Category: Meat

Bistek Tagalog

Dax Phillips 2 Comments

Bistek Tagalog… What the heck is bistek tagalog you might be wandering? Thankfully I took about 11 years of Spanish, so I know a few things. Kidding aside, bistek, which translates simply to Beef Steak, and well, Tagalog (as I know it) refers to the Filipino language, one of which I know very little but I love participating and using those Spanish words to try to decipher that language but I always fail for the most part. So to me, bistek tagalog simply refers to Filipino beef steak.

It is more than just beef steak though. If you have been following any of my recipes over time, you will know that Filipino cuisine uses some common ingredients and a few of them being soy sauce, garlic, chilies, black pepper, and bay leaves, only to name a few. This particular dish is so darn simple to make, smells amazing, and delivers just a great bite of food that it may make it onto your lazy susan of weekly dishes to make!

Bistek Tagalog Recipe
Bistek Tagalog Recipe

Let’s get started on this delicious recipe!

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs top sirloin (splurge for guests using beef tenderloin), thinly sliced against the grain (1/4 inch thick)
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 1 whole, large onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick, 1/4 of the slices reserved
  • 1 head of garlic, skins removed, minced
  • 1/2 tbsp cracked black pepper
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 3 tbsp canola oil
  • salt to taste
  • Cooked jasmine rice, per serving

There is one thing to take notice on the recipe and that is the beef selection. If you are wanting to elevate this dish, go with beef tenderloin, otherwise stick to top sirloin (lightly tenderize with meat mallet).

Start, as always, by preparing all of your ingredients. Often times it is easier to freeze the meat slightly for easier slicing, and more control over the thickness of the meat. Keep that in mind.

Once your beef, onions, and garlic are all set, then it is time to get to work. What I love about this is not only the flavor in this dish, but how quick it is to get it to the table.

In a mixing bowl, add the soy sauce, lemon and lime juice, garlic, and black peppers. Add in the sliced beef and massage the meat getting that marinade really concentrated into the beef. You can let this marinate for hours if you want, but simply 10 minutes should work just fine. Set aside.

Heat a very large skillet on medium-high heat.  Add 2 tablespoons of the canola oil and let it come to a shimmer.

Bistek Tagalog Ingredients
Bistek Tagalog Ingredients

Toss in the 3/4 of the onions, reduce the heat a bit, and cook for about 5 minutes. I like the onions to still have a bit of bite, so only a few minutes in the skillet, and you should be ready. You do not want to overcook these until they are limp, and definitely not fully raw.

Remove the onions from the skillet and onto a plate, and set aside for later.

Now, get the skillet back on the stove on medium-high heat. Add in the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. With a slotted spoon, remove the beef and garlic from the bowl and into the skillet, reserving the marinade.

Cook the beef for about 4 minutes, per side. Once cooked and a bit seared on each side, add in the marinade, along with any remaining garlic in there and bring to a simmer.

Cover, reduce the heat, and cook for about 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, uncover, and top with the slightly cooked onions. Give this a good stir, and cook for about 5 more minutes.

Now you are ready to plate. You can do this two ways. Serve individually (what fun is that?) or serve family style. I go family style. Pour the beef mixture into a large serving bowl and garnish with the remaining quarter of raw onions on the top, while adding the cooked jasmine rice to another serving bowl.

Plate with rice, and top with the bistek tagalog. The flavors are out of this world. The tender beef along with those onions and garlic. Whoa, watch out people! This is not only loaded with flavor, but the beef should be super tender, and the onions slightly crunch and pungent that just goes phenomenal with sweet, cooked jasmine rice.  Enjoy!

Moroccan Beef

Dax Phillips Leave a comment

These past few weeks I have been craving all sorts of foods, most likely because I am limited in going out for some of my favorite things like tacos, Thai food, or heck even some down and dirty Chinese buffet. My diet is not as much limited but I am limited as to where I can go as I continue to tackle this thing called cancer. I’ve been through this routine once before where I know what I can and cannot do, and that my taste buds might be a bit jacked, along with the overall energy to get things on the table, but I have been doing rather well and getting in what I can each and every meal. Lately I was in the mood for all things vinegar and garlic and hence why I was making things like Filipino adobo, and fried bangus for breakfast, and then came the craving for things like Indian curried lentils, among other unique and wonderful flavors.

