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Ground Beef


winodj

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So the budget for the rest of the month is real tight... and I have ground beef for cheap. But oddly enough, my copy of How To Cook Everything doesnt give me any good Ground Beef ideas. So you got any?

Roger

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Here is a sort of Indian curry that my mother calls Kheema. It tastes very good. It is also easy as hell for a klutz such as myself.

2 Tb olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic

1/2 tsp ginger powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp coriander

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/2-3/4 lb ground beef

1 Tb lemon juice

Brown onion in oil. Add all spices + fry 3 min on low. Add hamburger and some salt (this dish needs a fair bit of salt, I never measure it though). Cook until the beef is done. Sprinkle with lemon juice.

Notes:

1) Use more spices if you want a more flavorful dish.

2) I double or triple the cayenne pepper because I love spicy stuff.

3) You can add frozen peas to the mixture 1/2 way through if you want

edit: serve with rice. cheap as hell.

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Bibimbap. Of course, of course.

"I've caught you Richardson, stuffing spit-backs in your vile maw. 'Let tomorrow's omelets go empty,' is that your fucking attitude?" -E. B. Farnum

"Behold, I teach you the ubermunch. The ubermunch is the meaning of the earth. Let your will say: the ubermunch shall be the meaning of the earth!" -Fritzy N.

"It's okay to like celery more than yogurt, but it's not okay to think that batter is yogurt."

Serving fine and fresh gratuitous comments since Oct 5 2001, 09:53 PM

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Do you want specific recipes, or just suggestions? Usual dishes are chili; meatloaf (add lots and lots of sautéed chopped vegetables and breadcrumbs/oatmeal to stretch); spaghetti sauce; moussaka.

Or if you have Asian condiments, you can make Larb:

Poach the ground beef in water for a couple of minutes until the color starts to change; leave it to cool in the water, then drain. Mix with lime juice, fish sauce, thinly sliced shallot, red chilies, and the white part of lemon grass. Add some fresh mint, torn up, and if desired, cilantro. Serve on lettuce. You can stretch this by adding cold noodles, either cellophane noodles or a vermicelli-type of egg noodle, although I believe that is not traditional. Good, though.

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You guys are too fast!

I pull up this thread and so far no on ehas responded so I think "wow, I have lots of uses for ground beef even covering all the continents". I pop in the kitchen to whip up some ice coffee, plop back down in front of the computer and what do you know, my kheema curry, bibimbap and larb are already out there!

Well I guess I can second these suggestions.

I would link to thread if I knew how but on the bibimbap thread I posted a marinade that is great on ground beef that you can then roll in lettuce leaves.

Also good is to saute it with various sauces and seasonings depending on your taste. Try hoison sauce, oyster sauce, kojuchang, or nampla adding ginger or garlic or scallions or herbs (mint and basil go great with nampla and cilantro with almost anything). These beef mixture can be scooped into lettuce rolls, on its own or with rice and or julienned veggies (such as cucumbers, carrots, daikon, sweet or hot peppers) or it can be placed on top of rice with or with out a fried egg.

Don't forgeta bolognese sauce or even lasagne, This month's Cook's Illustrated has a lasagne that can be prepared start to finish in 90 minutes, my friend just made it and said it was great. I am off to the store to get some ricotta today.

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

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torakris, your recipe was why I provided the bibimbap link. To link to a thread, just copy the URL, put then the URL and then close the tag. Or just use the button that says http://.

"I've caught you Richardson, stuffing spit-backs in your vile maw. 'Let tomorrow's omelets go empty,' is that your fucking attitude?" -E. B. Farnum

"Behold, I teach you the ubermunch. The ubermunch is the meaning of the earth. Let your will say: the ubermunch shall be the meaning of the earth!" -Fritzy N.

"It's okay to like celery more than yogurt, but it's not okay to think that batter is yogurt."

Serving fine and fresh gratuitous comments since Oct 5 2001, 09:53 PM

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Jinmyo

Thanks!

I didn't even notice you posted the thread, I didn't realize that was what the underlined word meant. I will have to give that a try.

Thanks again

:wacko: extremely embarrassed by my computer illiteracy! :sad:

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

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Jinmyo

Thanks!

I didn't even notice you posted the thread, I didn't realize that was what the underlined word meant.  I will have to give that a try.

Thanks again

:wacko: extremely embarrassed by my computer illiteracy! :sad:

torakris, please don't be. And you're welcome.

