Frugal Bites » Meat http://frugalbites.com Eating Well on a Budget Mon, 24 Feb 2014 23:19:31 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=3.7.41 Cornish Pasties http://frugalbites.com/cornish-pasties/ http://frugalbites.com/cornish-pasties/#comments Wed, 08 Jan 2014 13:27:53 +0000 http://frugalbites.com/?p=1571 Cornish Pasties I grew up eating Cornish Pasties.  My grandmother’s ancestors came from Cornwall, England, where pasties are thought to have originated.  She also grew up on the Minnesota Iron Range, where they were also a common meal.  Pasties were a hearty and satisfying lunch for wives to send with their miner husbands.  The crust acted as an insulator and kept the insides warm, and he could eat it by holding it in his hands.  Nearly 100 years later, I’m {Read More}

The post Cornish Pasties appeared first on Frugal Bites.

]]> cornish pasties

Cornish Pasties

I grew up eating Cornish Pasties.  My grandmother’s ancestors came from Cornwall, England, where pasties are thought to have originated.  She also grew up on the Minnesota Iron Range, where they were also a common meal.  Pasties were a hearty and satisfying lunch for wives to send with their miner husbands.  The crust acted as an insulator and kept the insides warm, and he could eat it by holding it in his hands.  Nearly 100 years later, I’m still making them for my family.

Making pasties is not a quick process.  The chopping of the veggies and dough preparation can turn it into an all-afternoon project.  However, you can make many of them at once.  I make a double or triple batch so I can enjoy pasties all winter long.  Cook them partially (about halfway) and freeze for later.

4.0 from 1 reviews

Print
Cornish Pasties
 
Ingredients
  • Cornish Pasty Crust Recipe
  • 2 C. flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ⅔ C. lard or vegetable shortening*
  • 2 Tbsp. butter
  • 6-8 Tbsp. ice water
  • Cornish Pasty Fillings
  • 1½ C. minced onion
  • 3 C. diced potato
  • 1½ C. sliced carrots**
  • 1-1/2 lb. beef steak, cubed (sirloin or round)***
  • 1-1/2 lb. pork steak, cubed***
  • Parsley, chopped (fresh)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Butter wedges
Instructions
  1. For Crust: Mix dry ingredients together, then add shortening bit by bit until mixture becomes mealy. Add ice water one tablespoon at a time until a dough has been formed. This makes enough dough for three large pasties or four medium-sized pasties. Form dough into a ball and cut into three or four equal sizes. Roll out each ball and then add pasty fillings below.
  2. For Filling: On top of the dough that you’ve just rolled out, layer minced onion, potatoes, carrots, beef steak, pork steak, parsley. Add a couple butter wedges and season with salt and pepper.
  3. Fold the top of the pasty dough over the filling ingredients and seal the edges (mine was not fancy, but if you’re a skilled pastry chef you can do fluted edges).
  4. Bake your pasties at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then turn the heat down to 375 degrees and cook one hour more. If you’re going to be freezing them to eat later, cook for 45 minutes instead of an hour. When ready to cook, heat them for about a half hour at 375 degrees.
  5. *The original recipe that my grandmother used called for lard, but I substitute Crisco.
  6. **Many other traditional pasty recipes call for rutabaga or turnip, but we’ve never used that. It was a recipe that my grandmother handed down to my mom, and now to me.
  7. ***For me, packs of beef and pork sirloin came in 1-1½ lb. packages. That was enough for a double recipe of pasties, or save half and freeze to use later.

 cornish pasties cornish pasties cornish pasties cornish pasties

I originally posted this recipe here:  Homemade Cornish Pasty Recipe

The post Cornish Pasties appeared first on Frugal Bites.

]]> http://frugalbites.com/cornish-pasties/feed/ 1 Easy Ham Sliders Recipe http://frugalbites.com/ham-sliders-recipe/ http://frugalbites.com/ham-sliders-recipe/#respond Thu, 21 Nov 2013 22:53:37 +0000 http://frugalbites.com/?p=1533 This Easy Ham Sliders Recipe is so simple, but it tastes like a million bucks!   It’s perfect for parties or tailgating.  Your guests will think you spent much longer in the kitchen that you actually did. Plus, it’s a great make-ahead meal since all the prep work can be done the night before. Easy Ham Sliders Recipe One dozen Hawaiian sweet rolls Swiss Cheese Sliced ham 1/2 C. (one stick) butter 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 1/4 C. brown sugar {Read More}

The post Easy Ham Sliders Recipe appeared first on Frugal Bites.

