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Wayfinder's Galley

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Beef

The Funky Java Burger

June 6, 2020 by Cody

The Funky Java burger is stacked with bleu cheese, cinnamon apples, caramelized red onions, and espresso rub to create an explosion of flavor!

The Funky Java burger is stacked with bleu cheese, cinnamon apples, caramelized red onions, and espresso rub to create an explosion of flavor!

Several years ago, I spent the weekend in St. Louis for a good friend’s bachelor party. Typical guy’s trip……ball game, casino, good times, and we ate some good food!!  One place, Bailey’s Range, was legit! With top-notch burgers, scratch shakes, and a couple dozen local beers on tap, we got comfortable for a bit.  

My wife was pregnant at the time, so I wasn’t really drinking.  It “takes two to tango” and I’m not the type of dude to leave a friend hanging on the outside of a good time when I partly put them there. She has been one of my best friends from the get, so I didn’t consume alcohol and followed the pregnant diet for nine(ish) months; which was easy except for the constant batches of muffins. I couldn’t hang with her on those and that didn’t seem to bother her in the least.  Anyway, since I wasn’t balancing the liquid diet on this trip, my inner foodie was going wild! 

This place has a revolving menu with weekly burger battles so this burger isn’t there anymore, but it was. And it was amazing! It sounds crazy, I know.  Trust me, though, just go for it!  

The Burger & Coffee

This is a perfectly balanced half pound burger! The espresso creates a very robust sear on the meat.  Therefore, my favorite cooking method for these is the flat iron grill or cast iron.  This method helps create the perfect glazed coffee crust. If you decide to downsize the burger, consider dialing back on the espresso as well.  I’ve made these on 1/3 lb patties and it can be easy for the coffee to become overwhelming with a slight bitterness when dealing with smaller burgers. 

The Funky Java Burger

The Funky Java burger is stacked with bleu cheese, cinnamon apples, caramelized red onions, and espresso rub to create an explosion of flavor!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 2 brioche buns
  • 1/4 cup blue cheese
  • 1/4 red onion, sliced
  • 1 granny smith apple
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 tbs sugar
  • 4 tsp espresso
  • salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Patty the meat into two, 1/2 lb patties. Salt & Pepper to taste and rub 1 tsp of espresso onto each side. Cook to your preference over medium high.
  2. While the burgers are cooking, caramelize the onions by placing them in a skillet, over medium heat.
  3. For the apples: Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Core/chop the apple. Mix the cinnamon and sugar well. Liberally cover the apples and place them in the skillet. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until the apples are soft and golden brown.
  4. As soon as the burgers are removed from the heat, top them with equal amounts of bleu cheese (1/8 cup each) allowing it to soften slightly.
  5. Toast the brioche buns and place the burgers on the bottom halves. Equally cover the burgers with the fried apples and caramelized onions.

Notes

If you have a hard time balancing things in the kitchen, simply prepare the onions and apples prior prior to the meat and keep them warm until time to serve.

© Cody
For other delicious burger recipes, check out The Triple Stack Burger and PB&J Burger.

Filed Under: Beef, Main Dish Tagged With: beef, bleu cheese, caramelized onions, espresso, fried apples

The Best Chili Recipe

March 6, 2020 by Cody

Look no further!! With double meat and just the right amount of spice, this is the Best Chili Recipe!

Look no further!! With double meat and just the right amount of spice, this is the Best Chili Recipe!

About ten years ago, a friend of mine was talking about his delicious chili recipe.  He was hyping it up to the max.  Even taking it so far as to say, “It’s probably the best chili you’ve ever had in your life!” So, obviously, I had to try this stuff.  Lo and behold, it was the best chili I had ever tasted! 

