A steak-forward dinner doesn't have to break the bank. Make these delicious, affordable meals using less-popular cuts of beef such as sirloin, chuck, flank and skirt.
Photo by Gwénaël Le Vot
GARLIC BEEF TIPS OVER PAPPARDELLE NOODLES
Serves 4
1 pound sirloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 garlic cloves, minced
8 ounces pappardelle noodles (or fettucine), cooked according to directions
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
Pat steak cubes dry with paper towel and season generously with salt and pepper to taste. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add meat in a single layer (work in batches if needed). Sear 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove to a plate and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium and melt butter in skillet. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30–60 seconds, stirring constantly to prevent browning. Return meat to skillet and toss to coat in garlic sauce. Cook 1–2 minutes to warm through. Place noodles in a large serving bowl and top with meat and garlic butter sauce. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.
Pepper steak and rice
Photo by Karen Hermann
Serves 4
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into strips
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into strips
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced
1¼ pound flank steak (or sirloin), thinly sliced
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
¼ cup unsalted soy sauce (also referred to as tamari)
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ cup sherry, optional
1½ tablespoons arrowroot (or cornstarch)
2 cups uncooked rice, cooked according to instructions
Chopped scallions, for garnish
Sesame seeds, for garnish
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 teaspoon oil. Add peppers and onions and cook for 3–4 minutes or until just tender. Remove to a plate. Season steak with salt and pepper to taste. Add remaining oil to skillet and increase heat to high. Add steak to skillet and cook 5–6 minutes or until lightly browned. Add garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds. Add pepper mixture back to skillet. Adjust heat to medium.
In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sugar, sherry and arrowroot. Pour the sauce over the steak mixture and bring to a simmer. Cook for 2–3 minutes or until sauce thickens. Serve over rice and garnish with scallions and sesame seeds.
Chef’s tips:
How to core peppers. Whether bell peppers or small chili peppers, cut off the tops and bottoms of peppers. Stand pepper on a flat surface and slice down the four sides around the core. Discard the core and seeds, and chop or slice the four cutaway sides.
Adding garlic to sautéed vegetables. Recipe instructions call for sautéing vegetables together until softened, then adding the garlic at the end for 30 seconds or so. This is to prevent the garlic from browning, which could cause the garlic to burn and give the mixture an off taste.
Beef mushroom pot pie
Photo by Iuliia Nedrygailova
Serves 4
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound stewing beef, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
8 ounces mushrooms, quartered or thick sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup beef stock
½ cup red wine (optional, or use more beef stock)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
1 package frozen puff pastry
1 large egg, beaten
In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat oil. Cook beef in a single layer (work in batches if needed) until browned on all sides. Remove from pan onto a plate. Reduce heat to medium. Add onions and cook until softened, about 3–5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until they release their moisture and start to brown. Add garlic and cook an additional 30–60 seconds. Stir in flour and tomato paste, cooking 1–2 minutes until combined and paste darkens slightly.
Gradually pour in beef stock and wine, stirring to prevent lumps. Add Worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt and pepper. Return beef to pan. Bring mixture to a boil and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for at least 1 hour or until beef is tender and sauce has thickened. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool for at least 10 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400 F. Cut thawed puff pastry into circles to fit over four 5-inch ovenproof ramekins, allowing a ½-inch overhang around the rims. Using a scoop or ladle, spoon cooled beef mixture into individual ramekins. Brush top edge of each ramekin with water. Place pastry cutoffs over the top of each dish and press edges down to help pastry seal to top of ramekin during baking.
Whisk together egg and 1 tablespoon water, and brush over tops of pastry. Using a paring knife, cut four small slits in each pastry top to allow steam to escape. Bake for 20–30 minutes or until pastry is puffed and golden brown. Serve individual pies with mashed potatoes and/or steamed vegetables.
Steak tacos
Photo by Gina Moore
Serves 4–6
¼ cup unsalted soy sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Juice of 3 limes
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1½ pounds skirt steak
Small corn tortillas
Pico de gallo or salsa
Queso fresco cheese, crumbled
Avocado slices
Lime wedges, for garnish
In a large bowl, whisk together soy sauce, Worcestershire, lime juice, garlic, cilantro, chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper and olive oil. Place steak in a zip-top bag or baking dish and pour the marinade over it. Seal and refrigerate for 1–4 hours. Preheat grill or large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove steak from marinade, drain and cook 4–5 minutes per side until it reaches desired doneness, 130–140 F for medium rare, measured on an instant-read thermometer. Do not overcook. Remove steak and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Slice thinly across the grain into bite-size pieces.
Warm tortillas in a dry skillet or on the grill for a few seconds per side. Keep warm in a towel. Place the sliced steak onto warm tortillas and top generously with pico de gallo, cheese and avocado slices. Garnish with lime slices.