Meatloaf.

our eating has shifted towards a more paleo-oriented diet. this meatloaf is a blend of ina garten’s recipe and one from the paleomg cookbook.

2.5 lbs ground meat (i’ve been doing 1 lb gr. pork, 1.5 lb ground beef)
1-2 chopped onions
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
3 tbsp worcestershire sauce (considering this as a more strictly paleo version)
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup almond flour/meal (i didn’t measure last time i made this, but i def. needed a bit more than i cup to get the right consistency)

NOTE: the paleomg recipe uses 1 shredded sweet potato in here. i’d like to try this out.

preheat oven to 325. mix everything into a loaf, then put into a greased meatloaf pan. cook for 60-75 minutes. ina says a pan of water on the lower rack will prevent the top from cracking, though i don’t pour ketchup on this like she does.

anyways, it has been a solid start to meatloafing. we’ll see where it takes us.

 

Pan Seared Ribeye (September 18, 2009)

carla’s gone again. red meat strikes again!

here’s a recipe from alton brown regarding a pan seared ribeye. i liked the simplicity.

Ingredients

* 1 boneless rib eye steak, 1 1/2-inch thick
* Canola oil to coat
* Kosher salt and ground black pepper

Directions

Place 10 to 12-inch cast iron skillet in oven and heat oven to 500 degrees. Bring steak(s) to room temperature.

When oven reaches temperature, remove pan and place on range over high heat. Coat steak lightly with oil and season both sides with a generous pinch of salt. Grind on black pepper to taste.

Immediately place steak in the middle of hot, dry pan. Cook 30 seconds without moving. Turn with tongs and cook another 30 seconds, then put the pan straight into the oven for 2 minutes. Flip steak and cook for another 2 minutes. (This time is for medium rare steaks. If you prefer medium, add a minute to both of the oven turns.)

Remove steak from pan, cover loosely with foil, and rest for 2 minutes. Serve whole or slice thin and fan onto plate.

the pros? it was a well cooked piece of meat – pretty even all the way through, and in no way overdone, although it was much closer to a medium than a medium rare in my kitchen. the meat was juicy and tender and all sorts of good.

the cons? i’d have to think part of it was the meat, which came from a grocery rather than a quality butcher. while it wasn’t bad, it wasn’t so bursting with flavor; i think it could’ve benefited from a little more seasoning or something. i was a little light with the pepper, and perhaps i could’ve gone a bit more. but i have the sneaking suspicion that getting a better steak would’ve improved this drastically.

as is, all things considered, i’d probably give it a B+; but the recipe seems quite sound.

Herb Rubbed Sirloin Roast (September 13, 2009)

when carla’s not around, it’s time for me to eat like a man. that means red meat. the problem is, since i rarely cook it, i’m not exactly a pro with beef. and experience means something, since cooking something too long will dry it out and take away from a meal.

still, i did my best, and with the help of this recipe from allrecipes, i had a pretty tasty meal last night:

* 1 1/4 tablespoons paprika
* 1 tablespoon kosher salt
* 1 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 (3 pound) sirloin tip roast

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small bowl, mix the paprika, kosher salt, garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, cayenne pepper, oregano, and thyme. Stir in the olive oil, and allow the mixture to sit about 15 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
3. Place the roast on the prepared baking sheet, and cover on all sides with the spice mixture.
4. Roast 1 hour in the preheated oven, or to a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). Let sit 15 minutes before slicing.

i followed the directions pretty closely, though my cut of meat was not 3 lbs; it was closer to half that. however, i left the amount of rub the same, so that it was a little excessive. i only left in the oven about 45 minutes, which seemed pretty close to the right time, but i was using the smaller meat, and our oven here is very hot. it seemed about right for medium – there was still pinkness inside, though it was perhaps bordering on medium well. i like my meat rarer, but i don’t trust myself on preparing it thus.

anyways, i would give this recipe a B+. the herb rub was pretty solid – the paprika gave it a great gentle heat, and i honestly loved that there was a lot of it there. as for the meat, for the most part it was cooked properly and was pretty tender, but i don’t think it was cooked evenly all the way through – there were a couple bites that were probably overdone and too chewy.

not bad for an inexperienced beef man. i’ll try more next time carla’s away.