case. Sure, the Kobe hotdogs will cost you a couple extra dollars, but the rest of the dish is still quite inexpensive. I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions Franks & Beans:

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1 diced yellow onion

1 diced poblano or other green pepper

2 tbsp minced fresh cayenne pepper, or other hot red pepper

1 rib celery, diced

1 pound hot dogs, sliced (literally any other sausage will work here)

2 (15-oz) cans cannellini beans, drained, rinsed

1 tbsp light brown sugar

1/4 cup ketchup

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 1/2 cup chicken broth, or as needed

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/4 cup sliced green onions

- serve with buttered toast and champagne

Grilled Beef Flank Steak �Pastrami� � Backyard Deli

I�ll do a proper pastrami one of these days. Maybe right after I get a smoker. But in the meantime, this pastrami-spiced beef flank steak should do nicely. As with all "cheater" recipes, managing your expectations is key.

You can�t get the texture and color of a real �pastrami� without the curing step, where the meat is soaked in a brine, before being spiced/smoked, but you can get pretty close to the flavor, using the spice rub seen herein.

We�ve used a similar technique to turn plain corned beef into �pastrami,� as well as create a duck Reuben; one of my favorite videos of all time. By the way, the ingredient amounts below have been adjusted slightly, as my spice rub was a tad bit overpowering.

I�ve backed down the black pepper and mustard, but as with all spice amounts, that�s really up to you. If you simply put salt and pepper on a flank steak, and grill it properly, you�ll have something delicious to eat, so keep that in mind as you rub your meat. 

I ate mine fresh, but if you let it cool, slice it thin, and warm it up in a pan with a little splash of water, and a tiny pinch of sugar, you�ll have something even more pastrami-like. I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

SPECIAL NOTE: I let my meat warm to room temp before grilling, so the inside reaches my desired temp a little quicker, and before the outside spice rub gets too black. Conversely, when grilling a steak, and there's nothing to burn on the surface, I generally like the meat cold, so the outside has plenty of time to sear, before the meat inside is done. 

Ingredients for 4 large portions:

1 trimmed beef flank steak (usually 1.5 to 1.75 pounds)

2 tsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp ground coriander

1 tbsp kosher salt

2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp dry mustard
- For best results, cook to a medium. I pulled at about 135 F. internal temp, which will rise to about 140 F. as it rests.

-Serve with slightly sweetened mustard and rye bread

Teriyaki Burgers and a Sweet Potato Bun Tease

Your classic teriyaki burger is usually nothing more than a plain patty, which has been glazed in teriyaki sauce; and by �teriyaki sauce,� I mean a thick, one-dimensional syrup made from sugar, soy, and MSG. If you�re enjoying your third pint at a sports bar, these work out just fine, but good luck adapting them for your next cookout.

Here we�re using a different, drier approach, and adding the key teriyaki flavorings to the ground meat. This gives us a burger or slider with the taste of teriyaki, without having to deal with a sauce. This recipe should work no matter the cooking method, although a medium-hot charcoal grill would be my preference, weather permitting.

No matter how you grill these, I highly recommend they end up on a homemade sweet potato slider bun. Besides another way to tweak the humble hamburger, this clip was intended to be a sneak preview for some rather amazing buns. We�ll post that sometime Monday, just in case you want to add it to your 4th of July menu. So stay tuned, and as always, enjoy!

Ingredients for four (4-oz) burgers:

1 pound ground beef (85/15 lean to fat ratio)

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon sake

1 tablespoon mirin

1 tsp sriracha, or other hot sauce to taste

2 tsp brown sugar

Beef, Bean, and Beer Chili � What a Great Way to Lose a Beer

As the legend goes, someone was making a batch of chili one day, while drinking too much beer, and due to a series of unfortunate events, a bottle was dropped into the pot. 

By the time it was fished out, the contents had escaped, and a new, delicious version of chili was born. As a former line cook, I'd say that sounds about right.

This recipe reminds me of the decision we�re faced with whenever we make beef stew. Should we deglaze with wine, or just our broth? Both make great, but differently flavored stews, so it really just depends on your mood, and also whether you're willing to sacrifice your adult beverage.

