With the Holiday Season in full swing and temperatures continuing to drop, it’s time to close up the grill and start using the oven. Putting the grill to rest, however, doesn’t have to stop you from enjoying your River Road Farm Beef. Our premium quality beef will give life to any beef recipe. For a more enjoyable feast, here are 3 delicious oven-made beef recipes that you can use this holiday season.
Beef Wellington
For the amateur cook, Beef Wellington is a dish that can easily strike anxiety and fear. After all, it is not uncommon to associate this rather complex looking masterpiece with the likes of Julia Child. Interestingly enough, the dish, although requiring a multitude of steps to create, is not as daunting as it is made out to be.
What it does require is a good amount of patience and the use of premium ingredients like River Road Farm beef tenderloin to get the best tasting end result. What’s great about Beef Wellington is how anybody with average cooking skills can produce this show-stopping dinner that will impress anyone.
Ingredients:
- 4 lbs River Road Farm beef tenderloin, trimmed and center cut
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 600 grams roughly chopped mushrooms (mixed)
- 1 medium-sized shallot, chopped roughly
- a sprig of thyme
- 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
- 1 large egg (beaten)
- 12 thin slices of prosciutto (regular bacon will also work in a pinch)
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil for greasing
- 1 tablespoon give or take of flour for dusting
- 14 ounces of room temperature/thawed puff pastry
- kitchen twine
- salt + pepper to taste
Directions:
Part 1: SEARING
Start by generously seasoning the beef with salt and pepper. Once done, take the twine and wrap your beef in 4 places.
Coat the bottom of a heavy skillet with olive oil. Bring to a near smoking point over high heat, ensuring that the tenderloin is seared well. Brown all sides for at least 2 minutes on each side or a total of 12 minutes. Do not forget to sear the ends.
Let the beef rest on a plate until it is cool enough to handle and take out the twine. Brush or coat all sides with the mustard, once done store in the fridge.
Part 2: Duxelles
In a food processor, combine shallots, thyme and your choice of mixed mushrooms. Pulse until they are finely chopped.
Melt butter over medium heat. We suggest using the same pan you used for searing. This adds extra flavor. Once the butter is melted, add the mushroom mix and sauté until the liquids have evaporated. This takes roughly 25 minutes. Finish off with a seasoning of salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Set this aside to cool in the fridge. This mixture is called duxelles.
Part 3: The Prosciutto
On a flat surface, lay plastic wrap ensuring that it is twice the width and length of the tenderloin. Overlap the plastic if you must. Before laying the beef onto the wrap, take the prosciutto and shingle it on the plastic in a rectangular shape. Stop when you have enough to fully cover the entire tenderloin.
Take the duxelles and evenly spread this on top of the layered prosciutto or bacon.
Re-season the tenderloin and then lay it on the prosciutto – mushroom mixture. Position the beef at the base so that when you roll, the mushroom and bacon are tucked in nicely. Use the plastic wrap to create a tightly wrapped log.
Chill for at least an hour to help it set and maintain its shape.
Part 4: Puff Pastry
Set your oven at 425F and heat for about 20-25 minutes
While waiting for your oven, lightly flour your work surface. Roll your puff pastry into a rectangle. Just like the prosciutto, make sure that the pastry is enough to cover up the log of beef. For best results, roll until your rectangle has enough allowance on each side.
Take the beef out of the plastic wrap and carefully lay it on the puff pastry. Before wrapping the pastry, brush the edges with the beaten egg. This acts like a glue to hold the pastry in place.
Trim off any excess pastry. Use a fork to crimp and seal the edges. Wrap once more in plastic and chill for another 20 minutes.
Part 4: Baking
Before baking, brush the roll once again with the remaining egg wash and season it with salt. For best results, use flaky salt.
Bake at 425F for 40-45 minutes for medium-rare beef. Allow the tenderloin to sit for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
London Broil
Despite its name, the London Broil actually originates from the United States. Often made with top round and flank steak, this simple to do steak recipe benefits immensely from the accompanying peperonata or tomato and pepper sauce.
Peperonata for those in the dark, is an Italian type of condiment. A somewhat fancier version of catsup or sriracha, this sauce pairs nicely with our River Road Farm sirloin steak and a freshly baked flatbread. We like putting together a quick sandwich or simply eating the bread as a side and using it to sop up the delicious sauce. Check out our London Broil recipe that could easily feed 2-4 people.