]]> easy ham sliders

This Easy Ham Sliders Recipe is so simple, but it tastes like a million bucks!   It’s perfect for parties or tailgating.  Your guests will think you spent much longer in the kitchen that you actually did. Plus, it’s a great make-ahead meal since all the prep work can be done the night before.

Easy Ham Sliders Recipe

  • One dozen Hawaiian sweet rolls
  • Swiss Cheese
  • Sliced ham
  • 1/2 C. (one stick) butter
  • 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 C. brown sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. prepared mustard
  • Poppy seeds (optional)

In a saucepan, bring the butter, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and brown sugar to a boil over medium-high heat. Cool. Meanwhile, add sliced ham and cheese to your buns. Place in a glass Pyrex baking dish. Pour the cooled sauce over buns. Sprinkle with poppy seeds if desired. Cover with aluminum foil and place in the refrigerator. Let soak a few hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 325. Bake for 20 minutes covered, then remove foil and bake an additional 5 minutes.

Makes 12.

Frugal Tips: The main ingredients for this recipe (the Ham, Swiss cheese, and Hawaiian sweet rolls) can all be found at ALDI. Shopping there will save you tons of money!

ham sliders recipe

easy ham sliders recipe easy ham sliders recipe easy ham sliders recipe easy ham sliders recipe

easy ham sliders easy ham sliders easy ham sliders

I originally posted a variation of this recipe (Ham and Swiss Sliders) on Mommysavers.com.

The post Easy Ham Sliders Recipe appeared first on Frugal Bites.

]]> http://frugalbites.com/ham-sliders-recipe/feed/ 0 Roast Leg of Lamb with Balsamic Reduction http://frugalbites.com/roast-leg-of-lamb-with-balsamic-reduction/ http://frugalbites.com/roast-leg-of-lamb-with-balsamic-reduction/#respond Fri, 11 Jan 2013 15:46:38 +0000 http://frugalbites.com/?p=1115   If you’ve never had leg of lamb, you’re missing out on a culinary treat.  It’s tender, and somewhat earthy tasting.  I love it with Mediterranean side dishes like couscous (pictured above).    When I saw it at ALDI, I knew I had to get it!  I use this recipe as a basis, but created a balsamic reduction as well. Frugal Tips:  When cooking a more expensive cut of meat, a little bit goes a long way.  Make sure you {Read More}

The post Roast Leg of Lamb with Balsamic Reduction appeared first on Frugal Bites.

]]> roast leg of lamb

 

If you’ve never had leg of lamb, you’re missing out on a culinary treat.  It’s tender, and somewhat earthy tasting.  I love it with Mediterranean side dishes like couscous (pictured above).    When I saw it at ALDI, I knew I had to get it!  I use this recipe as a basis, but created a balsamic reduction as well.

Frugal Tips:  When cooking a more expensive cut of meat, a little bit goes a long way.  Make sure you have plenty of frugal side dishes to go along with it to bring down the overall cost of the meal.

Print
Roast Leg of Lamb with Balsamic Reduction
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4-6
 
This roast leg of lamb dish is simple, yet will please the most sophisticated of palates.
Ingredients
  • Leg of lamb roast (2-4 lb.)
  • ¼ C. honey
  • 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp. cracked black pepper
  • Sea salt to taste
  • ¼ C. balsamic vinegar
Instructions
  1. In a bowl, combine the honey, mustard, rosemary, lemon juice and garlic. Pour over the lamb roast, cover and marinade at least 2-3 hours in the refrigerator (or overnight).
  2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place lamb on a roasting rack and add salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 20 minutes, then reduce temp to 400 degrees. Continue cooking 55-60 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.
  3. Remove roast and allow to sit for 10 minutes before carving. While you’re waiting, pour remaining marinade into a small saucepan and add balsamic vinegar. Simmer until reduced, then pour over the roast just before serving.

 

The post Roast Leg of Lamb with Balsamic Reduction appeared first on Frugal Bites.

]]> http://frugalbites.com/roast-leg-of-lamb-with-balsamic-reduction/feed/ 0 Moroccan Chicken Stew http://frugalbites.com/moroccan-chicken-stew/ http://frugalbites.com/moroccan-chicken-stew/#comments Wed, 19 Dec 2012 18:23:17 +0000 http://frugalbites.com/?p=1059 My daughter has loved couscous for a long time, so while we were at Disney’s EPCOT Center last month the Moroccan restaurant Marakesh was one we could all agree upon.The food was fabulous, but the best part of our visit there was getting to know our waitress.  Like many EPCOT staff, Maryem was participating in a work-based exchange program.  She told the kids about what life was like for her in Morocco and went the extra mile to make our {Read More}

The post Moroccan Chicken Stew appeared first on Frugal Bites.