As we are trying to use what we have around us and limit our shopping to some degree, it has become my daily challenge in a sense to come up with something new (and sometimes not) and exciting for everyone to hopefully enjoy. Not only that my levels in my blood work were screaming some nutrients that I was not getting, and hence a play on this dish. This is when I decided to make some Moroccan beef as it almost reminded me of a Filipino breakfast I once had known as a torta but with a few extra ingredients.

Moroccan Beef Recipe
Moroccan Beef Recipe

Let’s get started.

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 lbs ground chuck
  • 2 carrots, peeled, diced
  • 1 rib of celery, diced
  • 2 russet potatoes, peeled, cubed, cooked al dente
  • 1/2 cup green lentils, cooked al dente
  • 2 shallots, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup dried apricots
  • 1 tbsp berebere spice
  • 1/2 tbsp ground turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tbsp salt, to taste
  •  1 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock
  • Cooked jasmine rice, optional

Start by heating a large skillet or pot on medium heat. Toss in the ground chuck and start breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Continue to cook until it no longer pink. Retain the fat in the pan, about 2 tablespoons. If there is more, remove and discard.

Moroccan Beef Ingredients
Moroccan Beef Ingredients

Add in the shallots, garlic, carrots, and celery. Give a good stir. Toss in all of the spices and give that a good stir. The seasonings will start to bloom. Cook for a few minutes, then add in the lentils, apricots, and potatoes. Give this another gentle stir, then add in the chicken stock. Another gentle stir.

Give it a taste and see if it requires any additional salt. You should get getting the warm spice from the cinnamon, the color from the turmeric, and the spice from the bebere. Along with the tender potatoes, lentils, and beef, well you have yourself one very delicious dish. Feel free to try with ground chicken, turkey, or heck just go all vegetables and I’m certain you will still enjoy it.

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Moroccan Beef
Author: 
Recipe type: Dinner
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 8
 
Ingredients
  • 1½ lbs ground chuck
  • 2 carrots, peeled, diced
  • 1 rib of celery, diced
  • 2 russet potatoes, peeled, cubed, cooked al dente
  • ½ cup green lentils, cooked al dente
  • 2 shallots, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup dried apricots
  • 1 tbsp berebere spice
  • ½ tbsp ground turmeric
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tbsp salt, to taste
  •  1½ tsp cracked black pepper, to taste
  • ½ cup chicken stock
  • Cooked jasmine rice, optional
Instructions
  1. Start by heating a large skillet or pot on medium heat. Toss in the ground chuck and start breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Continue to cook until it no longer pink. Retain the fat in the pan, about 2 tablespoons. If there is more, remove and discard.
  2. Add in the shallots, garlic, carrots, and celery. Give a good stir. Toss in all of the spices and give that a good stir. The seasonings will start to bloom. Cook for a few minutes, then add in the lentils, apricots, and potatoes. Give this another gentle stir, then add in the chicken stock. Another gentle stir.
  3. Give it a taste and see if it requires any additional salt. You should get getting the warm spice from the cinnamon, the color from the turmeric, and the spice from the bebere. Along with the tender potatoes, lentils, and beef, well you have yourself one very delicious dish. Feel free to try with ground chicken, turkey, or heck just go all vegetables and I’m certain you will still enjoy it.

 

Nueske’s DALT (Duck, Avocado, Lettuce, Tomato) Sandwich

Dax Phillips 1 Comment

One of my favorite things to do on any given weekend is cooking for my family. It is something I look forward to, and as soon as my kids wake up and say good morning, I immediately question them with ‘what can I make you for breakfast?’. I await a challenge, hoping that someone might say ‘how about eggs benedict?‘ or ‘toad in a hole?‘. Nope. I get things like scrambled or sunny side up eggs with toast, or pancakes. Heck, I will even get excited if someone says waffles! I then make another attempt at lunch time. That’s when I got a sell from my wife. After we tried the Nueskes’s smoked duck breast the other week, I knew it would be perfect on a sandwich, and as I had that to use up along with a tomato and an avocado, well I knew exactly what I was going to propose to my wife for lunch. A loaded Duck, Avocado, Lettuce, and Tomato sandwich!

Nueske's Smoked Duck Sandwich Recipe
Nueske’s Smoked Duck Sandwich Recipe

Let’s get started.