The Best Chili Recipe

Look no further!! With double meat and just the right amount of spice, this is the Best Chili Recipe!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1 lb sirloin steak
  • 1 onion
  • 1 poblano pepper
  • 2 tbsp fire roasted green chile peppers
  • 1 can fire roasted tomatoes
  • 1 can dark kidney beans
  • 1 can light kidney beans
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 packet chili seasoning
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Heat a Dutch oven (or pot) over medium/medium-high heat. Brown the ground beef first, using a small portion of the chili seasoning to add some flavor to the meat. Salt and pepper the steak to taste and thinly slice. Once the meat is partially browned (about 3/4) you can add the steak (Tip: I highly recommend giving the steaks a quick sear in a cast iron or on a grill before slicing to increase flavor) Cook for approximately 5 min, or until the ground beef is thoroughly cooked.
  2. Chop the onion and pepper. Mix in the onion, poblano, and chile peppers. Then dump the tomatoes, beans, broth, and remainder of chili seasoning and stir well. Bring to a boil.
  3. Add the tomato paste and stir well, evenly distributing the paste throughout. Reduce heat and cover. Allow to simmer for at least 30 min.
  4. Enjoy.

Notes

For an alternative to the chili packets, check out Flavor God seasonings

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 439Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 115mgSodium: 669mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 4gSugar: 3gProtein: 40g
© Cody
Category: Main Dish
For other delicious recipes, check out Southwestern Chili and Loaded Potato Chili!

Filed Under: Beef, Main Dish Tagged With: beef, chili, cowboy, filling, hearty, steak

50/50 DIY Sloppy Joe

October 3, 2019 by Cody

This venison and beef, DIY Sloppy Joe is a great introduction to wild game!

This venison and beef, DIY Sloppy Joe is a great introduction to wild game!

I hunt and, when successful, I add to the freezer inventory to enjoy at a later date.  When handled and cooked properly, wild game is very palatable. Yet, I hear it all the time,….. “too gamey” or “musky”.  For those who feel that way, my argument is that somewhere after the kill, you’re lacking in skill (or at least whoever prepared it is).  There are various ways to improve the over all quality and taste of game meat.  When introducing a weary eater to wild game, I typically use ground meat to prepare a dish that has an abundance of additional flavors.

Enchiladas, spaghetti, Bolognese, and meatloaf are a few examples of good “introductory” game preparations. And, of course, there’s this Sloppy Joe recipe!!  I’ve made all of the pre-mentioned meals with venison (only) and nobody said a word about the use of wild game; until I asked, that is.  Then it’s “I thought there was something different about it”. 🙄 It was enjoyed, none the less.  If I’m dealing with an overly certain critic or super skeptic, I mix this 50/50 blend (venison/beef). This is the secret!! Just ask my grandma.  She refuses to eat wild game and hasn’t touched the stuff 🤫😉.

The 50/50 Meat

Now, especially in recent years, I process my own harvest.  This allows me to vary my lean/fat ratio as I see fit.  For standard ground venison, I usually stay around 80/20 or 80/15 and utilize pork fat as the other ingredient.  However, for ground game that I intend to add to beef, I do not add pork fat.  In adding a lean game grind to an 80/20 ground beef, the leanness is increased by about ten percent.  The result? A 90/10 venison and beef mixture.   If this doesn’t get your weary wild game guest to cross over, there may be no hope for them. 

50/50 DIY Sloppy Joe

This venison and beef, DIY Sloppy Joe is a great introduction to wild game!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1 lb. ground venison
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 1/2 onion
  • 1/2 green bell pepper
  • 1 1/3 cup of ketchup
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
  • 1/4 tsp garlic salt

Instructions

  1. Blend all dry seasonings together in a bowl. Season the meat with approximately half and save the rest for a later step. Tip: sub the seasonings with 1 tbsp of Flavorgod Everything.
  2. Brown the ground meat over medium-high heat. If you have any questions about this step, this is a good read (click here).
  3. Finely chop the onion and bell pepper. When meat is approximately halfway browned, add the chopped onion and pepper.
  4. In a separate bowl, combine Worcestershire, ketchup, and brown sugar.
  5. When the meat is fully browned, add the sauce and remainder of seasoning. Stir well.
  6. Reduce heat and simmer for about 3-5 minutes, stirring regularly.
  7. Serve on a sesame bun.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 316Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 106mgSodium: 678mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 1gSugar: 11gProtein: 31g
© Cody
Category: Main Dish

Filed Under: 30 Minutes or Less, Beef, Main Dish, Uncategorized Tagged With: beef, DIY, sloppy joe, venison, wild game

PB&J Burger

September 20, 2019 by Cody

When PB&J meets bacon cheeseburger, you get an interesting flavor combination that keeps you chomping til it’s gone!

