Uncle Richard’s “Joe’s Steak”

My Uncle had a friend named Joe that invented this recipe. I don’t remember the whole story but I’m trying to copy all of my hand-written family recipes and save on blogs or on my computer to have later.

Start with good quality large whole steak.

Lightly sprinkle with garlic powder. Place in a large ziplock plastic bag and pour a large amount of Gebhardt’s Hot Sauce (enough to cover completely). Massage the steak, close securely and place in a dish and refrigerate for 8-24 hours. The longer it marinates the less hot (spicy) it will be.

When ready to cook, sprinkle with Lawry’s Seasoned Salt and coarse ground pepper on both sides. Grill to desired doneness using indirect heat (sauce will burn if it’s directly over fire/coals), let rest a few minutes, then slice and serve.

Left-overs freeze well.

By my now deceased Uncle Richard Lytle, a loving and devoted father and grandfather.

 

 

Beef Burritos

My family called these Chili Verde Burritos but classic Chili Verde is made with pork not beef and has dominate green sauce and this recipes uses tomatoes along with diced green chilis. But it’s delicious no matter what you call it.

2 lbs chuck roast, cut into cubes, sprinkled with salt and pepper and dusted on all sides with flour. Set aside.

2 beef bouillon cubes dissolved in 2 cups of boiling hot water.

1 small can (or more – I use at least one large) Ortega (or equivalent) diced mild green chilis.

2-4 diced jalapeno chili peppers (or part of a small can hot peppers)…to taste

1 large onion, diced or rough chopped (your preference)

1 clove of garlic, crushed or chopped

1 15 oz can stewed tomatoes (or Mexican stewed tomatoes with mild green chilis added)

Extra large flour tortillas (easier for making burritos), grated cheese (cheddar or a Mexican mix), sour cream, hot sauce and any other desired condiments.

In a large dutch oven or soup pot, pour enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom and  brown cubes of beef over medium high heat to get color and flavor on the outside of each piece (work in small batches removing as they are brown and add more oil if needed.) This step builds incredible flavor, don’t rush, burn or skip this step.

After it’s all brown, place back in pot and add all the other ingredients and bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat and simmer (uncovered) for 2 hours or more, until the meat is very tender.

Serve in warmed tortillas and with sprinkle cheese and other desired condiments like sour cream or extra hot sauce.

This recipe works wonderfully in a pressure cooker. Follow manufacturer’s directions. It also works in a slow cooker but reduce the amount of water (by about half – you can add more later if you need to) and be sure to brown the beef in a large skillet before adding to slow cooker (scrap bits from skillet with the hot water and bouillon and add to slow cooker).

 

 

Roast Prime Rib of Beef (from Williams-Sonoma software)

Prep: 15 mins

Cooking: 2 1/4 – 2 3/4 hrs

Other: 15-20 mins for resting

Total: About 3 1/4 hrs

Ingredients:

prime rib roast with 2-4 bones, 7-8 lb trimmed weight, at room temperature

salt and freshly ground pepper (optional)

1/2 cup (4 fl oz) water, or as needed

Preheat an oven to 500 degrees F. Position a rack in the bottom third of the oven.

In a roasting pan without a rack, place the roast rib side down (fat side up). Sprinkle with pepper, if desired. If you wish to salt the roast, do so toward the end of roasting. (My note: I don’t think this is necessary, it’s easier to salt and pepper the roast when raw and not hot and I think it flavors better.) Roast for 15 minutes at 500 degrees F. then reduce the heat to 325 degrees F. and continue roasting without opening oven door.

After 1 1/2 hours of roasting, start to test for doneness by inserting an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the meat away from the bone; it should register 130 degrees F. for medium-rare. It should reach this point 2-2 1/2 hours after you turn down the heat. (Or you can use electronic thermometer with external cord so you don’t have to open the oven to check cooking progress – be sure to insert probe before placing in the oven.)

Transfer the roast to a warmed platter (or cutting board with well to catch drippings). Cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest until ready to carve, 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, pour off just the fat from the pan and heat the remaining juices over medium heat. Add the water and deglaze the pan by stirring to dislodge any browned bits stuck to the pan. Bring to a boil and season to taste with salt and pepper (taste before adding more salt). Add more water for desired consistency and taste.

Carve the beef and place on warmed plates or platter and serve with pan juices in a bowl on the side.

Serves 8

From the Williams-Sonoma Guide to Good Cooking software, copyright 1996, Published by Broderbund Software, Inc. & Weldon Owen, Inc.