  • 1 tsp canola oil
  • 6 slices of Nueske’s Smoked Duck Breast, thinly sliced
  • 3 leaves of green leaf lettuce
  • 1 roma tomato (or whatever you have handy), sliced
  • 1 small avocado, sliced or scooped out
  • 1 butter bun, lightly toasted
  • 1 slice of provolone cheese, optional
  • salt and pepper to taste

Start by having everything ready to layer in your sandwich. Heat a skillet on medium heat, and add in the canola oil.  Add the slices of smoked duck breast, moving them around the skillet, and sear for a couple of minutes on each side.

Take the bottom bun of your lightly toasted bun and layer on, or smear on the avocado. Season with a pinch of salt.

Nueske's Smoked Duck Sandwich Ingredients
Nueske’s Smoked Duck Sandwich Ingredients

Next layer on the slightly crispy Nueske’s smoked duck breast, provolone cheese, tomatoes (season with a bit of salt and pepper), then the stack of lettuce. Place on the top bun, and feel free to smash it slightly into shape.  You want mayo (I love it, my wife does not), feel free to slather it on the bun(s).

Now I knew this was going to be a phenomenal sandwich. How? Well in my book, nothing really beats a BLT, especially when you have great produce, but then I was introduced to the Nueske’s smoked duck breast and it was a total game changer. My wife who did not speak much during her lunch… well that is always a great indicator how awesome that sandwich was. Search for Nueske’s and stock up. I have never, ever been disappointed. Hope you enjoy!

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Nueske's DALT (Duck, Avocado, Lettuce, Tomato) Sandwich
Author: 
Recipe type: Sandwich
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 1
 
Ingredients
  • 1 tsp canola oil
  • 6 slices of Nueske’s Smoked Duck Breast, thinly sliced
  • 3 leaves of green leaf lettuce
  • 1 roma tomato (or whatever you have handy), sliced
  • 1 small avocado, sliced or scooped out
  • 1 butter bun, lightly toasted
  • 1 slice of provolone cheese, optional
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Start by having everything ready to layer in your sandwich. Heat a skillet on medium heat, and add in the canola oil. Add the slices of smoked duck breast, moving them around the skillet, and sear for a couple of minutes on each side.
  2. Take the bottom bun of your lightly toasted bun and layer on, or smear on the avocado. Season with a pinch of salt.
  3. Next layer on the slightly crispy Nueske’s smoked duck breast, provolone cheese, tomatoes (season with a bit of salt and pepper), then the stack of lettuce. Place on the top bun, and feel free to smash it slightly into shape. You want mayo (I love it, my wife does not), feel free to slather it on the bun(s).

 

Scallion and Ginger Oil

Dax Phillips Leave a comment

Scallions and ginger, oh my! OH MY is right. This stuff is something to be reckoned with. I normally have some sort of homemade sauce in my refrigerator, and it’s funny because we just upgraded our refrigerator, and kept our older one, primarily for all of my condiments and sauces. I swear I have an aisle of Asian condiments or ingredients, a variety of barbecue sauces, mustards, and ketchups, only to name a few. My wife is happy now that all of these condiments have their own home. But let’s get to the point. Scallion and ginger oil. Holy Moly this stuff is the bomb diggity. Super simple to make, and trust me, you will be using it on pretty much everything, well, besides chocolate chip pancakes or something along those lines, but that’s your game.

Scallion and Ginger Oil Recipe
Scallion and Ginger Oil Recipe

Let’s get started.

Ingredients:

  • 2 bunches of scallions, cleaned, and thinly sliced
  • 1 cup of grapeseed oil, warmed
  • 3 tbsp fresh ginger, grated or finely minced
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt, to taste
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce, to taste
  • 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar, to taste

I say to taste because once the mixture cools down and mixed, add more salt, soy sauce or vinegar to your liking.

Start by heating a pan on the stove over medium heat. Add the oil and let it come to a warm, if not hot temperature. Nothing smoking hot, but something you know is nice and warm.

During this time, get your other ingredients ready.

When the oil is hot, add the scallions, ginger, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar to a bowl.

Scallion and Ginger Oil Ingredients
Scallion and Ginger Oil Ingredients

Pour in the hot oil, and give a good stir. Let it come to room temperature, then taste a bit and adjust any seasoning if necessary.