When PB&J meets bacon cheeseburger, you get an interesting flavor combination that keeps you chomping til it's gone!

A few months ago, I came across this overly delicious (dangerously delicious) peanut butter whiskey. It wasn’t sold locally yet, but it is now! Luckily, shortly after I tried it, we traveled a few hours away for a family event.  On our way home, I found it on the shelf and went all Garth Brooks, “BRING ME TWO……….”.  With each hand gripping a bottle of the peanut butter nectar, my wheels were spinning about the night’s plans.  I now had this delicious drink and hadn’t had supper.  So, I called the fam with the jams and we worked out a plan.  PB&J Burgers!!!! I had never made them and none of us had eaten them, but with this new drink and Marley’s Jams, it just made sense. 

We all gathered round the table and were each probably halfway through the burger before we made a decision.  We loved them! It’s kind of like that weird friend that you love because, despite their weirdness (uniqueness), they’re awesome in their world……..and yours! That is the best way I can describe it, strangely amazing.

The Burger

The are a couple key considerations in creating this concoction.  Those are seasoning and ratios.  My preference and advice is to keep the peanut butter and jam as underlying flavor notes. Otherwise, it dominates and makes you feel more like you’re eating a sandwich than a burger.  But again, you do you! Same goes with the patty size. There has been some debate about 1/4 lb vs 1/3 lb, but both are good.  This is simply a matter of preference.  

The seasoning, however, is key.  You can season your meat with your preference but keep in mind that this is what brings cohesion to the burger. I’ve tried a few different ways and the two best seem pretty funky.  They are, actually, but they work.  You’ve seen both brands here before and they are Manitou Trading Company’s Five Spice Powder and Flavor God’s Jamaican Jerk Seasoning. I’ve found that for dark jams, like grape or blackberry, the five spice powder works great.  For red jams, like strawberry or raspberry, the jerk seasoning is the way to go.  They just work! I’ve done blind challenges for people to choose their favorite to confirm, too. 

PB&J Burger

When PB&J meets bacon cheeseburger, you get an interesting flavor combination that keeps you chomping til it's gone!
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/3 lb hamburger patty
  • 1 slice smoked cheddar
  • 1 tsp peanut butter
  • 1 tsp jam
  • 1 1/2 slice of bacon
  • 1 brioche bun

Instructions

  1. Cook the bacon to your preferred crispiness. I like to put some fresh cracked pepper on mine.
  2. Season the burger and sear each side in a cast iron for approximately 60-90 seconds. You want a crisp char on each side. Then place in the oven for about 8 minutes.
  3. About half way through, top the burger with cheese, allowing the cheese to melt.
  4. Place the bun face down on a buttered cast iron over medium heat to toast. Be careful not to burn.
  5. Spread the peanut butter on the bottom half of the bun and the jam on the top half.
  6. Place the burger on the bun, top with bacon, and complete. With this setup, the bite should go: nutty, beefy, smoky, savory/peppery, then sweet. With so much flavor, you'll be halfway through the burger before you have it all figured out!

Nutrition Information:


Amount Per Serving:
© Cody
Category: Beef
For other great burger ideas, see The Triple Stack Burger and The Funky Java Burger. 

Filed Under: 30 Minutes or Less, Beef, Main Dish Tagged With: bacon, cheeseburger, jam, peanut butter, peanut butter and jelly, Screwball Peanut Butter Whiskey

Double Meat Rustic Spaghetti

September 9, 2019 by Cody

With beef, ground Italian sausage, and a few other fresh ingredients, this Double Meat Rustic Spaghetti is an easy way to have your family and friends smiling around the table in about 40 minutes. 

