Once a Month Cooking - Beef

I won’t have to cook for a few weeks now.

The other night, I put a 13 pound sirloin tip beef roast in the oven and cooked it all night. Using a tightly covered oval roaster, I added 3 cups of water with 2 tablespoons Kitchen Bouquet, and seasoned the roast with salt, pepper, and Mrs. Dash. I also covered the bottom of the roaster with a sliced onion (or two.) I cooked it on 275 degrees all night, or for 8 hours. This is what I did the next morning:

After the roast cooled, I removed it to a large platter. I left the wonderful stock in the oval roaster. Using plastic kitchen gloves, I pulled the fat from the roast and discarded it, and separated the meat.

1) BARBECUED BEEF One portion I put into a sauce pan, and added a bottle of Kraft Sweet Molasses Barbecue sauce, and brought it to a slow simmer. I freeze this for later. Served on buttered toasted buns with macaroni and cheese and Cole slaw, this keeps me from eating out.

2) ROAST BEEF FOR HOT ROAST BEEF SANDWICHES Another portion I placed in different freezer containers. Using the stock in the roaster, I brought it to a boil on the stove, and slowly added gravy flour until I had nice smooth gravy. I then ladled an ample amount over the beef, saving the rest of the gravy for other dishes. I also freeze this for later. I love this on bread, with mashed potatoes, and buttered peas and carrots. Use an ice cream scoop for the potatoes and you have an authentic “blue plate special” from scratch. And for a fraction of the cost.

3) ROAST BEEF HASH I took another portion of the beef and chopped it finely. In a heavy saucepan using a cup of the gravy, another cup of water and a teaspoon of Kitchen Bouquet, I added the chopped beef, 5 finely diced rinsed potatoes (for quicker results, use a bag of diced frozen hash browns – perfect size!), ½ cup finely diced chopped celery, and ½ cup finely diced onion. Bring to a boil, simmer for 45 minutes. I serve this over biscuits with a green salad.

4) HOMEMADE VEGETABLE SOUP Using a cup of chopped roast beef, I add a cup of diced potatoes, frozen peas, carrots, black-eyed peas, a can green beans, a can of whole kernel corn, a can of diced or crushed tomatoes, a tiny bit of diced celery and ½ cup minced onion. In a heavy saucepan, I cover this with water; add 3 teaspoons of Kitchen Bouquet and a can of tomato paste. Add salt and pepper; simmer for an hour or more stirring frequently. You can add more or less water, depending on how “soupy” you like it. This is wonderful with a grilled cheese, or better yet, a slab of corn bread. You can freeze this, too.

5) BEEF STEW Using the last of my beef, I add it to the rest of the gravy in the oval roaster, along with chopped potatoes, carrots, frozen peas, a little onion, and simmer until the vegetables are tender. I do not freeze this. I don’t like the texture of the potatoes after it has been frozen.

Using Kitchen Bouquet and water, you can make your own stock, regardless of how much you need.

If there is something you do not like, you can always take a can of diced tomatoes, a little onion, and simmer it with the beef, making Swiss steak. My family does not care for this, so I don’t make it. My mother did however, and served it with hot buttered noodles.