Scallion and Ginger Oil
Scallion and Ginger Oil

Trust me when I say this. This stuff rocks. It’s almost the hidden umami that everyone questions when I use it, either on potatoes, omelets, or on grilled meat. It’s that good, and it lasts for weeks in the refrigerator.  Don’t judge me on the tomatoes, as I know they are not in season here, but we grilled some meat, had this as a side alongside some rice, and it was amazing. Simple and easy. Go for it and enjoy!

Blue Cheese Compound Butter

Dax Phillips 1 Comment

Last week was a great week to say the least. Not only was I able to take a couple of days off of work to take my family camping, but my wife and kids treated me like a king on Father’s Day. To be honest, I’m not a big fan of the whole concept of Father’s Day, but heck I’ll take a bit of pampering and great sentiments from my kids. With that said, my wife had suggested that we have her dad and brother over and we would cook out some steaks. As my wife suggested that she do all of the cooking, I quickly sidetracked her and informed her that I would do the cooking. I was not about to buy great beef and have my wife not be able to handle the grill and get the temperature right on eight steaks. No offense, but it was probably best for everyone.

So my decision on the meal was a steakhouse fare. Ribeye’s, fillets, rosemary baked potatoes, roasted corn, roasted mushrooms, and a simple salad. That’s when I thought I would make a couple of different compound butters; a cilantro and garlic for the corn, and a blue cheese butter for the steaks. If you have never tried the combination of blue cheese, and beef, well please open that door and give it a shot. It’s such a wonderful combination.

Blue Cheese Compound Butter Recipe

This does not get any easier to make, so let’s get started.

Ingredients:

  • Your favorite cut of beef, cooked to your liking
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 1/4 cup your favorite crumbled blue cheese, room temperature

How to make blue cheese compound butter

That’s it. Basically take the butter, blue cheese, and cracked black pepper and add them to a small bowl.

Use a fork, and mix, and lightly mash the butter with the cheese. You can roll this into a log within plastic wrap if you desire, but I did not go that route with this one. When your steak is cooked, and still nice and warm, add a dollop of the blue cheese compound butter onto the top of it, and dig in.

This butter was a perfect pairing with the perfectly cooked ribeye, and it just made it so much better. Hope you enjoy!

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Blue Cheese Compound Butter
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
 
Ingredients
  • Your favorite cut of beef, cooked to your liking
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ¼ tsp cracked black pepper
  • ¼ cup your favorite crumbled blue cheese, room temperature
Instructions
  1. Use a fork, and mix, and lightly mash the butter with the cheese. You can roll this into a log within plastic wrap if you desire, but I did not go that route with this one. When your steak is cooked, and still nice and warm, add a dollop of the blue cheese compound butter onto the top of it, and dig in.

 

Bacon Wrapped Fatty

Dax Phillips 3 Comments

I know the name of this recipe is pretty hilarious, but recently I joined an online barbecue forum, and everyone was talking about the ‘fatty’. I can see why they call it that, most likely due to all of the bacon, and pork, but trust me on this one, this thing is nothing but awesome. There are a few great things about making this, as one you get to make a bacon weave, lay out some great ground pork, and stuff the pork with whatever you have in mind, then roll it up, and place it on the smoker. I got really excited when making this, and the end result was something my entire family loved.

Bacon Wrapped Fatty Recipe

Let’s get started.

Ingredients:

  • 16 slices of bacon
  • 2 lbs Italian sausage, or ground pork
  • 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
  • 3 small cremini mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 4 basil leaves, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
  • pizza sauce
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • wax paper
  • gallon size sealable bag
  • smoker

Now let me start by saying you can stuff this however you want. I went more of an Italian style stuffing because I wanted to finish the bacon wrapped fatty with pizza sauce rather than barbecue sauce, but take the general layout here and make it your own.

Start by making your bacon weave. I will not go over those details, but it only takes a few minutes. There are many online instructions how to make one. One resource is this one, on YouTube.

Once the bacon weave is made, lay it on a large sheet of wax paper.  Next add the Italian sausage to a sealable plastic bag, and with a rolling pin, gently roll the sausage back and forth and side to side to level it out.

Once the pork is nice and even, using a scissors, cut along side the edges of the bag. Carefully flip it over and onto the second piece of wax paper.