With beef, ground Italian sausage, and a few other fresh ingredients, this Double Meat Rustic Spaghetti is an easy way to have your family and friends smiling around the table in about 40 minutes. 

 

I was in a spaghetti funk for quite a while.  Mainly, I contributed it to the amount of spaghetti UGRs with canned green beans we consumed while overseas.  I had similar issues with canned/pouched tuna and beef jerky for a bit, too.  I think it just put me in a stage of burnout that I still haven’t fully gotten out of years later.  The standard meat, sauce, and noodles would take me right back to the unwelcome strange aftertaste and mild heartburn burps that I just didn’t care to relive. 

My wife is a pastaholic and pizza addict, so I had to figure something out.  Happy wife, happy life, right? After a handful of “I’m just not a spaghetti fan anymore” nights, I found it! I remade the recipe for the family (extended too) and it was a hit.  I’ve stuck with this Double Meat Rustic Spaghetti recipe ever since.  

What is Double Meat Rustic Spaghetti?

Exactly as it sounds, the base of this delicious pasta dish is two types of meat.  We use a lean ground beef (85/15 or 90/10 work great) and an all pork Italian Sausage.  Doing this really amps up the flavor and makes for a more well-rounded sauce.  To give it the rustic vibe, simply add chopped vegetables to the sauce. 

With beef, ground Italian sausage, and a few other fresh ingredients, this Double Meat Rustic Spaghetti is an easy way to have your family and friends smiling around the table in about 40 minutes. 

Ingredients needed for Double Meat Rustic Spaghetti

  • Beef
  • Italian Sausage
  • Green & Red Bell Peppers
  • Onions
  • Garlic
  • 2 Jars of your favorite sauce
  • Spaghetti noodles
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

How to Make the Best Spaghetti

  • Place a deep skillet over medium-high heat and add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil.  I also like to add a pinch of medium ground black pepper to the oil, but that is up to you. 
  • Chop the peppers, onions, and garlic and add to the skillet to sauté. While the vegetables are cooking, add a pot of water to the stovetop and bring to a boil.  
  • Once the onions have started to caramelize, remove the vegetables from the skillet and add both the beef and sausage.  Cook thoroughly before returning the vegetables to the skillet.  Mix well and reduce heat to low.  Pour in both jars of sauce and bring to a simmer.  Allow to simmer while the noodles cook. 
  • Place the noodles into the boiling water with a dollop of olive oil and couple pinches of salt.  Cook per the package instructions and drain.   
  • Ladle the sauce over a bed of noodles to serve.  Enjoy!

Tips for the Best Spaghetti

As with every recipe, quality ingredients matter.  For years, we have sourced our beef from local farmers.  I highly recommend you do the this too, if you are able.  The same applies to the pork in our freezer.  It was raised here by people we know.  I’ve also used Italian Sausage that was made from a hog from Florida that found its way to my freezer through memories with my friends and daughter.  If none of these are options for you, then pick a lean grass fed beef and an all pork sausage from the store. 

With beef, ground Italian sausage, and a few other fresh ingredients, this Double Meat Rustic Spaghetti is an easy way to have your family and friends smiling around the table in about 40 minutes. 

Now, I’ve used jars of sauce in this recipe to keep it simple.  But that does not mean it has to taste like pasty heartburn over wet noodles!!! Buy a quality sauce.  You can’t go wrong with brands like Botticelli or Bertolli. The same concept applies to noodles.  Chop some fresh vegetables to mix in with the meat and sauce.  It matters, trust me!! Let the meat, veggies, and sauce simmer for a bit to infuse all of the flavors before serving. 

