Pot Roast with with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

1 Chuck Roast 3lb

1 Large Yellow Onion, peeled and cut in half

1 Whole Bulb Fresh Garlic, peeled, trimmed of top and smashed 

1 Tablespoon Onion Powder (not onion salt)

1/2 Tbsp Garlic Powder (not garlic salt)

2 Cups Beef Stock, I use Better than Bouillon Beef Paste (prepare 8 oz with water as directed). 

1 Cup Dry Red Wine (not sweet) recommend Merlot or Burgundy

2 Bay Leaf

1 Pinch Rosemary

1 Pinch Thyme

Fresh Cracked Pepper to taste

1 Tbsp Kitchen Bouquet 

Note on Salt. I do not add additional salt, the bullion has plenty. You can always add the salt on the plate. I love salt but it is not needed. 

Vegetables

5 Celery Ribs, chopped into bite-sized pieces

1/2 lb Bag Carrots, peeled and cut into thirds

1 lb Bag Frozen Green Beans optional

You can use regular onions, a couple of smaller ones, or a quartered large onion. or Pearl Onions, parboiled and popped out of the peels (optional)

1/2 Pound Peeled Potatoes or Omit the potatoes like I do and serve mashed on the side. 

Thickening

Cornstarch and Water Slurry

In a hot lightly oiled pan, on medium-high heat, sear the chuck roast on both sides. Place it in an oven roaster. Add wine to the hot pan and scrape up any browned bits. Place onion, smashed garlic, onion powder, garlic powder, cracked pepper, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, simmered wine, prepared beef stock, and kitchen bouquet into the roaster. Cover the roast with lid and place in a 400-degree oven for 20 minutes, then turn the heat down to 350 and cook for about 3 1/2 to 4 hours.  

The last hour of roasting add your vegetables. 

The last five minutes of cooking, remove the pan from the oven and turn the heat to 400. Using a slotted spoon, pile vegetables on top of the meat (making a well to mix cornstarch with broth) Prepare the slurry and using a whisk mix cornstarch into broth stirring, tilt the pan and incorporate slurry into all of the broth. Return pan without the lid to the oven, about 5 minutes until it comes to a full bubble.  Pull it out and serve.

I usually double the recipe as this gets eaten up and is great as a leftover. You don't need to double the onion.

(made from caramelized veggies, gives the gravy that beautiful dark color)

(concentrate, prepare with hot water as directed)

Salisbury Steak

2 pounds ground sirloin or chuck
2 eggs
4 slices of fresh white bread, processed into crumbs
1 Small Onion, minced or processed very fine
1/2 cup or more, fresh minced parsley
1 T bspWorcestershire sauce
1/4 Tsp White Pepper
1/4 Tsp Black Pepper
1/2 Tsp Montreal Steak Seasoning (omit salt in this recipe if using steak seasoning)
1 Tbsp Onion Powder
1/2 Tbsp Garlic Powder
2 Pats of Butter

Preheat oven and a casserole dish to 400 degrees. Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl, using a large salad serving fork mix ingredients until well incorporated. Don't use your hands as this will mash the mixture into a paste and the steaks will come out tough. Shape the mixture into six large oval patties. Add 2 pats of butter to preheated casserole dish, distribute it evenly and lay the patties on top. Pop into the oven.

1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce
1 Tbsp Kitchen Bouquet
1/2 Tbsp Onion Powder
1/4 Tbsp Garlic Powder
1 Tsp Montreal Steak Seasoning
1/4 Tsp White Pepper
1/4 Tsp Black Pepper
16 oz Beef Stock or 16 oz Hot water and beef paste
2 Pats of Butter

In a pan on the stove top, melt butter and add slivered onions and sliced mushrooms and a little salt and pepper, cook until onions begin to look a little clear. Add flour and saute for another few minutes. Add Worcestershire, oyster sauce, kitchen bouquet, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, white pepper, beef stock and a little Montreal steak seasoning to taste. Cook for a minute or two. Pull casserole dish out of the oven, strain grease, pour gravy over steaks and return to the oven for about 35 Minutes. Serve with rice or mashed potatoes.

Braised Oxtail Stew with Red Wine

4 Pounds Beef Oxtails
1 Pound Small Red Potatoes washed and halved
3 Stalks Celery washed and roughly chopped
3 Carrots peeled and roughly chopped
1 Pound Fresh or frozen green beans
1-2 Sweet Onions chopped
5 Cloves Garlic, peeled and smashed
1 Reg. can Diced Tomatoes drained, or 2-3 Fresh tomato's peeled. seeded and chopped
2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
1-2 Cups Dry Red Wine or Burgundy
Beef Stock or Broth, enough to cover oxtails
Flour with salt and pepper
1/2 Tsp Rosemary or Fresh sprigs are better
1/2 Tsp Thyme or Fresh sprigs are better
3 Bay Leaves
1 Tsp Onion Powder
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 Tsp Black Pepper
1/4 Tsp White Pepper
a drizzle of kitchen bouquet or Worcestershire sauce
Salt (you can omit this based on beef stock, or add later in cooking so as not to over salt dish)
Oil (enough to oil bottom of pan for browning oxtails)
Cornstarch (only if needed, if you get enough flour on the oxtails it should thicken)


Heat a dutch oven at 400 degrees, add oil once the pan is hot. Meanwhile mix Flour, salt, and pepper together and dredge cleaned oxtails through seasoned flour. Brown the oxtails in the pan well, turning to brown as evenly as possible. Pour in wine to deglaze the pan, allow to cook for at least 5 minutes. Next add Beef stock, tomato paste, diced tomato, all spices, and seasoning. Cook at 350 for 3 hours, add vegetables and continue cooking for an additional hour or add earlier for softer veggies.

Serve with rice or on top of polenta or creamy grits made with butter and whole cream.

Italian Meatballs

2 Pounds Ground Chuck
1 Pound Sweet Italian Sausage
1 Cup Crushed Seasoned Croutons
1 Cup Parmesan Cheese
1 Coffee Cup of Whole Milk, Hot (microwave it)
2 Tbsp Garlic Herb Butter
1 Bunch Parsley, Finely Minced
1/2 Vidalia or other Sweet Onion, Finely Minced
6 Large Garlic Cloves Minced
1/2 Tsp Black Pepper
1/2 Tsp White Pepper
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 Tbsp Onion Powder
2 Large Eggs
If you like a spicy meatball, add some red chili flakes or use hot Italian sausage.

Place crushed croutons in a bowl with the Parmesan Cheese and garlic herb butter, pour hot milk over mixture and allow it to set for 10 minutes. Stir together Crumbs and Cheese then add all other ingredients to the bowl. Using a large serving fork, toss and mix all ingredients together using gentle strokes till completely combined. Do Not use your hands as this is too rough, the meatball mixture should not be mashed into a paste as this makes the meatball tough. When combined, gently, but firmly form all of the mixture into golfball-sized meatballs. Drop directly into the sauce to cook (skim sauce of grease before serving, use a small gravy ladle, works perfectly). Or bake on a sheet if desired.

* Very important, if cooking the meatballs in the sauce, have sauce at a gentle simmer, do not stir until meatballs have cooked through completely, and afterward only gently or you will break the meatballs up.

* Crushed Seasoned Croutons I fill a sandwich baggie, push out air and seal, then smash it with a hammer or rolling pin. You could also pulse them in a food processor.

* Garlic Herb Butter = Butter with salt, white pepper, minced garlic, tarragon and parsley with a dash of Worcestershire sauce. This is mixed and chilled. I always have this in my freezer for steaks and such. Or just add two tablespoons of salted butter.