How to make a bacon wrapped fatty

Add the mushrooms, garlic, onion, cheese, and jalapenos to the top, center of the flattened sausage. Carefully start rolling the pork mixture into a log using the wax paper as your guide. Once you have it in log form, using your hands, seal up the edges, then add the log onto the top of the bacon.

Repeat the process with the bacon. Now you have a bacon and pork log!

Place this onto your smoker. It’s going to smoke for a few hours. I smoked it on low for about 3 hours, then finished in the oven after lathering some pizza sauce onto it. You want the internal temperature of the pork to be about 165.

Smoked Fatty

When you are ready to serve, slice into rounds, and serve with any of your favorite sides.

The end result is a great smoky flavor, along with an exterior of crispy bacon, and an interior of super tender pork, melted cheese, and great vegetables. It was surprising, to say the least, how great this was. I had it as a sandwich the following day, and don’t even get me started on that one! If you are looking for a new item to put on your smoker, and one that will serve many, give this one a shot. Hope you enjoy!

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Bacon Wrapped Fatty
Author: 
Recipe type: Barbecue
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 12
 
Ingredients
  • 16 slices of bacon
  • 2 lbs Italian sausage, or ground pork
  • 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
  • 3 small cremini mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 4 basil leaves, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1½ cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
  • pizza sauce
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • wax paper
  • gallon size sealable bag
  • smoker
Instructions
  1. Start by making your bacon weave. I will not go over those details, but it only takes a few minutes. There are many online instructions how to make one. One resource is this one, on YouTube.
  2. Once the bacon weave is made, lay it on a large sheet of wax paper. Next add the Italian sausage to a sealable plastic bag, and with a rolling pin, gently roll the sausage back and forth and side to side to level it out.
  3. Once the pork is nice and even, using a scissors, cut along side the edges of the bag. Carefully flip it over and onto the second piece of wax paper.
  4. Add the mushrooms, garlic, onion, cheese, and jalapenos to the top, center of the flattened sausage. Carefully start rolling the pork mixture into a log using the wax paper as your guide. Once you have it in log form, using your hands, seal up the edges, then add the log onto the top of the bacon.
  5. Repeat the process with the bacon. Now you have a bacon and pork log!
  6. Place this onto your smoker. It’s going to smoke for a few hours. I smoked it on low for about 3 hours, then finished in the oven after lathering some pizza sauce onto it. You want the internal temperature of the pork to be about 165.
  7. When you are ready to serve, slice into rounds, and serve with any of your favorite sides.

 

Horseradish Cream Sauce for Steaks

Dax Phillips Leave a comment

Are you like me and have about 45 different condiments in your refrigerator? I know I’ve probably said this time and time again, but my wife want me to get another refrigerator for the garage, just to store my condiments. Yep, seven mustards, fish sauces, oyster sauce, you name it, I probably have it. I love condiments. I’ll admit that. I love everything they have to offer in terms of adding flavor to anything you throw at them. There is one condiment that I totally love though, and that is horeradish. Yeah, that pungent, gnarly root of a sauce that opens the nasal passages and give you an awesome kick. What I love with horseradish though is beef. Beef and horseradish is like the peanut butter and jelly sandwich combination. They are meant for one another. They truly are a perfect marriage.

Horseradish Cream Sauce Recipe

This past Christmas, I knocked out my New York strip roast, and as I made things like chimichurri, blue cheese sauce, caramelized onions, and steakhouse style mushrooms to go along with the steak, the horseradish cream sauce stole the show, at least in my opinion.

Let’s get started.

Ingredients:

 

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 4 tbsp prepared horseradish
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • 2 tbsp green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp salt, to taste

It doesn’t get any easier for a sauce, trust me.

horseradish-cream-sauce-ingredients

Add everything to a mixing bowl, stir well, and taste. Season with any additional salt, pepper, or additional horseradish if you want it a bit spicier.

When you are ready to serve, spoon a generous amount of the horseradish cream sauce alongside your beef, or heck even better make some steak frites and dip some fries in it to boot.

Steak Frites Recipe

 

The flavor combination will blow you away. Don’t even get me started on making a sandwich and smothering the horseradish cream sauce all over. Don’t.

Horseradish Cream Sauce with Beef

That refrigerator? I probably need to get one in 2015. Maybe I’ll add that to one of my goals.  Hope you enjoy!

