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Ground Beef Master Recipe Question


chezjulie

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I'm planning to make the ground beef master recipe from It Starts with Food tonight. I find the way it is explained a little confusing. I'm assuming that the two pounds of ground beef that you cook with the oil and onion is to have on hand to make numerous other meals with? Surely you're not supposed to eat a pound of ground beef with a cup of veggies?  ;)

 

So then after I make that, I would cook 2-4 cups of veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots in this case) for my DH and me, and saute the cooked veggies in some oil along with 2-4 palm sized servings of the ground beef and some spices for a one skillet meal? Do I have that right? It's really not clear in the book, but that's what seems to make sense to me.

 

If I'm on the right track, any suggestions for what spices might jazz up ground beef and broccoli/cauliflower/carrots?

 

Thanks! 

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Haven't read the recipe so can't help with that, but cumin, coriander & cayenne are usually a good mix for beef - and I add turmeric to *everything* cos it's so good for you...

Let us know how it goes.

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You are basically precooking the ground beef and then taking out 1-2 palm sizes of meat for yourself and adding 2-4 cups of veggies. You then can use the ground beef on other meals. And if you have a large family, feel free to double or triple up the initial meat cook.

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PS. Sounds strange but I love adding tomato paste and poultry seasoning to ground beef. Also oregano and basil with tomato paste in ground beef is wonderful. You can also try taco seasoning or fajita seasoning or a nice curry mix. Just make sure to read the ingredients on your spices. (I make my own taco and fajita seasoning mix).

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On 27/04/2015 at 7:00 AM, kirkor said:

What is it??interrogation.jpg

You're lucky I'm still at home this morning. ;)

TACO

1 tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp starch (arrowroot, tapioca, potato, whatever)

FAJITA

2 tbsp chili powder
4 tsp cumin
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tsp starch

Both of these are so good I usually quadruple the recipe and store them in a jar so I always have them ready.

Here's my bonus recipe for you today:

Whole30 Shake N Bake

1 Tbsp Paprika
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Garlic powder
1 tsp Onion powder
1/2 tsp Pepper
1/2 tsp Oregano
1/4 tsp Basil
1/4 tsp Parsley
1/4 tsp Cayenne
1 cup raw Pecans (can also use walnuts or coconut)

Give it a whirl in the food processor/blender until it has breadcrumb consistency. Dredge the chicken. Cook in the oven. Simple and awesome. (this one makes enough for 3-4 large breasts)

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My go-to seasoning when I don't have a particular flavor profile in mind is to use some kind of all-purpose seasoning like TJ's 21 Seasoning Salute. For cooking ground beef, I've also recently become obsessed with picadillo and make a bastardized version with tomato paste, cumin, and LOTS of chopped green olives. (For me, the olives are the point of having picadillo.) You can also add compliant tomato sauce to the meat for a pseudo-bolognese and then serve over the veggies.

 

Both of the Well Fed books also have awesome recipes for various sauces. Sunshine sauce is a favorite on the forums, but there are tons of other things to try. Hubby and I made the tahini dressing last night and poured it over refridgerator velcro stirfry. Plain mayo is a good addition too!

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Wow, thanks for the tips everybody! I'll probably try jmcbn's suggestion of cumin, coriander, and cayenne or ladyshanny's tomato sauce and other spices.

What's funny is that in the book it explains to cook two pounds of beef, then explains to cook 1-2 cups of vegetables and add beef, but nowhere does it clarify that you aren't supposed to add all the beef you cooked.  :)

 

Great tip about freezing, Jess.

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Here's my report on dinner. I know you've all been waiting anxiously... The verdict was... delicious!

 

I went with ladyshanny's and Munker's advice. I cooked up the ground beef recipe, which is already seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Then I added a can of organic tomato paste and some poultry seasoning, and served it pseudo-bolognese style over a few cups of cooked fresh cauliflower, broccoli, and carrot mix. I also reheated a few of last night's new potatoes dressed with ghee and parsley. DH said it was a little like Shepherd's pie (which is a good thing).

