BBQ Beef Sandwiches

Chuck Roast. It's not tender, flavorful, or moist.

Unless you cook it for many hours in a flavorful liquid.

Then it tastes like whatever you cook it in, falls apart, and is incredibly versatile.

Oh, and it's really cheap when it's on sale. Really cheap.

So...in avoidance of putting it in a crockpot with onion soup mix and potatoes (yuck), I found another way to cook it.

Grab a chuck roast (4-7 pounds) when it's on sale. Under $2.00 a pound.
Buy a bottle of cheap BBQ sauce--you pick the flavor but don't pay over a dollar
Grab a can of beef broth--store brand is fine, low sodium is best, maybe $.69
Optionally: Get 1 onion.
Pick up a bag of buns--we like whole wheat

Cut all the visible fat off the chuck roast, then put it in your crockpot or in an oven proof dish that has a lid. Grind some fresh pepper all over it.

Pour one-third of the bottle of bbq sauce over it, and half the can of broth.

Put the lid on.

Cook on High for 8 hours in the crockpot, or at 270 (or your oven's lowest setting, under 300) in the oven for 8 hours.

Walk away.

After 8 hours put the meat on a cutting board and shred it with a fork. If you have a gravy separator, use it to get the fat out of some of the liquid in the pan. Pour the de-fatted liquid on the meat.

I like to slice my onion into perfect rings, and carmelize them by heating some butter in a pan, adding the rings, and turning them after about 5 minutes, so they get nice and golden on both sides.

You can toast your buns with a little butter, or leave them soft. Your choice.

Pile the meat on the buns, add cheese if you like it (we don't), and carmelized onions if you dare. Add some extra plain bbq sauce -Or- dip the sandwiches in the de-fatted juice.

We (well, they, since I don't eat red meat) eat it with pickles on the side, a little salad, and some fresh pineapple.

4 stars. Meaning: Mom, please make this at least once a month.


KEEP your leftover meat..we will make something else out of it next!

Swedish Style Meatballs

Well, we are trying something new in the Russell house. Too many Costco rotisserie chickens, taco nights, and breakfast for dinner meals. We need some inspiration around here! But inspiration takes time and planning, ironically enough, and I am short on both.

So, I am looking for some easy, inexpensive meals, and letting my family rate them. I hope to end up with a collection of easy dinners and to know how often to make them.

~Swedish Style Meatballs~

1 lb ground beef or turkey
1/2 cup bread crumbs (see hints!)
1 egg
2 tsp. garlic
2tsp. italian seasoning
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt

Mix together and form into balls
Saute over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, turn them over, and cook for 10-20 more minutes over memedium heat.

-OR- Place on a rack over a baking sheet (see hints!). Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

What makes them Swedish:

Wash and slice a handful of mushrooms and a half an onion.
Saute them in a combo of 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter until golden.
Add 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 1/4 cup of milk and 1/2 cup of sour cream
Heat until bubbly and grind pepper over the top.


Meanwhile...

Cook according to directions either white rice or saffron rice.
And, steam according to directions broccoli, drain, and then toss in a sprinkle of lemon pepper.

Serve the meatballs over the rice with some mushroom sauce on top, and broccoli on the side..

The verdict: 3.5 stars, which means they would like to have it every few months. However, most of my family does not like mushrooms, and though I liked the flavor of the sauce, I struggle with cream of anything soup. :o)

HINTS:


When you finish a loaf of bread, run the heels through the blender or food processor. Save in a labeled ziplock in the freezer and use what you need as you need it.


The way I think is best to cook meatballs on a rack. Take a wire/metal cooling rack (NOT a Teflon coated one though) and place it on a baking sheet. If you line the baking sheet with foil and/or spray it with Pam first, it will be easy clean up.