 

Steak Frites

Dax Phillips Leave a comment

I had family over for this past Christmas holiday dinner. It is something that I always like to do, and I always enjoy cooking for others, and so this year I decided to make, once again, my garlic herb crusted New York strip roast. Hands down, this steak is just loaded with flavor and so tender it cuts like butter with a warm knife. I’ll admit I was even excited when I called to order it from our local butcher, Ray’s Butcher Shoppe. With that said, my goal was to make steak frites (literally steak and fries), but that is a challenging one to make for 13 people as I’m a big believer that when making homemade, twice cooked fries (the only way in my opinion), you need to serve them right away. So during the day, and as my wife fell ill to the flu, I cranked out relish dishes, a horseradish cream, chimichurri, caramelized onions, steak house mushrooms, and then decided on making a roasted garlic and rosemary  mashed potato, and a mixed green salad. Yeah, I was busy, but that did not discourage me from making steak frites the following day, yes, the following day for breakfast.

Steak Frites Recipe

Let’s get started.

Ingredients:

  • 1 New York Strip, cooked under medium
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 whole russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1 1/2 inch matchsticks
  • Large bowl of cold water
  • 6 cups of peanut oil, about 2 inches deep in a pot
  • blue cheese crumbles, optional
  • salt, to taste
  • cracked black pepper to taste

As you can see from my photo, I have a bit of those mushrooms with onions and capers from the previous evening from my leftovers, as well as some of the horseradish cream sauce which I will post later this week, but those are entirely optional at this point. Recommended, yes, but optional.

Start by heating your pot on medium heat. Add the peanut oil, and if you have a cooking thermometer, now is a good time to use it by inserting the bulb into the oil. You are going to cook these fries in batches, a couple of times. While the oil heats up, take a handful of the cut potatoes, and place them on some paper towel, or towel, and pat them dry. You do not want water going into hot oil, EVER.

Once the oil comes to 350 degrees, add the handful of dry potatoes. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, then remove them with a slotted spoon, allowing the oil to drain back into the pot.

Place the first cooked potatoes into a paper towel lined bowl.

How to make Steak Frites

Let the oil come back up to temperature, 350 degrees, then repeat with the uncooked potatoes (pat them dry, add them to the oil).

Now let’s focus on that wonderful piece of beef.

To a large skillet, on medium heat, add the butter. Let this slowly start to melt, then add in your steak. Mine was already precooked, just under medium, so at this point I am warming it up with some of the butter, and glazing it along the way. I also like to toss in any fresh herbs I have laying around such as thyme or rosemary, just to infuse the steak with more flavor. If you do not have the leftover beef, simply start grilling it, or cooking it in your skillet and finish off in your oven until you are ready to plate.

Steak Frites Recipe

The next step goes quickly. Once your steak is just about where you want it temperature wise, bring the oil back up to heat, but at this time, 375 degrees.

Once you have reached 375 degrees, add all of the fries, or if you want in batches, back to the oil. Cook for about 4 minutes or just until golden brown. Again, remove with a slotted spoon, or cooking spider, and add them to another paper towel lined bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper, and give them a good toss.

Now you are ready to plate. Add the steak and pan sauces to your plate. Load on the fries, and shower with blue cheese crumbles.

Steak Frites Recipe

Dig in. Yeah, you might just be thinking steak and french fries, but this is where you go wrong. The flavor profile is out of this world. First you have super tender steak, and when eaten with the crisp exterior of the french fry, while being nice an creamy on the inside, well this is when it is a game changer. Don’t even get me started on the blue cheese crumble, and swiping a french fry or three into horseradish cream sauce! Next time you are looking for something other than a baked potato with your steak, think of steak frites, you will be sure to impress anyone! Hope you enjoy, and Happy New Year!

Easy Pastrami Recipe

Dax Phillips Leave a comment

I’m making an attempt at purging my freezer in the basement so that we can get it cleaned out and thawed. On my way to doing that, I came across some corned beef that I wanted to use up. My initial thoughts are always to make corned beef hash, as I really do like corned beef hash, but then I decided to make an easy pastrami. I love a good pastrami sandwich, so I figured why not take my spin on an easy pastrami recipe. To say the least, it was dynamite!

Easy Pastrami Recipe

Now you can go a bunch of different direction with this and make your own spice blends, and brine it if you want to, but the brisket was already brined, so I went with just a lot of cracked black pepper. Again, super simple, and extremely delicious.

Let’s get started.