Double Meat Rustic Spaghetti

With beef, ground Italian sausage, and a few other fresh ingredients, this Double Meat Rustic Spaghetti is an easy way to have your family and friends smiling around the table in about 40 minutes. 
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 16 oz spaghetti noodles
  • 1/2 red bell pepper
  • 1/2 green pepper
  • 1 sweet onion
  • 2-3 tsp minced garlic
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ tsp seasoned salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper (optional)
  • 1 lbs. ground beef
  • 1 lbs. ground Italian sausage
  • 2 Jars of Spaghetti sauce
  • Parmesan (optional)

Instructions

  1. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil over medium-high heat.
  2. Place 1 tbsp of olive oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat (go ahead and add a couple twists of cracked black pepper if you’d like).
  3. Chop the peppers and onions. Then, add the peppers and let them sauté for about 6-8 minutes. About halfway through, add the onion. As the onion begins to caramelize, add the minced garlic. Allow the garlic to become fragrant and toast (not burn) for about 30-60 seconds before removing the vegetables aside to a bowl.
  4. Brown the beef and pork in the same skillet, being sure to scrape any tid bits from the bottom of the skillet. Cook thoroughly.
  5. Once the meat is browned thoroughly, return the vegetables to the skillet and mix well before pouring in the jars of sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer and reduce to low. Stir occasionally.
  6. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil, a pinch of salt, and a box of spaghetti noodles to the boiling pot of water and cook per instructions (usually 10-12 minutes) and drain.
  7. Ladle the sauce over a bed of noodles and top with fresh Parmesan (optional).   

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 517Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 83mgSodium: 961mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 4gSugar: 9gProtein: 31g
© Cody

Other Pasta Recipes:

Three Cheese Tortellini

Spicy Sausage Black Bean Pasta

Chicken Penne Arrabbiata 

Filed Under: Beef, Main Dish Tagged With: beef, double meat, Italian sausage, onions, pasta, peppers, rustic cut, spaghetti, vegetables

The Triple Stack Burger

September 7, 2019 by Cody

Three meats and three cheeses stacked up to make one amazingly delicious burger!

Three meats and three cheeses stacked up to make one amazingly delicious burger!

The Story Behind the Triple Stack

At 19 years old, I stopped by TGI Friday’s to get a bite to eat with my mom.  I ordered what I think was called the “triple jack burger”.  Jack Daniels is, or was at the time at least, a big thing there so I’m guessing that’s where the “jack” part came from, or maybe pepper jack cheese.  Same year, I’m in Iraq talking about one of the first things that I’m going to eat when we get back to the States.  In my experience, this is a pretty common conversation.  It doesn’t matter if you’re eating steak and lobster every Wednesday, your mind always tries to wander to something “better” that you can’t get to……..yet. On this one, all I kept going back to (in terms of food at least) was that burger.  

Months later, I walked through the doors of TGI Friday’s with a few friends to get my fix.  We ordered drinks and, although I was overly certain on what I wanted, began searching the menu.  Then, I started to get that stomach drop feeling of startled panic.  I had skipped straight to the only section that mattered to me, the burger section. Guess what wasn’t there!? The burger that I had been mouth watering over for the past several months!!! 

To make the situation worse, every menu item had the calories posted right next to the title.  As I voiced my devastation, my friend threw in his complaint of the calorie notes.  Nobody wanted to see that, haha. We were there to indulge, not be taunted with the reality of bad decisions.  One of the guys asked, “just want to go somewhere else?” Me, “yea man, this place sucks”. We paid for the drinks and bounced. If I’ve been back since, it was masked by my unfilled crave for the long lost burger. 

The Fix

You know how craves go! Nothing satisfies except that exact thing, right? My only option was to figure it out and recreate.  For this, some lame copycat recipe (not that I don’t use those, too) wouldn’t give me my fix.  I had to go above and beyond to make it better than the real deal; a burger that would put a grin on my face and honor that night’s exiting statement.  Over a decade later, I’ve done it!

The Triple Stack Burger

Three meats and three cheeses stacked up to make one amazingly delicious burger!

