Saoirse's Primal Journal page 245

[Finnegans Wake]

Do you have a nice large (8 quart+) pot?

Chunk the boeuf into cubes, about 1". Put a good fat (bacon fat, tallow, olive oil) into the pot and heat. Brown cubes in batches (adding fat as necessary), being careful not to overcrowd the pot, and remove to a bowl to rest. When all the beef is browned, throw some diced veggies in the pot to soften: 1 onion, a couple of carrots, a couple of ribs of celery, a few whole cloves of garlic... add what floats your boat, some diced peppers, taters, turnips, parsnips... season it all with S&P, and when it's soft and glistening with joy, throw the meat back in. Add in a few T. of tomato paste and keep heating until that mess is sticky and starting to get fragrant, but not allowing the sugars to burn, maybe 1-2 minutes.

Add 2 cups of broth/stock of choice (beef, chicken), 15 oz. of crushed tomatoes (or some chopped fresh), and a cup of red wine, a bay leaf, and any herbs that tickle your fancy pantsy: rosemary, thyme, oregano; a bit of cocoa powder or chili powder can be fun. Let this simmer stovetop , lid on) on medium-low or in the oven at 325F for about 2 hours or until the beef is tender enough to flake easily when taunted by a wooden spoon. Adjust seasoning. Eat.

[Saoirse]

sounds deelicious!

[magicmerl]

Hey Saoirse, how's it going?

I need some recipes; meat!! I have a bunch of beef (mostly cheap cuts), what should i do with it? Preferably something that i can make and keep in the fridge for a few days to be reheated on the stove. my only crock pot is tiny. i think i'm going to make beef soup for tomorrow- throw it in the crockpot with some broth and add vegetables later. other ideas?

Ooh, cheap cuts are the best. For some slow cookers are even more fabulous with blade and chuck steak than they are with rump steak and other ostensibly higher quality cuts.

My wife has a fabulously easy recipe, just put a splash of marinade (tamari / soy / worcester sauce etc etc) over the meat in the crockpot, and leave it on low for 8 hours. I add a bottom layer of onions and carrots strictly for taste. Then the meat can be shredded before serving (what I *believe* is called barbequeue in godless america, but what I will always call shredded meat).

In terms of reheating, it's pretty easy to add the cold meat into potato topped pies or other pseudo-casserole meals, although because the meat is pre-cooked, you only have to cook the veges in it. Anyhoo, I'm sure you know all the cooking basics, being a mum and all. Are you wanting to know individual recipes to branch out into?

And yeah, the meat stock makes a pretty good bouillon for breakfasts too.

This is a good way to do corned beef as well, which I wholeheartedly recommend with onions (slow cooked) and tomatoes (served raw).

[Saoirse]

Unfortunately I only have a really small crockpot which will cook maybe a pound or two of meat. Just looking for more seasoning ideas mainly.

[Saoirse]

<3 Happy Valentine's Day!!

[magicmerl]

Happy hallmark holidays to you.

Unfortunately I only have a really small crockpot which will cook maybe a pound or two of meat. Just looking for more seasoning ideas mainly.

Ok then. I have a 'go to' set of herbs for cow meat, since I basically ALWAYS use onions, garlic, basil, oregano, fish sauce, and then depending on my mood some of tumeric, paprika, ginger, cumin, chili, and the generic 'curry power'.

[Saoirse]

Hmm...fish sauce? Does that make your house smell like fish?

[magicmerl]

I don't know, maybe. Is that a bad thing?

I know my wife would prefer that I cooked with it less, so maybe put that in the optional category...

[namelesswonder]

I don't use more than a tablespoon when cooking and it adds a really nice flavor when mixed with coconut aminos. Acts kind of like a vinegar, but more interesting taste. Doesn't smell up the house.

[magicmerl]

Yeah, I tend to cook with coconut/ginger/fish sauce all together.