As I mention in the video, hot chili is a very underrated summer menu item. Bring a big ol� thermos of this to a picnic, or other warm weather cookout, and it makes a great side to those grilled burgers and dogs. Just have some insulated cups around, and maybe some hot sauce, and you�re in business. I hope you give this beef, bean, and beer chili a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 portions:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 diced onion

2 pounds ground beef

2 tsp salt, plus more to taste

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 tbsp ancho chile powder, or to taste (I like ancho, but any high-quality ground chili pepper will work)

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tsp paprika

1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 (12-oz) bottle of beer

1 cup tomato puree or crushed tomatoes

2 cups water, or as needed

2/3 cup diced green pepper (I used poblano, but a combo of jalapeno and green bell works great too)

2 (12 ounce) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed well

Memorial Day Grilling Special: Hot Dog Sausage aka �Hot Dogage�

The idea of making actual hot dogs doesn�t really interest me that much. Like French fries, and sushi, I believe hot dogs are best enjoyed out�; preferably at a baseball game, with a cold beer. However, I didn�t say anything about hotdog-inspired sausage hybrids.

This meaty mash-up came about thanks to some lamb kebab experiments. The meat mixture is prepared in a similar fashion, and while the seasonings are totally different, the firm texture of the kebab reminded me of a hot dog�s �snap.�

I wondered what would happen if I did a skewer-less kebab using the same ingredients that would typically go into a hotdog. What happened was better than I could've expected. I ended up with a fresh, mostly beef sausage, that tasted pretty much exactly like a hot dog.

Technically, this ended up being a lot closer to a bratwurst, but I�m pretty sure hot dogs are a more popular search, so that�s what I went with. As always, be sure to season these �to taste.� Just like when making meatballs, you can cook a small piece of the mixture, and adjust from there.

Like I said in the video, if you�re looking for something a little different for your Memorial Day cookout, I hope you give these hot dog sausages a try. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 Giants Hot Dog Sausages:

1 1/4 pounds lean ground beef (10 to 15% fat is fine)

1/4 pound ground pork

4 tsp kosher salt (1/2 ounce by weight)

2 tsp black pepper

1 tbsp paprika

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp granulated garlic

1 tsp granulated onion powder

1/3 cup ice water

Beef Rouladen � German Engineering You Can Eat

For something that looks and tastes as impressive as this beef rouladen, it�s actually one of the simplest stuffed meat recipes I know. Everything happens right on the meat, and after a quick roll and tie, we simmer in the gravy until tender. The beef and fixings flavor the sauce, the sauce flavors the beef, and everybody wins.

Regarding the meat, one of the great things about this technique, is that you can pretty much use any cheap cut of beef they have on sale. I used some round steak, but rump, chuck, flap meat, and other similar cuts will work.

Tell your butcher you�re making rouladen, and they will hook you up with what you need. If they�ve never heard of rouladen, then you should probably find another butcher. As I mentioned in the video, this can be scaled up to any size group. Just use a bigger pot, and the recipe will work as shown. I really hope you give this Rouladen recipe a try soon. Genie�en!

Ingredients for 2 Beef Rouladen:

2 (about 1/4-inch thick) slices of cheap beef, about 6 ounces per slice. I used round, but rump, chuck, flap meat, and any other long cooking cuts will work.

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

4 strips pancetta or bacon
paprika to taste

sliced onion, as needed

6 slices dill pickle

1 tbsp vegetable oil

For the gravy:

2 tbsp butter, added to the pan drippings

1/4 cup flour

3 cups beef broth, veal, or chicken stock

salt to taste

Homemade Beef Jerky � A Real Convenient Store

Until recently, beef jerky was a late night, convenience store impulse buy, and what was in it was the least of your worries at that hour. I�ve had beef jerky where MSG was the most nutritious thing in it, but times have changed. 

Thanks to a new wave of modern day cave-people, eating healthy, high-protein snacks is all the rage, and while you can find many artisan brands out there, making your own is fun, easy, and using this method, relatively quick. 

You can get great flavor with as little as a 3-hour marination, but feel free to go as long as 24-hours. I did half a batch using both methods, and I actually prefer the shorter period, which seems to produce a beefier jerky. Michele on the other hand, liked the longer method, and its spicier, slightly saltier taste.

You can use any lean cut of beef you want, but I think top round is a great choice, as I explain in the video. Whatever you decide to use, please do yourself a favor, and have the butcher cut it for you. Nice thin, even slices are key, so the meat dries evenly. Just tell the butcher you are making jerky, and they�ll know what to do. I hope you give this beef jerky recipe a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 6 (2-oz) portions Beef Jerky:

2 pounds thinly sliced beef top round

3/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

3/4 cup soy sauce

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1 rounded tablespoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 generous tablespoon honey

- Marinate for 3 hours or more.

- Bake at 175 F. for 3-4 hours or until dry and leathery