Ground Beef Gyros

Ground Beef Gyros
1 lb lean ground beef
1 1⁄2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt (optional)
3⁄4 teaspoon pepper

Recommended toppings:
pita bread
3 cups shredded lettuce
1 large tomatoes, sliced or diced
1 red onion, thinly sliced.
Tzatziki Sauce

1. If needed: prepare and refrigerate Tzatziki Sauce
2. Add beef and spices to a food processor or stand mixer and process until a fine paste is formed into a ball, approximately 1-3 minutes. Stop the processor as needed to scrape down sides of bowl.
3. Press into a loaf pan and bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes - or as my lovely and talented friend Julie suggested: form a loaf and bake on a broiling pan to skip step 4. 
4. Remove from pan immediately and allow excess juices to drain off (onto paper towels or from a cooling rack)
5. Beginning on the bottom, thinly slice meat. 
6. (Optional: place sliced meat under the broiler until extra browning occurs)
7. Serve on pita bread (or tortillas) with lettuce, onion, tomato and Tzatziki Sauce

Optional: make extra and freeze it raw - I freeze it in 2 lb increments in a quart sized freezer bag.

Ground Beef- uses

Gyros
Tacos
Spaghetti

Burger - Food Storage

"What's for dinner?" "Oh, dinner. Right...TACOS"except it takes you 20 minutes to defrost a pound of beef. Not anymore... 

Costco sells beefs in two ways one large brain looking thing or sectioned off into what some people mistakingly assume are patties (these weigh 8oz+ each). I purchase the "patties" and roll from there. I'll explain why:

First off I get as close to 6 pounds as possible. 6.15lbs? That'll do! Honestly I never make ANYTHING gourmet out of burger meat. It just doesn't happen around here. So if there is a little less or a little more beef in a certain dish NO BODY NOTICES.

As I mentioned each "patty" is 8ish ounces. I grab six 1 qt freezer ziploc bags and write "1# Beef date".  While not necessary, if you fold the tops over you greatly reduce the amount of raw burger stuck in the zipper of the ziploc bag. This may not be important to you but it is very very very important to me. 

Note: the "#" is not a hashtag...it is called a pound sign and I have two little boys itching to get their grubby hands on my sharpie. I can use the pound sign to indicate pound and move on with my life.

Place two patties in each bag and wash your hands. YOU ARE DONE TOUCHING THE MEAT!

Seal the bag most of the way and while safely hiding behind the plastic you can now manipulate the beef into a perfectly flat airless blob. Flat is important for storage space and airless is important to eliminate freezer burn.

Stack the meat and freeze. Can you believe that is 6 pounds? That's a lot of tacos.

Mine fit perfectly below the bottom shelf. Yes that is my only freezer space. Now you know why I am a storage snob. 

If you are particularly OCD you may place the bags on a cookie sheet to freeze flat prior to stacking. Personally I like the grooves in the bottom package...it's on less thing that attacks me when I open my freezer. 

Beef Round Eye Round Roast

I know beef has become a naughty word in this health conscious world but realistically there are options:

This Beef Round Eye Round Roast from Costco is gorgeous: 

 Hott right? But you havent even seen the most attractive part. Feast your eyes upon this nutritional info

And now for the grand fanale take a look what a little salt pepper and 5 hours in a 200 degree (F) oven can do:

This roast is cooked to 130 degrees and rested for 10 minutes to reach 135 degrees

Recipe:

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Farenheit
Place meat fat side down.
Rub in salt and pepper on exposed sides.

Bake for 4-6 hours depending on preference.

Check internal temperature.
Remove from oven 5 degrees below desired temperature.
Let rest uncovered for 10 minutes or until desired temperature is reached.
Enjoy.

Suggested uses:
Slice and reserve all drippings for Au Jus
Dice and freeze in 1 lb increments in separate ziploc bags for The Best Beef Stew, Greek Yogurt Stroganoff, Steak Salads, etc
OR separate the raw roasts by weight and freeze for future meals such as: Barbacoa Beef

Cheeseburger Mac

3 TBS Butter
flour
1 15oz can Beef Broth
1/4 cup milk
2 TBS cornstarch.
1 lb ground beef
1 onion - diced
3 cloves garlic - minced
black pepper
1/4 tsp ground mustard
3 1/2 cups cheddar - shredded
16 oz elbow macaroni -cooked al dente according to package directions
3 1/2 cups cheddar - shredded

1. In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour to make a roux. Cook 3 minutes whisking constantly over med-low heat. Slowly whisk in beef broth. Simmer 10 minutes.
2. Combine milk and cornstarch. Slowly add to broth mixture-whisking constantly. Simmer 5 minutes while whisking.
3. Cook beef, with onion, garlic, pepper. Strain.
4. Slowly add cheese to broth mixture - stirring constantly.
5. When cheese is melted, stir in beef mixture and cooked noodles.

Enjoy!