]]> Moroccan Chicken Stew

My daughter has loved couscous for a long time, so while we were at Disney’s EPCOT Center last month the Moroccan restaurant Marakesh was one we could all agree upon.The food was fabulous, but the best part of our visit there was getting to know our waitress.  Like many EPCOT staff, Maryem was participating in a work-based exchange program.  She told the kids about what life was like for her in Morocco and went the extra mile to make our experience there fun and educational. We left with the desire to visit Morocco one day, but with the more immediate goal of cooking up some mouth-watering Moroccan food at home.

I did a little research and came up with this Moroccan chicken stew recipe.  It was really good, even for picky palates (my son). It would be a good way to introduce reluctant eaters to international flavors.

Frugal Tips:  Israeli couscous is a great alternative to pasta.  My kids love it!  It absorbs whatever flavors it is cooked with.  Whenever I’m looking for a filler item on Amazon, I add it to my cart.  It’s available here:  Israeli Couscous

disney moroccan restaurant marakesh

Print
Moroccan Chicken Stew
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6
 
Ingredients
  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 lb. carrots, sliced in 1″ pieces
  • 4 celery stalks, sliced in 1″ pieces
  • 1 Tbsp. ground coriander
  • 1 Tbsp. cumin
  • 1 Tbsp. paprika
  • 1 tsp. tumeric
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice
  • 6 C. chicken broth (divided)
  • 2½ lb. chicken pieces, browned (chicken thighs work well) and cut into 1″ bites
  • 2 C. large-pearl couscous (Israeli couscous)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Instructions
Instructions
  1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil. Saute onion until caramelized. Add garlic, carrots, and celery. Saute 2-3 minutes. Add spices, lemon juice and 4 cups of the chicken broth along with browned chicken pieces. Cover and simmer 20-30 minutes, or until vegetables are cooked through. Add couscous and additional 2 cups chicken broth, and simmer until couscous is done (about 8-10 minutes). Season with salt and pepper.

The post Moroccan Chicken Stew appeared first on Frugal Bites.

]]> http://frugalbites.com/moroccan-chicken-stew/feed/ 2 Venison Medallions with Balsamic Reduction http://frugalbites.com/venison-medallions-recipe/ http://frugalbites.com/venison-medallions-recipe/#respond Sun, 11 Nov 2012 00:25:17 +0000 http://frugalbites.com/?p=915 I live in Minnesota:  Land of 10,000 lakes and even more hunters.   While my own husband enjoys fishing and duck hunting, deer hunting is something he’s never really gotten into.  That’s too bad, because I really like the taste of venison.  However, we’re lucky to have friends that do deer hunt… and bring us meat! These venison medallions were such a treat.  This recipe is based on Emerill’s Venison Medallions recipe on Foodnetwork.com but adapted according to our taste. {Read More}

The post Venison Medallions with Balsamic Reduction appeared first on Frugal Bites.

]]> Venison Medallions with Balsamic Reduction

I live in Minnesota:  Land of 10,000 lakes and even more hunters.   While my own husband enjoys fishing and duck hunting, deer hunting is something he’s never really gotten into.  That’s too bad, because I really like the taste of venison.  However, we’re lucky to have friends that do deer hunt… and bring us meat!

These venison medallions were such a treat.  This recipe is based on Emerill’s Venison Medallions recipe on Foodnetwork.com but adapted according to our taste.  The balsamic glaze was to-die-for.  And SO easy.

Print
Venison Medallions with Balsamic Reduction
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • Venison medallions
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp. butter
  • 3 Tbsp.minced shallots
  • ¼ C. balsamic vinegar
Instructions
  1. Liberally season venison medallions with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown medallions for 3 minutes on each side. Remove from heat.
  2. Add butter to skillet, scraping to deglaze the pan. Sautee the shallots until translucent. Add balsamic vinegar and heat until reduced. Pour over browned venison medallions.

 

Frugal Tip:  Hunting and foraging for food is the most basic of frugal tips.  My husband jokes that his duck hunting expenses go to “put food on the table” but c’mon… I know better.   Hunting is just an excuse for men to escape their jobs, wives, obligations and be primal.  However, I never turn down free meat.  If you get offers, do the same!  Use the internet to find ways to prepare things according to your own taste.

The post Venison Medallions with Balsamic Reduction appeared first on Frugal Bites.

