Spice-Rubbed Braised Beef

Spice-Rubbed Braised Beef

This recipe is from Cooking Light Magazine and you'd never know it! Those are the kind of healthy recipes I like. They served this braised beef with a chopped coleslaw salad. I wasn't feeling quite virtuous enough to go that far so I made Ina's Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes (see below), which were an awesome addition to this comfort dinner, and roasted acorn squash to ease my conscience. This is ridiculously easy and a great way to use our favorite cheap cut of beef---the chuck roast. The only addition I made was to add a splash of Burgundy and one star anise just to add the little extra something to the sauce. Enjoy!


Recipe: Spice-Rubbed Braised Beef
Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 2009
You can make the sauce up to three days ahead—just reheat it before adding the roast.

Ingredients
Roast:
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (3-pound) boneless chuck roast, trimmed


Sauce:
Cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup water
6 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
1. To prepare roast, combine paprika, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, dry mustard, and ground red pepper; rub over roast. Place roast in a large zip-top plastic bag. Seal and refrigerate 1 hour or overnight.


2. To prepare sauce, heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, crushed red pepper, and minced garlic; cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Place tomatoes in blender, and process until smooth. Add pureed tomatoes, 1/2 cup water, and the next 3 ingredients (through tomato paste), and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.


3. Preheat oven to 325°.


4. Remove roast from bag. Add roast to sauce in pan. Cover and bake at 325° for 2 1/2 hours or until tender. Serve with sauce.


Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 3 ounces beef and about 1/3 cup sauce)
CALORIES 262 ; FAT 10.8g (sat 3.6g,mono 4.8g,poly 0.5g); CHOLESTEROL 76mg; CALCIUM 48mg; CARBOHYDRATE 15.7g; SODIUM 508mg; PROTEIN 25.1g; FIBER 1.4g; IRON 4.3mg


Recipe: Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

2007, Ina Garten

Ingredients
Kosher salt
1 1/2 pounds boiling potatoes
1/4 cup milk
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


Directions
In a large pot, bring 2 quarts of water and 1 tablespoon of salt to a boil. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and cut them into 1 1/2-inch cubes. Add them to the boiling water and bring the water back to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes fall apart easily when pierced with a fork.


Meanwhile, heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan, making sure it doesn't boil. Set aside until the potatoes are done.


As soon as the potatoes are tender, drain them in a colander. Place a food mill fitted with a small disk/blade over a heatproof bowl. Pass the potatoes through the food mill, turning the handle back and forth. As soon as the potatoes are mashed, stir in the hot milk mixture with a whisk or rubber spatula. Add enough buttermilk to make the potatoes creamy. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and the pepper, and serve hot. To keep the potatoes warm, place the bowl over a pan of simmering water for up to 30 minutes. You can add a little extra hot milk to keep them creamy.