Ingredients

  • 1/3 lb hamburger patty
  • 4 slices black forest ham
  • 2 slices of quality bacon
  • 1/4 cup pimento cheese
  • 1 bakery fresh bun
  • 1 tsp of sweet & spicy bbq sauce

Instructions

  1. The Burger: I prefer burgers on a flat iron. I just think they're better that way so I sit a flat iron on my grill grates with some wood chips underneath for the best of both worlds. Also, I'm a firm believer that fresh ground is better than prepackaged, but there isn't always time for that. Regardless, just patty 1/3 pound of the ground beef, season it, and cook to your liking via your preferred method. For seasoning, I typically use seasoned salt but Bad Byron's Butt Rub works good here too.
  2. The pimento cheese (don't buy the stuff in the container): Using a cheese shredder, shred 1/2 lb of American cheese, 1/2 lb of Monterey Jack cheese, and 1/4 lb of medium or mild cheddar cheese into a large bowl. Add 3 tbsp of chopped pimentos, 1 chopped jalapeno, and 1/2 cup of mayo (light is fine) and mix thoroughly. You'll have plenty of extra for sandwiches, etc. I took what was left to a party with some Wheat Thins for people to munch.
  3. The Triple Stack: On a fresh bakery style hamburger bun or brioche bun, stack the cooked patty, ham, bacon and pimento cheese. Spread the barbeque sauce on the top half of the bun and press down enough to mash the pimento cheese across the other toppings, but not so much that you smash the whole thing. For the sauce, I recommend Rufus Teague Touch O' Heat for this behemoth. The sauce is supposed to be an underlying flavor note. While I always encourage you're own personal touch, let's try to keep this a burger and not turn it into a barbeque sandwich.

Filed Under: Beef, Main Dish Tagged With: bacon, beef, burger, ham, pimento cheese

Oxtail Ramen

August 28, 2019 by Cody

An elevated Ramen recipe utilizing oxtail can keep you true to your roots as your budget grows. 

An elevated Ramen recipe utilizing oxtail can keep you true to your roots as your budget grows. 

After being cooped up for a week post-op, I sent this to a buddy letting him know cabin fever was setting in and things were getting weird.

I’m no stranger to this budget bowl quick fix.  From microwaves to MRE heaters, I’ve seen these things ingested everywhere I’ve been.  When I moved back to my hometown, I started purchasing a cow from the local fair for meat.  This provides my family with a well-stocked inventory of beef.  That’s when I first encountered oxtail.

As I stared at this package in bewilderment, I wondered what in the hell I was going to do with this thing. I did some digging and there it was; Ramen! So, my ramen is no longer an instant wax filled creation and nothing goes to waste.

Why is this better than your average dorm room dinner?

First, the depth of flavor from the beef stock increases the richness of this bowl three-fold.  Second, although the overall cook time is lengthy; there is no “etched in stone” rule that you must cook and eat it all in one sitting.  Make the stock and eggs to store for when you are ready to eat.  Heat the stock to a boil, cook the noodles, top with the egg, garnish and you’re set!  By spreading it out, you can be ready to eat in a tenth of the time come Ramen noodle night. Don’t be afraid to change things up either! Feel free to add your favorite meat or top with some veggies; like jalapenos, shallots, or shredded carrots.  If you’re like me and spice is nice, slap some Sriracha on top too!!

An elevated Ramen recipe utilizing oxtail can keep you true to your roots as your budget grows. 

Pictured is a lunch bowl with some chicken and veggies.

Oxtail Ramen

An elevated Ramen recipe utilizing oxtail can keep you true to your roots as your budget grows. 
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 lb. ox tail
  • 15 baby carrots
  • 1 onion, quartered
  • 2 celery stalks, quartered
  • 2 green onion stalks
  • 2-3 garlic cloves
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tsp minced ginger
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cracked pepper
  • 5 quarts water
  • 8 oz package of Japanese Ramen Noodles
  • 2 boiled eggs

Instructions

    For the beef stock:

Place the sesame oil in the bottom of a large pot over medium-high heat.  I throw half of the cracked pepper (and red pepper if you choose) into the oil.  As the oil heats it will accentuate those pepper notes. 

