Tag Archives: Meat

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Smoked Paprika Rub

October 20, 2020

We are still learning how to use our Traeger grill and have had a few big fails (like a rubbery half raw whole chicken). Tip: don’t run out of pellets halfway through! But we’ve had a few successes too and this pork tenderloin is one of them. I’ve made it quite a few times now because it’s simple, big on flavor with a sweet and smoky rub, and turns out perfectly juicy and tender. We love it so much we made it for Christmas dinner last year!

Below are detailed instructions for cooking it on a gas or charcoal or Traeger grill (thought I’ve only tested it on the Traeger). If you don’t have a grill, it could be seared on the stove and then baked in the oven, as directed in this recipe.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Smoked Paprika Rub

INGREDIENTS

1 pork tenderloin (1- 1 1/2 lbs.)
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. fresh black pepper
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

bbq sauce, for serving (optional)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Trim the pork tenderloin. Using a thin, sharp knife, remove any connective tissue (silver skin) and fat from the surface of the tenderloin.
  2. Make the rub. Combine the sugar, salt, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder in a small bowl.
  3. Rub the tenderloin. Pat the spice rub onto the surface of the tenderloin and set aside while you prepare the grill. You can also tightly wrap the tenderloin in plastic wrap and refrigerate the rubbed pork for 1 hour or up to overnight.
  4. Prepare the grill for zone cooking. For a gas grill, heat one side to high or medium-high heat and leave the other side unlit. For a charcoal grill, light a chimney of coals, pile the coals on one side of the grill, and leave the other side empty. (*We cook ours on a Traeger grill and preheat to 430 F.)
  5. Grill the tenderloin for 12 to 15 minutes. Place the tenderloin over direct heat. Cover and cook, flipping the tenderloin only once, until the internal temperature reaches 140 F to 145 F, 5 to 7 minutes per side. Move to indirect heat if the tenderloin starts to char too much, and continue to cook until it reaches the correct internal temperature, about 18 minutes total cook time. (*To cook on the Traeger, place the tenderloin on the preheated grill and cook until an internal probe/meat thermometer registers 145 F, about 15-20 minutes. Flipping halfway through is optional but not necessary.)
  6. Wrap and rest the tenderloin. Remove the tenderloin from the grill to a clean cutting board and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Rest for 10 minutes; the meat will finish cooking from the residual heat and the juices will redistribute for optimal flavor.
  7. Slice and serve. Slice crosswise into thin pieces before serving.

Serves 4. 

(Adapted from The Kitchen)

Everyday Meatballs

September 23, 2020

Meet my favorite meatballs. They’re cooked right in a pot of crushed tomato sauce and finished with a layer of bubbling cheese on top. I’ve only made them with beef but they’re adaptable to other ground meats like pork or turkey. Make sure to boil a pot of pasta and/or bake some garlic bread alongside to soak up all that marinara. Or on these french bread rolls they’d make perfect sliders!

Everyday Meatballs

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. ground meat (I used beef, you could also use pork or turkey or a mixture)
2/3 cup fresh bread crumbs or 1/2 cup panko 
1/3 cup milk
2 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley
2 Tbsp. finely grated Parmesan or Romano cheese 
2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
Pinches of red pepper flakes or a few grinds of black pepper
1/2 tsp. onion powder
2 large eggs
2 garlic cloves, minced, divided
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 28-oz. can of tomato puree or crushed tomatoes

optional for serving:
cheese (I’ve used smoked provolone + Parmesan, another time mozzarella + Romano)
pasta
crusty bread or rolls
fresh chopped basil or parsley