"I've caught you Richardson, stuffing spit-backs in your vile maw. 'Let tomorrow's omelets go empty,' is that your fucking attitude?" -E. B. Farnum

"Behold, I teach you the ubermunch. The ubermunch is the meaning of the earth. Let your will say: the ubermunch shall be the meaning of the earth!" -Fritzy N.

"It's okay to like celery more than yogurt, but it's not okay to think that batter is yogurt."

Serving fine and fresh gratuitous comments since Oct 5 2001, 09:53 PM

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winodj, none of these call for an oven. We're not talking about meatloaf, after all. :wink:

"I've caught you Richardson, stuffing spit-backs in your vile maw. 'Let tomorrow's omelets go empty,' is that your fucking attitude?" -E. B. Farnum

"Behold, I teach you the ubermunch. The ubermunch is the meaning of the earth. Let your will say: the ubermunch shall be the meaning of the earth!" -Fritzy N.

"It's okay to like celery more than yogurt, but it's not okay to think that batter is yogurt."

Serving fine and fresh gratuitous comments since Oct 5 2001, 09:53 PM

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Well, I was, :angry: but with all these other great suggestions, why should he bother with something so plebian? Actually, if you form the mixture into individual loaves/cakes, you can cook them on top of the stove, as gussied-up burgers.

Lasagna might be a little difficult, too. Save that for when you feel more confident. :biggrin:

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Shepherd's Pie! I'm pretty sure you can do it in the microwave, although you wont get that nice crustiness on the top of the mashed potatoes. There may be a trick though.

I like Pie.

Chili certainly doesnt require a oven.

Jason Perlow, Co-Founder eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters

Foodies who Review South Florida (Facebook) | offthebroiler.com - Food Blog (archived) | View my food photos on Instagram

Twittter: @jperlow | Mastodon @jperlow@journa.host

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Sorry, Suzanne. Amends:

Stovetop meatloaf:

(If you can, mix minced veal and pork or even Italian sausage meat or ground liver into the beef.) In a bowl combine minced beef, finely diced shallots and garlic, an egg, bread crumbs (or oat meal) a touch of cognac, salt and pepper. Some pistachio if you have them. Some pimento if you some. At this point you could add sel rouge, wrap, and put iin the refrigerator to cure. Or if not, go several ways:

Put into tart trays and steam for about 50 minutes.

On a sheet of strong cling film make a big log shape. Or on several sheets, make several sausage shaped logs. Wrap tightly, tie off the ends. Let set in the refrigerator for a few hours. Poach in simmering water for less than an hour.

If you have cured it, do above.

Pack into small bowls and steam.

You could let these rest for about five minutes and unmold and serve with rice or a baguette.

Or let it cool entirely and slice as pate.

Or fry as patties.

Or you could make meatballs!

Lots of breadcrumbs, garlic, salt and pepper, a few eggs. Mold smallish. Saute in EVOO then simmer in a basic tomato sauce.

"I've caught you Richardson, stuffing spit-backs in your vile maw. 'Let tomorrow's omelets go empty,' is that your fucking attitude?" -E. B. Farnum

"Behold, I teach you the ubermunch. The ubermunch is the meaning of the earth. Let your will say: the ubermunch shall be the meaning of the earth!" -Fritzy N.

"It's okay to like celery more than yogurt, but it's not okay to think that batter is yogurt."

Serving fine and fresh gratuitous comments since Oct 5 2001, 09:53 PM

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Ok. Do you have counterspace and a cutting board?

There are lots of things you can do with ground beef, and not all of it has to be stuff you need an oven for.

besides what's been suggested, here are some things that come to mind:

meatballs (either Swedish meatballs, or meatballs in broth (Italian antipasti), or for pasta)

menudo -- a ground beef stew with chickpeas, potatoes, carrots, onions, raisins, tomatoes and tomato sauce

pastichio (not sure if I spelled that right; basically pasta with eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes, ground beef and a bechamel sauce, in layers)

taco filling

sloppy joes

as a stuffing for stuffed peppers and stuffed eggplant (the veggies you can cook in pan sitting in a water bath, the entire thing covered in aluminum foil, over low heat on your stove top)).

as a filling for omelettes (be sure to cook and season the beef first, obviously)

as a stuffing for dolmades (stuffed grape leaves)

you can make sausage (no casings necessary). simply season the meat with salt and freshly cracked black pepper, then refrigerate. In the interim, you can prepare a spice mixture to season the sausage forcemeat further. Yes, I know this isn't ground pork, but you can pretend.

If you want American sausage, use a combination of sage, ginger, nutmeg and thyme. If you want Italian sweet sausage, go for fennel, oregano, basil, black pepper and a pinch of sugar. For hot sausage, use red pepper flakes, coriander, nutmeg and a pinch of sugar. For chorizo, use instead garlic powder, cayenne and thyme.