Brown both sides of the oxtail for approximately 1-2 minutes per side.

Add the carrots, onions, celery, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, salt and pepper, and any other herbs you choose for your stock. It's best to go fresh and whole with the herbs here to help prevent tiny bits from floating in the stock after straining.

Cover with water and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low and let simmer for at least 2-3 hours, but the longer the better.

 Strain the stock removing all of the meat, vegetables, and herbs.

For the boiled eggs:

Place eggs in saucepan and cover with water by about an inch.

Bring water to a boil over high heat. 

When water reaches a boil, reduce to medium/medium high and cook for 6-10 minutes.

Remove eggs from saucepan and drop into bowl of ice water for 8-10 minutes.

Peel and halve.

For a cool Ramen specific egg recipe checkout The Flavor Bender.

For the Ramen:

Return stock to pot and bring to a boil. 

Add Ramen noodles and cook for approximately 8 minutes or per the instructions. 

Place noodles in bowl, smother in stock, garnish with thinly sliced jalapenos and sliced carrots (optional), top with Sriracha, and serve.



Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 510Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 217mgSodium: 1216mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 41g
© Cody
Category: Main Dish

Filed Under: Beef, Main Dish Tagged With: Asian, beef stock, noodles, oxtail, Ramen

Quick and Easy Shepherd’s Pie

August 20, 2019 by Cody

This quick and easy spin on Shepherd’s Pie is a great introduction to the world of hearty pub fare.

This quick and easy spin on Shepherd’s Pie is a great introduction to the world of hearty pub fare.

 

I’m a pub guy, through and through.  Clubs just aren’t my thing.  You can keep the hella long lines guarded by yoked seven footers, flashing lights that only give your partial profiles of the nights new found love, loud music that keeps you from actually hearing what someone is saying to you (not that it really matters), and sweaty people that leave looking like they got tsunamied after a CrossFit workout in search of the closest fast food or pizza joint to absorb the rest of what they didn’t sweat out. I prefer decent pub fare in a place that has good background music, where you can actually carry on a conversation, and it is accepted (probably expected) that every now and then, someone is getting shithoused to the point of fisticuffs.

I was twenty-one when I had my first Shepherd’s Pie at New York New York’s Nine Fine Irishmen in Vegas.  This ignited a pretty adventurous pursuit of good food, drink, and laughter.  To be fair, I wasn’t exactly lacking on the drink and laughter part at that point, but it was mostly accompanied by shitty food.  I instantly sought a string of pubs on the West Coast, ended up in one in Ireland that was definitely prevented from reaching it’s full potential, and still actively search them out today.  Matter of fact, me and the missus frequent one before nearly every tattoo sesh……sometimes after, too. 

This quick and easy spin on Shepherd’s Pie is a great introduction to the world of hearty pub fare.

Souvenir glass from the pub that started it all.

What is Shepherd’s Pie?

In simple terms, Shepherd’s Pie is minced meat covered with a layer of mashed potatoes and baked.  But of course, it’s not that simple.   Originating in Scotland, Shepherd’s Pie uses lamb as the meat ingredient.  Traditionally, it was served with a pastry topping until the Irish got a hold of it and introduced potatoes. Its close relative, Cottage Pie, uses beef as the meat ingredient.  Traditionally, it was topped with a sliced potato crust, but you can substitute mashed potatoes here, too. Pretty blurry line, huh? The key difference is the meat used in the pie.  

That brings us to this “Shepherd’s Pie”. So, we typically use one pound of beef and one pound of lamb.  I personally don’t care which meat you choose.  But just know that using all lamb gives you the authentic base for shepherd’s pie and, if you use all beef, it is technically cottage pie.  Maybe, since I blend both and have put my own spin on the flavor profile, we should call this “Farmer’s Pie”. What do you think?