DIRECTIONS

  1. Place meat, crumbs, milk, parsley, cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, onion powder, eggs and half of your minced garlic in a large bowl. I like to mix all of this together with a fork, which does a good job of breaking up the eggs and chunks of meat. Form mixture into 1 1/2 to 2-inch meatballs and arrange on a plate. I like to let them set in the fridge for a bit — 30 minutes, if you can spare it — which helps them keep their shape.
  2. In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add remaining garlic and some pepper flakes and let sizzle until garlic is golden, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add tomatoes (beware the splatter!) and season with remaining salt. Let mixture simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes (with a thicker puree) or 20 (for crushed tomatoes, which are usually more watery), stirring occasionally.
  3. With stove on the lowest heat possible to maintain a gentle simmer, add meatballs to sauce one by one, and cover with a lid. It will be hard but please don’t touch or move them for at least 20 minutes of the 25-minute cooking time, so that they have a chance to keep their shape. Meatballs should be fully cooked through at 25 minutes, but it cannot hurt to cut one in half to verify.
  4. Eat however makes you happy:
    — as-is.
    — with pasta.
    — “parmesan”-ed: Make sure meatballs are in an oven-safe baking dish. Tear about 8 ounces mozzarella (or provolone) over the top and broil until melted. Finish with some parmesan (or Romano), if desired. Sprinkle with fresh chopped basil or parsley.
    — with garlic bread/rolls, etc.

Serves ~4. 

(Adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

 

Korean Ground Beef Bibimbap Bowls

August 6, 2020

I told you about my newfound love of Korean cuisine when I shared these Korean Beef Tacos. Today I have a more traditional Korean recipe for you… bibimbap bowls! Korean beef (also known as bulgogi) is usually made with ribeye steak, but for the sake of cost and ease we’re using ground meat. The sweet-spicy sauce is the same so you still get that amazing flavor. The beef is served over steamed jasmine rice with lots of veggies, a fried egg (or two, if you’re my kids and that’s your favorite part) and Gochujang sauce if you can find it (sriracha will work in a pinch but doesn’t have quite the same flavor). And if you love it, add some kimchi!

Korean Ground Beef Bibimbap Bowls

INGREDIENTS

Sauce:
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. fresh grated ginger
1 tsp. chili garlic sauce (I used 1/2 tsp. sambal oelek)

Korean Beef Bowls:
1 – 1/12 lbs. ground beef
3 green onions sliced, green and white parts separated
4 eggs
4 tsp. butter
steamed jasmine rice
stir-fried or steamed veggies (mushroom, bell pepper, broccoli, zucchini, cabbage, carrot, onion, etc.)
Gochujang sauce
sesame seeds, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

  1. Whisk together the sauce ingredients, set aside
  2. Place a large pan over medium high heat on the stove. Add the ground beef and brown, breaking the meat up as it cooks until done, approximately 4-6 minutes.
    Pour the sauce over the meat and bring to a simmer. Stir in the white parts of the green onions, cook for 3-4 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile fry the eggs: Heat a frying pan over medium heat. When the pan is hot add the butter. Once butter is melted, crack the eggs into the pan, being careful not to break the yolk. Reduce heat to low. Fry until whites are set and yolks are cooked to desired doneness, 4-5 minutes.
  4. To assemble the bowl: Add rice to a bowl, top with korean ground beef, vegetables, then a fried egg. Drizzle with sauce and garnish with remainder of green onions and sesame seeds.

Serves 4.

(Adapted from Fox and Briar)

Smashed Burgers with Fry Sauce

April 18, 2017

IMG_8116

I love a good burger. Frequently I make them with turkey in an effort to be healthy and because I very much like a turkey burger. Often I top them with fancy things like smoked cheeses and sauteed mushrooms, sometimes honey mustard, other times pesto and arugula. But this is my (our) favorite classic burger. Not gourmet, but special enough to get excited about.

We start with grass-fed beef mixed with a homemade fry sauce (easy! and soooo good). I form the patties into balls and then smash them thin as they cook on a flat grill pan. I take them off the pan just before they’re cooked through, and then top with a slice of cheddar to melt. Sometimes I’m lazy and just buy store bought buns, but if you can find the time these light brioche buns are amazing and worth the effort. Place the patty on a toasted bun, top with lettuce, tomato, pickles, onion, and more fry sauce. Devour. You’ll likely have extra fry sauce so save it for those fries you serve on the side.