]]> http://frugalbites.com/venison-medallions-recipe/feed/ 0 Bob’s Swiss Steak Recipe http://frugalbites.com/swiss-steak-recipe/ http://frugalbites.com/swiss-steak-recipe/#respond Mon, 05 Nov 2012 21:19:14 +0000 http://frugalbites.com/?p=881 One of the reasons why I started this food blog was to have favorite family recipes in one spot.  This is Swiss Steak Recipe is one such recipe.  Bob (a.k.a. “Dad” to me and “Pa” to my kids) has been making this recipe for quite some time.  It’s one of my husband’s favorites.  He brought out his recipe card yesterday and made it for a family gathering.  We serve it on top of homemade German Spaetzle Noodles.  Very easy, very {Read More}

The post Bob’s Swiss Steak Recipe appeared first on Frugal Bites.

]]> bob's swiss steak

One of the reasons why I started this food blog was to have favorite family recipes in one spot.  This is Swiss Steak Recipe is one such recipe.  Bob (a.k.a. “Dad” to me and “Pa” to my kids) has been making this recipe for quite some time.  It’s one of my husband’s favorites.  He brought out his recipe card yesterday and made it for a family gathering.  We serve it on top of homemade German Spaetzle Noodles.  Very easy, very yummy!

bob's swiss steak recipe

My husband’s handwriting is a little hard to read!

Frugal Tip:  Find recipes you love that use cheaper cuts of meat.  When you simmer and cook them slowly, they become tender and flavorful.  You could also speed up the process and make this in a pressure cooker.  A pressure cooker is great for tenderizing tough cuts of meat in a relatively short period of time.

Print
Bob’s Swiss Steak
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 1 lb. tenderized steak
  • 2 cans whole stewed tomatoes
  • 2 celery stalks, cut ½”
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • seasoned flour (season with pepper, garlic powder)
Instructions
  1. Dredge steaks in seasoned flour and brown in a large skillet. Add tomatoes, celery, and onion. Simmer in the covered skillet approximately two hours until meat is tender. Sever over egg noodles.

The post Bob’s Swiss Steak Recipe appeared first on Frugal Bites.

]]> http://frugalbites.com/swiss-steak-recipe/feed/ 0 Roasted Garlic & Herb Beer Can Chicken http://frugalbites.com/garlic-herb-beer-can-chicken/ http://frugalbites.com/garlic-herb-beer-can-chicken/#respond Sat, 28 Jul 2012 11:38:20 +0000 http://frugalbites.com/?p=106  Beer can chicken is one of those meals you can’t go without making each summer.  It’s tender, flavorful, and falls right off the bone.  Best of all, it’s easy and doesn’t cost a lot! I got the whole chicken for under $5 at ALDI.  The seasoning is McCormick’s Grill Mates Roasted Garlic and Herb.  We use our Weber Poultry Roaster for his, but it’s certainly not necessary.  Just stick a can of beer in the cavity of the bird, place {Read More}

The post Roasted Garlic & Herb Beer Can Chicken appeared first on Frugal Bites.

]]> beer can chicken

 Beer can chicken is one of those meals you can’t go without making each summer.  It’s tender, flavorful, and falls right off the bone.  Best of all, it’s easy and doesn’t cost a lot!

I got the whole chicken for under $5 at ALDI.  The seasoning is McCormick’s Grill Mates Roasted Garlic and Herb.  We use our Weber Poultry Roaster for his, but it’s certainly not necessary.  Just stick a can of beer in the cavity of the bird, place on a solid surface (like a roasting pan) and you’re good to go!

Print
Roasted Garlic & Herb Beer Can Chicken
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4-6
 
The beer makes the chicken moist and flavorful!
Ingredients
  • 1 4-lb. chicken, whole
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 3-4 Tbsp. McCormick Grill Mates Roasted Garlic & Herb (or other poultry spice)
  • 1 can beer
Instructions
  1. Rinse chicken inside and out, and pat dry. Rub the chicken with the olive oil, then rub with spices. Take a few swigs of beer (you don’t want it to be too full) and place the can in the cavity of the bird, and secure it on a flat surface (like on a roasting pan). Use the legs of the bird as a tripod, or support to keep it stable.
  2. Grill over medium-high heat for 1¼ – 1½ hours. Cover the grill for the first hour of cooking. After that, check the bird periodically to see if it has reached the internal temperature of 160-165 degrees. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before serving.

 

Frugal Tips:  When it comes to preparing a whole chicken, don’t throw ANYTHING away!  You can use the drippings to make a flavorful chicken gravy.  Add a little Wondra and whisk on the stove with a little water until it has thickened.

I also simmer the chicken carcass for about 60 minutes to make homemade chicken stock.  Store them both in zippered containers for future use.

chicken-gravy1

chicken-gravy

chicken stock

The post Roasted Garlic & Herb Beer Can Chicken appeared first on Frugal Bites.

]]> http://frugalbites.com/garlic-herb-beer-can-chicken/feed/ 0