Spice-Guy's Kitchen

This is with out a doubt my favorite way to cook a steak. The only seasoning used is the salt in the pan. The steak does the rest. I like to say, “the steak is the seasoning”  because all those juices that would normally go into the fire concentrate in the pan. Your steak will have a wonderful “crust” that you can only achieve with a cast iron skillet.

Directions:

Get your BBQ red hot and place your cast iron skillet on the cooking grate.

When it starts smoking well, sprinkle about a tablespoon of kosher salt on the bottom of the skillet.

As soon as the salt starts to turn brown lay your steak on the salt.

Turn after 4 or 5 minutes and cook for another 4 minutes for rare.

Remove from the skillet and allow to rest for a few minutes.

Chili made with beer and chocolate. Does it get any better than this?

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons mexican style seasoning
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 bay leaf
3 cups chopped yellow onions
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 (12-ounce) bottles dark beer
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, crushed, with juices
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup beef broth
2 teaspoons salt
1-ounce semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons masa harina
Grated Cheddar, for garnish
Finely chopped green onions, for garnish
Chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over high heat.
Add the beef, chili powder, cumin, Mexican style seasoning, cayenne, cinnamon, crushed red pepper and bay leaf and cook until meat is well-browned.
Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until the onions soften, about 8 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the beers and stir until the foam subsides, about 1 minute.
Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, salt, and chocolate to the pot. Stir well and bring to a boil.
Reduce to a simmer, partially cover, and cook until thickened and meat is very tender, 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the chili from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Skim off any fat that rises to the top of the chili.
Sprinkle soup with masa harina and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer.
Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
Serve topped with the cheese, green onions, and cilantro.

Slow cooker beef stew with a twist of beer, chili sauce, and brown sugar.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1-3/4 pounds beef stew meat,
cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 large potato, chopped
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/4 cup (rounded) chopped celery
1/4 cup (rounded) chopped onion
1 or 2 cloves garlic, chopped
1-1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1-1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 cup chili sauce
1/2 cup beer
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Directions:
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Place the beef stew meat and flour in a large resealable plastic bag, and shake to coat.
Transfer coated meat to the skillet, and cook a minute or two until browned.
Mix the potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, and garlic in a slow cooker.
Place browned beef over the vegetables, and season with basil and thyme.
In a bowl, mix the chili sauce, beer, and brown sugar, and pour over meat in the slow cooker.
Cover slow cooker, and cook 8 hours on Low or 2 hours on High.
Serve with crusty bread and cold beer of course.
6 servings.

Ingredients:

4 large baking potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 teaspoon butter, divided
1/4 cup milk, or as needed
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 pound beef sausages
1/4 cup diced onion
1/2 (.75 ounce) packet dry brown gravy mix
1/2 cup water, or as needed
Directions:

 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Place potatoes in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender, about 20 minutes.
Drain, and mash with 1 teaspoon of butter, and enough milk to reach your desired creaminess.
Continue mashing, or beat with an electric mixer, until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage until heated through. Remove from pan, and set aside.
Add remaining teaspoon of butter to the skillet, and fry the onions over medium heat until tender.
Mix gravy mix and water as directed on the package, and add to the skillet with the onions. Simmer, stirring constantly, to form a thick gravy.
Pour half of the gravy into a square casserole dish so that is coats the bottom.
Place sausages in a layer over the gravy (you can butterfly the sausages if you wish).
Pour remaining gravy over them, then top with mashed potatoes.
Bake uncovered for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until potatoes are evenly brown.

Just like Mom used to make. 

Ingredients

1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed French onion soup
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder

Directions

In a large bowl, mix together 1/3 cup condensed French onion soup with ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, salt and black pepper. Shape into 6 oval patties.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown both sides of patties. Pour off excess fat.
In a small bowl, blend flour and remaining soup until smooth. Mix in ketchup, water, Worcestershire sauce and mustard powder. Pour over meat in skillet. Cover, and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

I love to use my dutch oven, almost as much as my slowcooker. Fortunately, this recipe will work in either. This is the dutch oven method…

Ingredients 

One 7-bone roast, about 4lbs.
One packet of onion soup mix or tomato bouillon, (my favorite)
One can of condensed cream of mushroom soup
About 10-12 oz.s of red wine

Directions

Lay the roast in the bottom of your dutch oven.
Cover the roast with the soup mix. If using the tomato bouillon, use about 4 tablespoons.
Next spread the cream of mushroom soup over the top of the roast.
Now fill the soup can with red wine and gently pour it over the roast.
Cover and cook at 250-275F for 6 or 7 hours.
While it’s cooking, you may want to leave the house, the aroma of this roast cooking will be amazing, as will be the flavor and texture.