Category: beef

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bbq beans beef sweetcorn tomato

barbecue beef feijoada with spicy sweetcorn

As World Cup fever threatens to take over the globe, people like me think about one thing: what food can I use to celebrate and keep people happy. Things in bowls where people help themselves are always going to work. Aldi asked me for my best ideas, looking to the Brazil v Switzerland game for inspiration. And the former host nation from 2014 Brazil has plenty of ideas, and are also most likely to win according to FiveThirtyEight. Here’s a way of feeding a crowd and keeping with the Latin American theme: barbecue beef feijoada, made with brisket.

South American food is on the rise so couldn’t be more trendy. I’ve eaten feijoada (it’s pronounced “fezz-wah-dah”, by the way) a few times and always enjoyed it. But what’s in it? I consulted a Brazilian friend of mine in order to get a few ideas but like many ‘national’ favourites, everyone has a different view on what it should contain. Like shepherd’s pie, chilli con carne or lasagne al forno everybody has their own take in their house that defines the dish. A few patterns emerge: definitely pork, possibly beef, certainly black beans… other than that it’s fair game. Tomatoes or not? Paprika?

I went down a route I’ve trodden often, based on Jewish comfort food cholent. I started with a brisket, rubbed with herbs and spices, then stewed for several hours. The meat is sliced and finished on the barbecue for a charred and smoky flavour. It’s a bold plate of food, and I can see it going down really well at a party where people can spoon it into corn tortillas with pickled vegetables, or served in little pots with a dollop of sour cream. Make sure everyone can tuck in and help themselves, and serve up refreshing, cooling drinks.

I’m not sure how authentic this is – I say that about a lot of my cooking – but it got my São Paulo-based friend excited! Try my barbecue beef feijoada, and let me know what you think!

If you want to stock up for this recipe, check the great value of Aldi’s range, the variety on offer in store and remember Aldi has great value deals on Meats and fruit & veg every week as part of their Super 6 deals.

For further reading I recommend Hot and Chilli’s post on bite-sized feijoada – brilliant!

I was sent some lovely ingredients and shopping vouchers by Aldi to get inspired to make this.

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barbecue beef feijoada with spicy sweetcorn

Classic Brazilian beef stew. Perfect for parties and gatherings!
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Brazilian
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 7 hours
Total Time 13 hours 30 minutes
Servings 8 people
Author Gary @ BigSpud

Ingredients

For the beef:

  • 1 kg beef brisket rolled and tied
  • 5 g Maldon sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 tablespoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

To serve:

  • 200 ml creme fraiche
  • Hot sauce I like Frank's
  • Lime wedges

For the stew:

  • 2 onions peeled and sliced
  • 3 carrots diced
  • 2 red peppers
  • 1 tin tomatoes
  • 1 litre beef stock I used Knorr beef stock pots
  • 250 g smoked pork sausage sliced
  • 140 g dried black turtle beans soaked overnight (any dried pulses you like here would work)

For the sweetcorn:

  • 1 cob sweetcorn per person
  • Large knob of butter
  • Pinch salt
  • Pinch cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

Instructions

  • Make sure you've soaked your dried beans overnight before getting started.
  • Get a frying on a very high heat with a dash of oil. In a pestle and mortar bash the rub ingredients together until you have a fiery terracotta dust. Rub this all over the beef, as thoroughly as you can.
  • Sear the beef on all sides, building up a lovely colour. Put to one side when done.
  • In a large casserole dish, gently dry the onions, peppers and carrots in a little oil until softened, then add the remaining stew ingredients and stir until combined. Add the beef and add water as required until just a little of the brisket is peeping out. Cover loosely and simmer for 5 - 6 hours until the brisket is tender - when you put a fork into it it should slide back out easily. Leave covered for 30 minutes to rest. You can light your barbecue and prepare your corn in this time.
  • Parboil your corn in simmering water for 5 or so minutes. At the barbecue, take a small pan, your brisket and the nearly cooked sweetcorn. Slice your brisket in 1cm slices and place on the barbecue to char on both sides.
  • Melt the butter in the small pan and add the salt, paprika, and cayenne. Pop the sweetcorn on the grill and turn occasionally, brushing on the spiced butter. Cook until you have lovely black bits.
  • Swirl your creme fraiche with hot sauce. Serve the stew, beef and sweetcorn with some lime wedges on the side. Maybe serve with tortillas or tacos if you like. Most importantly, start eating!
Categories
pickled onions pie steak

