Category:  Beef Recipes

Two major disclaimers right off the bat:

#1: I have never been a fan of kielbasa.
#2: I am even less of a fan of sauerkraut.

Yet, I am hopelessly in love with this recipe. It doesn’t make logical sense. And yet, the stars somehow aligned. Could it be that beer and brown sugar make all the difference? Given the magical powers of both, it’s certainly possible. Back on the 4th of July, my Chief Culinary Consultant and I went to his friend’s house for a cookout. He mentioned there was kielbasa and sauerkraut (which I typically pass right over), and as a footnote said that they were cooked in beer and brown sugar. My ears shot up faster than a dog who hears a bread bag being rustled (or a peanut butter jar open, or a banana being peeled. Okay, my dog is weird!). I had to try it, even though I still kind of thought I wouldn’t really be crazy about it. Forget being crazy about it, or even liking it, I loved it. Afterward, I was sorry that I had filled up on so many side dishes because I was dying for another sandwich but was too full.

Over the last few months we reminisced about how great those kielbasa sandwiches were and how we needed to get the recipe from his friend. Finally last weekend we scored the recipe, and within hours had it simmering away in the crock-pot. This recipe honestly couldn’t be any easier to make – less than 10 minutes to get everything into your slow cooker, and then let it do the work. As with most things like this, the longer you let it cook the better it will taste. The kielbasa becomes so tender that it melts in your mouth, and the sauerkraut takes on a sweet flavor – delicious! If you’re a kielbasa and/or sauerkraut-averse person, take it from one of your brethren – you NEED to give this a shot!

This is perfect for football game days, and even for late Oktoberfest celebrations. Enjoy!

One year ago: Garlic Knots
Two years ago: Lemon Burst Cookies
Three years ago:  Lavash Crackers
Four years ago: Hearty Beef Stew

Beer and Brown Sugar Kielbasa & Sauerkraut

Yield: About 10 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Bake Time: 4 to 8 hours

12 ounces beer (can or bottle)
1 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
3 pounds polish kielbasa
1 bag sauerkraut, drained

1. Combine the beer and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, until the sugar melts and the mixture is slightly thickened; set aside.

2. Cut the kielbasa into links and place in a slow cooker. Cover with the drained sauerkraut. Pour the beer and brown sugar mixture over top. Cook on high for 4 to 6 hours, or on low for 8 to 10 hours. (We ended up doing a combination – high for 3 hours and then low for another 3 or so. Definitely the longer it cooks the better it tastes!)

3. Serve on its own or on your favorite sandwich roll.

Tags: Beer, Kielbasa, Main Dishes, Sauerkraut, Slow Cooker

Brown Eyed Baker

Beef Tenderloin

Ingredients:
1 beef tenderloin (about 3 3⁄4 pounds)
2 cloves of garlic, thinly slivered
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
Coarse salt, to taste
Mustard Horseradish Cream Sauce, for serving

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Using the tip of a sharp knife, cut slits all over the tenderloin and insert garlic slivers into them.

2. Brush the tenderloin with olive oil and rub it all over with the pepper and thyme. Sprinkle with salt.

3. Place the tenderloin on a rack in a shallow roasting pan and roast it for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and roast for 20 minutes for medium-rare meat; roast 5 minutes longer for medium. Let the tenderloin rest for 15 minutes before carving.

As turkey is to Thanksgiving, the beef rib roast is to Christmas–a giant piece of meat that you only cook once a year. As such, it’s easy to forget one year to the next how you did it. So you might be wondering about cooking times. Don’t worry, the Family Kitchen has got you covered.

The first thing to figure out is how well done your family is going to want it. The times below are mainly for medium rare which will give you a very juicy roast. If you want something more along the lines of medium, add 15 degrees to the internal temperature you are aiming for and leave it in a little longer, check every ten minutes or so after you’ve reached the max medium rare time. Remember, the meat will continue to cook a little while it’s resting, so it’s better to err on the side of a little lower temperature.

So, without further ado, here are those roasting times (courtesy of the USDA):

Bone-in Beef Rib Roast (4-8 lbs)- Oven temperature 325 degrees

• Medium Rare (Internal temperature- 145 degrees)- 23-30 minutes per pound

• Medium (Internal temperature- 160 degrees)- 27-38 minutes per pound

Boneless Beef Rib Roast (about 4 lbs)- Oven temperature 325 degrees

• Medium Rare (Internal temperature- 140 degrees)- 39-43 min per lb.

Eye Round Beef Rib Roast (2-3 lbs.)- Oven temperature 325 degrees

• Medium Rare (Internal temperature- 145 degrees)- 20-22 min. per lb.

Whole Beef Tenderloin (4-6 lbs.)- Oven temperature 425 degrees

• Medium Rare- (Internal temperature- 145 degrees)- 45-60 minutes total

Half Beef Tenderloin (2-3 lbs.)- Oven temperature 425 degrees

• Medium Rare- Internal temperature- 145 degrees)- 35-45 minutes total

And, for a great herbed prime rib recipe, check out Shaina’s excellent recipe

Easy Meatloaf Recipe

Meatloaf is a very delicious comfort food that is simple to make but yet it is very tasty. Here is our quick and easy meatloaf recipe that should make the whole family happy. This recipe can feed a family of 5 very easily and for smaller families you can bake the meatloaf in mini pans and freeze the extra’s! (more…)

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

Ingredients:

• 1-3/4 pounds onions, divided use
• 2-1/2 pounds carrots, divided use
• 6 pounds corned beef brisket or round, spiced or unspiced
• 1 cup malt vinegar
• 6 ounces Irish stout beer
• 1 tablespoon mustard seed
• 1 tablespoon coriander seed
• 1/2 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1/2 tablespoon dill seed
• 1/2 tablespoon whole allspice
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 pounds cabbage, rinsed
• 2-1/2 pounds small red potatoes, scrubbed
• 1/2 cup coarse grain mustard, optional
• 1/2 cup Dijon mustard, optional

Preparation:
You’ll need a heavy-duty pot large enough to hold 4 gallons for this large quantity recipe.
Divide onions and carrots and chop enough to fill 1 cup of each, reserving the rest. Place the corned beef in the stockpot. Add the chopped onions, carrots, malt vinegar, stout beer, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, dill seeds, whole allspice, and bay leaves. Add enough water to cover the corned beef, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer about 3 hours until meat is fork-tender.

While the corned beef is cooking, cut the reserved onions into eight wedges and the carrots into 2-inch chunks. (Larger carrots should be halved first.) Slice each head of cabbage into 8 wedges.

Add onions, carrots and red potatoes to the cooked corned beef, with the cabbage on top. Cover and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes, until potatoes and cabbage are fork-tender.

To serve, cut corned beef against the grain into thin slices and accompany with the cooked vegetables. Dijon mustard and/or coarse-grained mustard complement the corned beef as optional condiments.

Yield: 12 hearty servings