Ingredients:

  • 3-4 pound corned beef brisket
  • Black pepper, enough to generously coat the corned beef
  • Smoker

Start by rinsing the corned beef with cold water. Pat dry.

Cover the corned beef with black pepper. I used some great pepper I purchased from the Milwaukee Spice House. Once the corned beef is rubbed, cover and place in the refrigerator for 3 days.

Homemade Pastrami Recipe

Next is the smoke. Prepare your smoker, and get it going to about 225 degrees. You can probably go with your favorite wood, and in this case I used apple wood chunks. Smoke the brisket, fat side up, for about 4 hours, then continue cooking for about another 4 hours. You want the internal temperature to be about 180 degrees.

How to make pastrami

Remove it from the smoker, and place it into a large pot to let rest, and cool. Once cooled place it in the refrigerator overnight. The following day, place the corned beef onto a steamer rack, adding water to the bottom of the pan, and cover. I used my Chinese steamer for this. If you do not have one, just add it to a wire rack on a large baking sheet and cover with aluminum foil, and steam for about 2 more hours, adding additional water when needed. Just make sure the water does not come in contact with the corned beef.

Remove, and slice.

I cannot tell you how awesome this was, and trust me, it did not last long. My boys loved it, and I was already in heaven. I served it onto a sandwich, slathering a bit of Dijon mustard on it.  I wish I would have made about twice as much!

It is a process, but it is well worth the time and effort. Hope you enjoy!

Grilled New York Strip with Blue Cheese Butter

Dax Phillips Leave a comment

Finally. Yes, finally we are back to a few good months of weather in Wisconsin. Let’s face it, this past winter was brutally long, and finally everything is blooming. The smell of late spring and summer is here, and well, it’s just plain awesome. It’s funny how something so simple that mother nature provides makes us all cheer up a bit.  With that said, it is also that time of year where grilling becomes part of the everyday ritual. Whether it is lunch during the weekend, or by default the dinner cooking method during the work week, my little grill is getting it’s workout week, especially during this long holiday weekend.

As I got the ‘house’ ready for the long weekend, meaning, cut the grass, plant the vegetable garden, etc, I was really hungry and I knew I was going to want to fill up on a good meal. So with that said, about 80% through my cutting of the grass, I lit some coals in my charcoal chimney starter, and took a small break to season a New York strip, generously with salt on both sides, and cracked black pepper on the other. Then I thought, after having a recent conversation with a friend regarding morel mushrooms, that I would throw together a bit of blue cheese butter. Yes, blue cheese, and butter are amazing with steak if you have never had it, now then, please try.

New York Strip with Blue Cheese Butter

After I cut the grass, the coals were finally heated, and so I placed the grate onto the grill, cleaned it, heated it, and got pretty darn excited for lunch. Steak for lunch? Hell yes. It wasn’t that I was so excited as the steak, as it was for the blue cheese butter. Trust me.

Let’s get started.

  • 1 New York Strip, to your liking
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 1 1/2 tbsp softened, unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp blue cheese crumbles
  • 1 tsp chopped chives

That’s it. And TRUST me, the combination is out of this world.

Start by seasoning both sides of your steak with salt. Pat it into the steak. Season one side with the cracked black pepper. Let this sit on the counter, at room temperature for about 30 minutes. During this time, heat you grill. I always prefer charcoal, but do what you want on this step.

Take the butter and add it to a small bowl. Add the blue cheese, and chives. Mix well and set inside the refrigerator to cool.

How to make New York Strip with Blue Cheese Butter

Once the grill is preheated, clean your grates, then take the steak, and place onto direct heat, cracked pepper side down. Sear the steak for about 4 minutes.

Turn, and cook until your desired tenderness. I go medium, to medium-rare nowadays.

Remove from the grill, and place onto your serving dish. Top with the blue cheese butter, and gently spread onto the top before slicing into it.

Yes, this is what I had for  lunch, and after 3 hours of working outdoors, it was well deserved.

The result is a perfect flavor combination. My brother-n-law turned me onto the blue cheese and steak combination years ago, and to this day, it’s one of my favorites. As much as I love cooked mushrooms with my steak, this one tops it. The grilled New York Strip with blue cheese butter has this creaminess, along with that great kick from the blue cheese that will just blow your mind. Trust me, it’s a good one. Hope you enjoy!