Smashed Burgers with Fry Sauce

INGREDIENTS

Burgers:
1 lb. ground beef (I buy 85% lean grass-fed beef)
2 Tbsp. fry sauce (see below)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
light brioche hamburger buns, for serving
lettuce, tomato, pickles, onion (raw or grilled), cheddar, etc., for serving

Fry Sauce:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. plain Greek yogurt (or more mayo)
2 Tbsp. ketchup
1 1/2 tsp. juice from a pickle jar
1 tsp. yellow mustard
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder

DIRECTIONS

Burgers:
1. Place the ground beef in a large bowl. Add 2 Tbsp. of the prepared fry sauce (directions below). Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix until the sauce and seasoning is distributed throughout the meat. Divide into 4-6 equal portions and roll the hamburger meat into a ball. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Note: I make six burgers from 1 lb. meat because they get too large for the buns when flattened if I make them bigger. You can always stack two patties on one bun!

2. Preheat a flat grill pan/griddle or nonstick skillet to medium-high heat. Coat with oil, butter, or cooking spray. Place the balls of hamburger on the pan (making sure each has enough space around it to spread out) and flatten with the top of the grill or another pan/plate. Cook, flipping halfway through if needed (my Griddler heats on the top and bottom, like a panini press, so flipping isn’t necessary) until the meat is just cooked through.

3. Place burgers on buns and top with lettuce, tomato, pickles, onion, cheese, and fry sauce. Yum!

Fry Sauce:
1. Combine ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Makes 4-6 burgers.

(Adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

Hawaiian Teriyaki Burger

March 2, 2015

IMG_7037

Teriyaki is one of those foods that gagged me as a kid. For whatever reason, I couldn’t handle the smell of whatever brand sauce my mom loved using to make her stir fry and so I assumed forever hatred of all things teriyaki. Well… my taste has matured in the last decade and let’s say I take it back. I love a good bowl of rice topped with teriyaki chicken, salmon, or veggies (one of my favorite dinners from Whole Foods). And pineapple teriyaki sauce with grilled pineapple and avocado on top of a burger- yes, please!

This recipe makes quite a bit of that yummy teriyaki sauce so I froze the remainder and a month later made the burgers again- sauce all ready to go! I’m sure ground chicken or turkey (thigh meat for a juicy/rich burger) would be excellent substitutions.

Hawaiian Teriyaki Burger

INGREDIENTS

burgers:
1 lb. lean ground beef (or ground turkey or chicken)
1/4 cup grated carrots
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1/2 tsp. fresh grated ginger
1 1/2 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp. sriracha sauce (or more if you like it spicy)
4 slices fresh pineapple
8 whole wheat hamburger buns
8 lettuce leaves (Bibb if my favorite)
sliced avocado

pineapple teriyaki sauce:*
1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup pineapple juice
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. fresh grated ginger
1 small clove garlic, minced

DIRECTIONS

1. To make the sauce: Combine the cornstarch in cold water and dissolve. Set aside to thicken. In a small saucepan, mix soy sauce, pineapple juice, brown sugar, grated ginger and garlic over medium heat. Bring to a boil and simmer until sauce reduces, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add cornstarch and water mixture, simmer until thick, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
*Makes enough sauce for approx. 8 burgers. Leftover sauce can be frozen for later use.

2. To make the burgers: Combine the ground beef with grated carrots, scallions, ginger, soy sauce and sriracha sauce. Mix throughout but don’t overwork the mixture so the patties don’t get tough. Form 4 equal sized patties.

3. Preheat outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to medium-high heat. Place the patties on the hot grill and cook until they reach desired doneness, grilling the pineapple next to the patties during the last 5 minutes or so. Optionally, you could brush a little teriyaki sauce on the pineapple slices as they grill.

4. To serve, place a piece of lettuce on the bottom of each burger bun. Top with the cooked burger, teriyaki sauce, avocado, and grilled pineapple.

Makes 4 burgers.

(Adapted from Skinnytaste)