Pour about 1/4 c. ice water for each 1 lb. ground beef (or pork/duck, etc.). If you want to make chorizo, replace the water with some chilled dry white wine. Using your hands (or if not, then a mixer...dunno about your implements, but using your hands is best), mix the spices into the meat and combine thoroughly, with kneading motions, as if you were kneading dough. Do this for about ten to fifteen minutes. If you had a mixer, you'd whip the meat about on a low to low-medium speed to homogenize the mixture thoroughly. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic weap and refrigerate at least 6 hours or preferably overnight.

The mixture is best used within a day or two. You can use this mixture as loose sausage meat, or you can shape them into patties and fry them. To cook them properly, add enough water to a skillet to cover about 1/4" or so, add the patties and cook until their fat has melted into the water. Flip and cook the second side. Basically, you want the water to eventually evaporate and the patties to brown on both sides in their own fat. That's when they're done.

I'm sure ppl will suggest other things.

SA

-------

PS. Per Jin's suggestions, using stuff like breadcrumbs soaked in milk, eggs or egg whites, cooked bulgur and wheat germ will do a lot to stretch out anything you might be making, not to mention they'll moisten the meat while its cooking so as not to have a dry finished product.

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A staple when I was growing up, my mom called it "Slumgulion," and I've heard of other recipes called "American Chop Suey." It's simple fare, and is a stove-top recipe.

1-2 lbs. ground beef, browned & drained.

1 large onion, chopped fine

1 large bell pepper, chopped fine

2 t. oregano

1 or 2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 T. olive oil

1 large tomato, cored and diced (or 1 can diced tomatoes)

1 lb. elbow macaroni, cooked & drained

salt & pepper

Combine the first four items in a large frying pan, and cook until the onions are clear. Add the tomato & spices, and heat through. Stir in the macaroni. Add more salt than you think you need.

You can also add some red pepper flakes if you think it's too bland.

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The latest issue of the Art of Eating has a very nice piece on albondigas, with an accompanying recipe for albondigas de prasa kon muez (leek meatballs with walnuts). I've been thinking about trying my hand at them one of these days. I couldn't publish the recipe here without permission, but perhaps somebody has his or her own albondigas recipe to share.

Then there are all the variants of kefta. Again I don't have a recipe; I'm just proposing the category.

Of course there is nothing better than a hamburger, but variety is the spice of life.

Steven A. Shaw aka "Fat Guy"
Co-founder, Society for Culinary Arts & Letters, sshaw@egstaff.org
Proud signatory to the eG Ethics code
Director, New Media Studies, International Culinary Center (take my food-blogging course)

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there is nothing better than a hamburger

:blink::blink::blink:

"I've caught you Richardson, stuffing spit-backs in your vile maw. 'Let tomorrow's omelets go empty,' is that your fucking attitude?" -E. B. Farnum

"Behold, I teach you the ubermunch. The ubermunch is the meaning of the earth. Let your will say: the ubermunch shall be the meaning of the earth!" -Fritzy N.

"It's okay to like celery more than yogurt, but it's not okay to think that batter is yogurt."

Serving fine and fresh gratuitous comments since Oct 5 2001, 09:53 PM

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You could sub hamburger for ground pork in a lot of Thai and Chinese recipes. There is a great Thai dish with ground pork, lots of garlic and a ton of holy basil, and another that calls for long beans which you fry sort of crispy, remove, do the ground meat thing and then add the beans back in. You could even pre-brown a mess of it with garlic and onions and use it in fried rice (or pasta sauce or whatever).

Susan Fahning aka "snowangel"
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jinmyo,

most times i'm in awe of your lightness, inspiration and competence (and irony, too :wacko:) - but this one i don't get: you sautee meatballs in evoo? i really do feel that a more neutral oil, or butter, would be better, as evoo, i think, would call too much attention on itself, so to say.

christianh@geol.ku.dk. just in case.

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Sorry, oraklet. Saint Mario of Babbo converted me to his EVOO ways.

"I've caught you Richardson, stuffing spit-backs in your vile maw. 'Let tomorrow's omelets go empty,' is that your fucking attitude?" -E. B. Farnum

"Behold, I teach you the ubermunch. The ubermunch is the meaning of the earth. Let your will say: the ubermunch shall be the meaning of the earth!" -Fritzy N.

"It's okay to like celery more than yogurt, but it's not okay to think that batter is yogurt."

Serving fine and fresh gratuitous comments since Oct 5 2001, 09:53 PM

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