 

This was definitely the tastiest meal I've had since starting the Whole30 yesterday, so I really appreciate your kind suggestions, even the ones I didn't use this time. I had been struggling a bit with not liking the food because I don't generally eat three heavy meat-based meals a day. But I'm working on it. 

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You're lucky I'm still at home this morning. ;)

TACO

1 tbsp chili powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp paprika

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp starch (arrowroot, tapioca, potato, whatever)

FAJITA

2 tbsp chili powder

4 tsp cumin

2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp cayenne

1 tsp starch

Both of these are so good I usually quadruple the recipe and store them in a jar so I always have them ready.

Here's my bonus recipe for you today, Whole30 Shake N Bake.

1 Tbsp Paprika

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Garlic powder

1 tsp Onion powder

1/2 tsp Pepper

1/2 tsp Oregano

1/4 tsp Basil

1/4 tsp Parsley

1/4 tsp Cayenne

1 cup raw Pecans (can also use walnuts or coconut)

Give it a whirl in the food processor/blender until it has breadcrumb consistency. Dredge the chicken. Cook in the oven. Simple and awesome. (this one makes enough for 3-4 large breasts)

 

I already knew you were awesome...but this just solidifies it. With the starch in the taco mix does it actually get that thickness like traditional taco seasoning? I've found a lot of mixes that I like the flavor of but they are not like taco meat and thus can't get the husband to eat them. Would love to not have to buy the crappy stuff for him anymore so will definitely give this one a shot.

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I already knew you were awesome...but this just solidifies it. With the starch in the taco mix does it actually get that thickness like traditional taco seasoning? I've found a lot of mixes that I like the flavor of but they are not like taco meat and thus can't get the husband to eat them. Would love to not have to buy the crappy stuff for him anymore so will definitely give this one a shot.

Haha, thanks!

 

The starch added to the taco mix means that you can use the whole recipe I listed above the same way that you would a packaged mix.  Fry meat, drain, add a bit of water, add seasoning mix and cook it back down.  I know we aren't big on draining meat but what I've found is that no matter how much starch or thickener you put in or how much you cook it down, the fat never "thickens"; you do have to take it out in order to make traditional texture of taco meat.  But then just add heaps of guac to your taco and fat-problem solved!  :)

 

My hubby's grown son who is junk food and industrial packaged product addicted brings his empty jar over to have it refilled by me with my recipe above and says it is  exactly the same but has no "chemical" flavour.  LOL.  I bet you could get this one by your hubby if you don't mention it!

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Haha, thanks!

 

The starch added to the taco mix means that you can use the whole recipe I listed above the same way that you would a packaged mix.  Fry meat, drain, add a bit of water, add seasoning mix and cook it back down.  I know we aren't big on draining meat but what I've found is that no matter how much starch or thickener you put in or how much you cook it down, the fat never "thickens"; you do have to take it out in order to make traditional texture of taco meat.  But then just add heaps of guac to your taco and fat-problem solved!   :)

 

My hubby's grown son who is junk food and industrial packaged product addicted brings his empty jar over to have it refilled by me with my recipe above and says it is  exactly the same but has no "chemical" flavour.  LOL.  I bet you could get this one by your hubby if you don't mention it!

 

Well I never drain the fat when I cook it with a traditional packaged mix either...I'm just too lazy to drain meat to be honest. ;) I'll give it a shot.

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My hubby's grown son who is junk food and industrial packaged product addicted brings his empty jar over to have it refilled by me with my recipe above and says it is  exactly the same but has no "chemical" flavour.  LOL.  I bet you could get this one by your hubby if you don't mention it!

 

LOVE when this kind of stuff happens!

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LOVE when this kind of stuff happens!

I love it too!  He comes over sometimes on Sundays and sits in the kitchen watching me do my precook and he's picked up a few tips and tricks.  His favourite lately is shredding and sautéing cabbage to use in place of noodles.

 

He's interested and curious but he's also not quite ready to take the hard steps yet.........so we just model good behaviours.  :)

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