steak and pickled onion pie

Winter time means pie time. That usually means something packed with meat, a lovely gravy and crisp pastry. I’m certainly not going to get involved in the “should it have pastry all round the sides” debate. You enjoy your pie however you like it.

In one of Jamie’s recent “5 ingredient” meals, he stewed lamb with pickled onions from the jar and it was a cracking little feast. It struck me how good a pie filling it would make. Turns out, coupled with cheese pastry, it was! That tang of vinegar with rich beef is a great combo.

And if you don’t fancy making your own pastry, just buy it. No one will mind. But if you have a few minutes to spare, you’ll find it really satisfying. Plus you get to add cheese 🙂

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steak and pickled onion pie

Course Main Dish
Cuisine English
Servings 4 people
Author Gary @ BigSpud

Ingredients

For the filling

  • 180 g jar of pickled onions drained
  • 500 g stewing beef diced
  • 1 glass red wine
  • 1 litre beef stock
  • 1/2 teaspoon tomato puree
  • 1 tablespoon plain flour

For the pastry

  • 500 g plain flour
  • 50 g cheddar grated
  • 250 g butter
  • 2 eggs

To finish the gravy

  • 1 teaspoon English mustard
  • 1 teaspoon cornflour

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 160C. Get a large casserole pan over a medium heat. Dice the beef and toss in the flour along with salt and pepper.
  • Add a splash of oil to the pan and fry the beef for a couple of minutes until it is browned on each side. Add the red wine and let it bubble until reduced a bit, then add the tomato puree, pickled onions and stock. Bring to the boil, cover and then transfer to the oven. Cook for 90 minutes or until the beef is tender to the touch. Drain the meat in a sieve over a bowl and keep the liquid. Allow to cool.
  • To make the pastry rub the butter and flour together, then mix in the cheese and 1 egg with a pinch of salt (save an egg for glazing). Add a splash of milk if needed to bind. (If you want, this can be done very quickly by whizzing everything together in a food processor). Wrap in clingfilm and put in the fridge to rest for 30 mins.
  • Preheat the oven to 200C. Cut a large circle of pastry and lay it in a pie dish, leaving plenty overhanging the edges. Pile in the cold beef and onion mix, then cover with another disc of pastry. Smoosh up the edges to look nice using a fork, and poke a hole in the centre to let the steam out. Brush with a beaten egg and bake for 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden.
  • While the pie cooks, put the reserved liquid in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Mix a teaspoon each of mustard powder and cornflour with a little water to make a paste, and stir through the gravy. Serve with chips and greens.
Categories
onion steak

bone-in sirloin steak with red wine and onion sauce

If you love a good steak, Sainsbury’s have released a new steak that’ll scratch your itch.

Their new bone-in sirloin is a treat perfect for two people. It’s unusual for a supermarket to offer a bone-in steak but this is a welcome deviation from the norm. With the bone left in the joint you get more variation in cooking and generally the fun of gnawing on a bone after serving! Cooking with the bone lends greater meat flavours too.

Just fry briefly on each side, finish in the oven and carve thickly and you get a great date-night meal. It’s a tasty one for carnivores everywhere!

I served mine with green beans and chunky chips but I wanted to share a great sauce with you which is perfect with any red meat dish.

Sainsbury’s sent me a steak to try. It’s available in-store now for £15.