Ingredients needed for this Quick & Easy Shepherd’s Pie

  • ground beef/lamb
  • shredded cheese
  • onion, chopped
  • mustard
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • seasoned salt
  • Parsley
  • black pepper
  • instant potatoes
  • frozen peas and carrots

This quick and easy spin on Shepherd’s Pie is a great introduction to the world of hearty pub fare.

How to make Shepherd’s Pie

Preheat the oven and boil water. Preheat oven to 350 and bring water to a boil for the instant potatoes.

Prepare the meat.  Add the ground meat, onion, and seasoned salt to a skillet over medium heat. When the meat is about halfway browned, add the mustard and Worchestershishishire 🙂 and continue to cook until there is no more pink.

Prepare the vegetables. Cook the frozen peas and carrots per package instructions.  Remove the now boiling water from heat and stir in the instant potatoes until smooth.

Make and bake the pie.  In the same skillet, mix the meat, vegetables, and cheese. Cover the meat and vegetables with the potatoes and garnish with cheese and parsley. Finish in the oven. Enjoy!

Tips for the Best Quick and Easy Shepherd’s Pie

I have a few different meat pies that I make depending on my mood, but this simple version is a regular in our house.  It’s quick, hearty, and can serve countless people.  Seriously, I’ve fed up to twenty people by just multiplying this recipe. Now, typically, this is the part where I tell you that fresh is best.  That’s the truth! But that isn’t what this recipe is about, it’s about being quick, easy, and packed with flavor.  There are, however, a few key tips:

Drain the vegetables.  Don’t just dump the bag of frozen vegetables into the meat! Make sure to drain the excess liquid from the bag beforehand.

Pick the right potatoes.  I highly recommend using the Idahoan instant potato pack. I use the Buttery Homestyle unless I can find the Classic (my personal favorite).  Make sure to mix well and not leave it too dry.  Remember, it is going in the oven.

Use both meats.  I’ve explained the meats traditionally used in pies, but I still recommend using both for this recipe.  First off, I understand that lamb can be an acquired taste for some, and this is a great way to introduce it to folks.  Second, I’ve already put a different spin on this dish with the mustard so no reason to stay on the “traditional” path at this point.

Other Pub-style recipes:

Smashed Brussels Sprouts

Fish Cakes

The Funky Java Burger 

 

Quick and Easy Shepherd's Pie

This quick and easy spin on Shepard’s Pie is a great introduction to the world of hearty pub fare.
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs ground meat (1 lbs lamb/1 lbs beef)
  • 2/3 cup shredded cheese
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2-3 tbsp mustard
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire
  • 2 tbsp seasoned salt
  • 1 tsp Parsley
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 8 oz instant potatoes
  • 1 frozen steamer bag of peas and carrots

Instructions

  1. Place skillet over medium heat. 
  2. Preheat oven to 350.
  3. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil for the instant potatoes.
  4. Add meat, onion, and seasoning (except parsley, that's for later). Brown until approximately half of the meat is no longer pink.
  5. Add the mustard and Worchestershishilshire 🙂  and continue until all meat is cooked.
  6. Start your veggies – four minutes in the microwave should
    work and don’t forget to drain the excess liquid.
  7. Place the meat back into the skillet (no heat) and mix
    in the cooked veggies and cheese (save some for garnish).  Slowly stir.
  8. Check the water for the instant potatoes. Once it reaches a boil, remove from heat.
  9. Dump the cheesy meat/veggie mixture into the roasting pan.
  10. Allow that to sit while you return to your water and stir in
    the instant potatoes.  A fork is the best
    tool, for me, here.
  11. Cover your mix with the potatoes and garnish with your
    remaining cheese and some parsley.
  12. Place in oven for 6-8 minutes to finish.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 392Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 110mgSodium: 1462mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 2gSugar: 1gProtein: 34g
© Cody
Category: Main Dish

Filed Under: Beef, Main Dish Tagged With: beef, hearty, Irish, lamb, meat pie, pub fare, Shepard's pie

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