Tag: Dinner

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Brisket Tostadas

The NCF Store recently started carrying a smaller sized brisket. Instead of 7-8lbs the new cut is more manageable for a family at 2 ½ to 4 lbs. This meal fed 2 families, 5 children and 5 adults for under $70. That’s a big crowd when you realize the kids are hitting peak growth and hunger ages. Yesterday, was a typically busy house day. It’s the beginning of the homeschooling year, creating a bit of chaos.

I started watch Big Bang Theory years ago, since then I’ve wanted to make Howard’s Mother’s Brisket. It always appears to be one of those sought after items and much discussed. At 11 a.m. I realized, “Oh no the brisket isn’t in the oven yet. Is it too late?” Usually when I smoke a brisket, I like to keep it at 225 F for 12 hours. This however, was going to be served at 6 pm. OOPS!. As I seasoned the roast I discovered I was out of garlic powder. My mise en place was non-existent. I did what any good cook does and turned up the heat, changed the recipe and crossed my fingers.

In the afternoon, I met up with Erin (our neighbor & NCF’s milker) and run a chicken errand. When Erin and I walked in the door at 5:30pm; Bam the smell hit us. Something amazing had happened while we’d been out, the garlic powder missing was a great accident. Erin was planning to make tostadas for dinner and we both thought the kids would love to have dinner together and pulled beef brisket tostadas just sound AMAZING. I must admit they tasted even better, especially since Erin pampered us with fresh fried tostada shells.

Sorry, there aren’t a ton of pictures of the process as I did not plan on blogging this due to my loss of time management. It is too good not to share though.

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Savory Brisket

  • 1 3-4 lb beef brisket
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • 1 tbsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt
  • 2 med. yellow onions sliced thinly
  • 2 heads of garlic cut in ½
  • ½ cup Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 cup high quality no salt beef broth
  1. Pre-heat oven to 285 F
  2. After bringing the roast up to room temperature season both sides with salt pepper and onion powder.
  3. Place in Dutch Oven fat side up with a firm lid ( If no dutch oven is available use an oven safe deep skillet with tight fitting lid.) Or yes a crock pot on the high (about 250F) and be prepared to wait an extra hour or 2.
  4. Lay garlic & onions across the top and sides of the brisket evenly
  5. Pour Worcestershire Sauce over the top of the roast
  6. Pour beef broth on the sides of the roast.
  7. Place lid & place in the oven for 6.5 hours
  8. Once the brisket can be pulled apart gently with a fork remove and rest for 15 minutes before pulling apart completely. Serve warm

As for the tostadas fill that puppy up anyway you like. We topped the shell with refried beans, brisket, onions, lettuce, cheese and fresh tomatoes.

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No side dishes needed here, Tostadas are a full meal.

For another application serve it as a pulled apart roast. Remove the fat off the top of the sauce with a turkey baster, remove the garlic & onion, reduce and serve in its own dish. In my house folks a picky about the amount of sauce they use.

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Lamb Sliders with Chevre Cream

Ninja Cow Farm is now carrying a wide arrange of lamb products from High Rock Farm and Thistledown Farm. Dan goes to great lengths to search out small farms that meet his standards. He wants clients to get the best flavor of ethically raised, local meat possible.

Imagine tasty lamb as a burger, now as a fancy cheeseburger. This is  a meal to impress friends. The grand total for it should ring in under $25 for 4.  I served this decadent slider with  a small simple salad and vinaigrette.  A great way to introduce your kids to a more complex flavor palate without spending $75 at a nice restaurant that serves lamb.

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In this recipe, I’m going to teach you how to make Chevre into a condiment called crema.  It is a simple way to use a semi-soft cheese, turning it into a spread.

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Chevre Cream

  • 1 small log of Celebrity Dairy Chevre
  • 1/4 cup Simply Natural Dairy Heavy Cream
  1. Slice all rind off of the chevre log.                                                                     * While some prefer the flavor of rind I’m not a fan. It is not so friendly when melting down into a sauce.
  2. Crumble or cut Chevre into small pieces we want this to melt into the cream quickly.
  3. Using a heavy bottomed pan heat cream over a lo-med heat. Stir often as the fat & sugar content will cause cream to scorch quickly.
  4. When cream is beginning to steam whisk chevre into cream. Whisk until smooth. Remove from heat, serve warm.

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Lamb Slider

  • 1 lb of Ground lamb from the NCF store
  • Salt & Pepper
  1. Bring lamb up to room temperature by setting on counter for 1 hour before cooking.
  2. Separate into 2 ounce patties. Yes they are small but with the bun and added ingredients it will be filling. Theses are sliders.
  3. Season meat 5 minutes before frying.
  4. Warm cast iron pan on med-hi heat, let this heat thoroughly, you want to get a nice crust on the lamb patty.
  5. Add seasoned lamb patties to hot pan, after 2 minutes check to see if the release easily and flip. If they don’t  wait 45 seconds and try again.
  6. Remove from heat let rest for 3 minutes. Place on bun & dress to your liking.

These are rich flavors, the best way to not be overwhelmed by them is to add a bit of acid. To do that I added pickled red onion and a garden fresh tomato slice.  Ru & my brother added ketchup to theirs. My husband (the short bearded man spotted periodically on the farm) added mustard to his. Lots of ways to dress a slider and none of them are wrong.

For dessert I highly recommend Celebrity Dairy’s Ginger Goat’s  Milk Gelato.

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Spiced Peach Glazed Ham Steaks

Processor pick up day is akin to Christmas morning for 5 yr olds here in the NCF store. The difference is we’re all closer to 40 than 5 and we’re getting giddy over new cuts of meat.  This week we received our first Uncured Ham Slice Steak. Hello new porky goodness to experiment with.

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The fat on these beautiful steaks is going to lead to a lovely crispy finish.

Today I’m going to serve up a Peach Jam Glazed Ham Slice. You’ll find much of my cooking has alcohol in it. As a Nashville girl Jack Daniel’s is a go to flavoring for me. Apple Cider Vinegar is Pork’s best friend. It enhances the flavor without adding a ton of unnecessary sodium.

First things first, just like Beef you want to bring your Pork Steak up to room temperature. An hour before you cook set it out.

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Trim the excess fat from steaks, I freeze my leftover fat to use in dishes later like collards, or to render into lard for cooking. Side note if I’m going to use the fat for collard or beans later it will get smoked first.

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Sauce

  • ½ cup Buck Naked Farm’s Peach Jam
  • 2 TBSP Jack Daniel’s
  • 1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar

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Place ingredients in a small saucepan cook over a medium low heat till reduced.

Pork

*Pre-Heat broiler to 500 degrees F

*Use a heavy bottom skillet that is broiler safe

*Salt & pepper steaks to your taste

Pre Heat 2 tsp of EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive oil) over med-hi heat  place steaks into your skillet

Cook for 4-5 minutes until the steaks release from the pan without tearing. If you feel them stuck to the pan let go and wait.

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While waiting spoon ½ of your sauce over your steaks.  Once the meat releases from the pan flip them. Spoon your Sauce over the 2nd half of the steak. Place in the oven for 7 minutes.  When done place steaks on your serving platter and cover with foil for 5 minutes.

While these cool place your skillet back on the stove on medium heat. Use 1 cup of Pinot Grigio or your favorite light non-oaked white wine to deglaze your pan. Simmer down the sauce till thickened and pour over the steaks.

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