Ingredients:
- 1 River Road Farm top sirloin steak (roughly 8 -12 ounces and about 1 to 1 1/2 inch thickness)
- 1 medium-sized red onion, sliced thinly
- 3 medium bell peppers (red, orange, yellow, or a combination) cut into thin strips
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 3/4 teaspoon paprika
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 a cup of tomato sauce
- dash of red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- freshly ground black pepper
- kosher salt
Directions:
- Cook bell peppers and onions in a skillet with 2 tablespoons of the oil. Maintain medium to high heat,
- Stir until both are limp and browning slightly. This should take about eight minutes or less.
- Add in the salt, paprika, garlic, and pepper flakes.
- Cook for about a minute or until it becomes fragrant.
- Next, add the vinegar, parsley, and tomato sauce. Cook until you reach a thickened paste consistency or when the peppers have become nice and tender.
- Transfer the tomato mixture or peperonata into an ovenproof bowl and put it inside the oven. Set the oven at 250F. This step helps keep the mixture warm until ready to serve.
- In a clean skillet, heat remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Pat the steak dry with a paper towel.
- Season liberally with salt and pepper.
- Add the steak into the properly heated skillet.
- Brown each side for 3 to 3 1/2 minutes to get a medium-rare steak.
- For those who prefer a more “cooked” steak, simply take the skillet off the heat. Allow the meat to cook in the skillet until the heat dies down on its own. 1 to 3 minutes of residual heat should produce a steak that is medium well to well done.
- Take the beef out of the pan, let rest before slicing.
- For best results, slice across the grain in 1/4 inch thick strips. Serve topped or with a side of the tomato – pepper sauce.
Ossobuco
The late Anthony Bourdain often talked fondly of his favorite Ossobuco. Whether spelled as one word or two, this casserole dish with Milanese origins pays homage to the flavorful marrow that can be found in the center of a cross-cut piece of shank.
Traditionally cooked with vegetables, broth, white wine, and cinnamon, there are in fact numerous variations of this braised beef recipe. Originally prepared with premium quality veal, Ossobuco can, in fact, be made with other types of meat — even pork! For purists, veal will always be their choice of meat. Back when the dish was first created, veal was favored not only because it was flavorful, it was also because it happened to be the cheapest meat available.
If you are looking for an easy to put together casserole dish this simple stew is your best bet. Requires very little cooking skills, Ossobuco when followed step by step will become your favorite comfort food to prep for yourself or share with guests.
Ingredients:
- 3 to 3 3/4lbs of River Road Farm beef shanks (approximately 1.75kg)
- 2-3 sprigs of fresh chopped up thyme
- 6-8 fresh chopped sage leaves
- 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground up cloves
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons dried mustard
- 1 finely chopped large white onion
- 1 stalk of celery chopped finely
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups of broth (preferably bone broth)
- 1 cup tomatoes, crushed
- 1 cup of water
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar or red wine
- oil, lard, or ghee
Instructions:
- Begin by preheating the oven at 325F
- Take a paper towel and pat down the meat. Once dry, generously season with salt and pepper.
- Melt a generous spoonful or two of cooking fat such as oil, lard, or ghee in a heavy skillet. Keep it at high heat.
- Add the seasoned meat and cook this without turning or moving it until a brown crust has formed.
- After 3 to 5 minutes, turn the meat over and repeat the browning process.
- Remove the cooked beef and transfer to a Dutch oven. Pick a 7 quart-sized one.
- Lower the heat to a medium and add another generous portion of fat.
- Add the celery, onion and garlic. Sauté and stir often until the vegetables turn slightly golden and have become nice and fragrant.
- Mix in the tomatoes, vinegar, broth, freshly chopped herbs, mustard, cinnamon, salt, pepper, and clove.
- Bring this mixture to a boil.
- Lower the heat once more and allow the uncovered broth to simmer for 5 minutes before adding it onto the meat in the Dutch oven.
- Cover the meat and then cook this for 3 to 3 1/2 hours at a 325F temperature. Many chefs will cook the meat until it comes off the bones cleanly.
- Serve immediately with polenta, mashed potatoes or freshly baked bread
* some recipes include bite-sized carrots and potatoes. Doing so results in a filling and hearty stew*