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bone-in sirloin steak with red wine and onion sauce

Course Main Dish
Cuisine English
Servings 2 people
Author Gary @ BigSpud

Ingredients

For the steak

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 bone-in sirloin steak about 800g
  • 1 sprig rosemary finely chopped

For the sauce

  • 1 onion peeled and sliced
  • glass red wine
  • 250 ml beef stock
  • 1 teaspoon cornflour
  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder

Instructions

  • Preheat a pan to very hot, and your oven to 180C. It's important both of these are fully warmed before starting.
  • Meanwhile, season the steak with salt, pepper and rosemary and rub the oil into it. Add to the pan and fry on both sides until browned. When browned add the onions to and pop in the oven. Cook in the oven for 15 minutes to get it medium rare. Ideally use a temperature probe and check for a temperature of 55 - 60C at the thickest part.
  • Once the steak is cooked, remove to a board to rest. Meanwhile put the tray on the hob over a medium heat and add the red wine, scraping with a wooden spoon to deglaze. Let it bubble until nearly gone and then add the stock. While the stock comes up to the boil stir the cornflour and mustard powder with a tiny bit of water to make a paste, then stir into the stock. Stir or whisk until thickened, checking for seasoning.
  • To finish, carve the steak thickly, sprinkle with sea salt and serve with the reduced sauce.
Categories
beef food meat recipes steak

the great british steak off

What do you look for when buying steak? Do you look for ruby red meat? Marbled fat? Lean portions? Do you only look for certain cuts? Or is cheapest the best?

For me, I zero in on the cut I’m in the mood for. If it’s a regular steak-and-chips steak I almost always go to rib-eye. I love the blend of fat and meat, packed with flavour. If it’s ending up in a sandwich, bavette or skirt will do the job.

According to a survey by Statista (below), the appearance of the steak is the most important factor. 93% of people give it a complete once over before deciding on it, followed by 88% concerned with colour. For me this isn’t always a reliable way, as exposure (or not) to oxygen will completely change the colour. Many people are put off by lines of fat, but it’s here the most flavour is stored.

Source: Statista

It’s interesting that nearly three quarters of people go for the cut as I do, as each cut does different work.

Aldi ask me to taste test their steaks to see how they fare. I picked up some sirloin, some rump, and my default rib-eye. Aldi’s steaks are 100% British and quality approved by the Government’s certified EBLEX scheme, which improves efficiency in the beef supply chain as well as adding value to the beef industry. Aldi’s fresh meats are also 100% Red Tractor Assured, which means all of their fresh meat is produced safely and responsibly. I hadn’t tried their fresh meat before, so I was intrigued.

What’s the difference?

Rump comes from right up the back end of the cow (unsurprisingly) and has to do quite a bit of work being attached the legs. This extra work makes it a little tougher than other cuts, but develops a strong flavour.

Sirloin is slightly further up the back of the cow, works that little less and has a cream of fat around the outside from the small of the back.

My personal favourite rib-eye is from the upper rib cage, hardly does a lick of work and capped with fat.

Rib-eye, sirloin, rump

Even just from the photos above, you can tell the looser texture working from left to right. These extra striations of fat offer a less dense structure and a more defined grain. This gives a more tender finish.

I cooked all three the same way: sous-vide at 55°C for 1 hour, quickly finished in a pan to brown. This method gives incredibly consistent results as the water bath brings it to a perfect doneness while the browning provides that desirable brown crust. No other flavouring beyond salt and pepper.

And yes, I enjoyed my rib-eye as always. And the rump was full of strong game flavours. But the sirloin really surprised me. I often overlook sirloin as caught between the strong rump or the tasty rib-eye, neither one thing nor another. But this steak was grassy and buttery with a pronounced beefy flavour. It really changed my mind on sirloin! I’ll definitely be going back for more.

So what do you look out for when buying steak?

Aldi compensated sent me for the steaks.

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