Top 5+ Fast Meat Recipes

Homemade Beef Empanadas

Ingredients:

for filling ~

• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1/2 yellow onion, minced
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 hard boiled egg, chopped
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup tomato puree or tomato sauce
• for empanada dough ~
• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, cold and chopped into small pieces
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup ice water

Directions:

1. First, make the empanada dough so it has time to chill. Mix together the flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the butter with your fingertips and work together until mixture resembles cornmeal – no big lumps of butter anywhere. Add the egg and the ice water and mix until dough forms. Form dough into large flat ball, wrap in plastic wrap and set in the fridge to chill for 1 hour.
2. While your dough is chilling, make your filling. Heat a pan over medium heat and add your oil. When hot, add the onion and garlic and saute for about 5 minutes, until onion has softened. Add ground beef and cook for another 5 minutes or so, until beef is done. You may drain any extra fat here or leave it in before going on to the next step {I chose to drain the extra fat}.
3. Add the cumin, paprika, oregano and salt to the beef mixture, as well as the tomato sauce or puree. Mix well so all is combined then take off the stove and add the chopped hard boiled egg. Stir well and set aside for use in your empanadas.
4. After dough has chilled, remove from the fridge. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out empanada dough onto a lightly floured surface until very thin – like pie dough. Cut circles out of the dough using the back of a bowl or a large biscuit cutter. My circles ended up being about 6″.
5. Place the circles on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and scoop a small amount of beef filling into the center of each circle. Pinch dough closed with your fingers. Be sure to seal the dough well or else it will leak out while it bakes!
6. Mix one egg with a small splash of water. Brush this over sealed empanadas and place in the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes for small empanadas or 30-35 minutes for large ones. Mine took about 32 minutes.

Wood Fired Ribeyes with Parmesan and Arugula

Ingredients

• 2 whole rib eye steaks about 1lb each, bone in, preferably grassfed
• 6 cups arugula
• 1/3 cup freshly shaved Parmesan
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• flaky sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 whole lemon squeezed

Instructions

1. An hour before grilling, take your steaks out of the fridge and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Leave on the counter while you light your fire/heat your grill. 
2. Place the arugula on a large platter and drizzle with 2 tbsp of the olive oil and some lemon juice. 
3. If using a wood fired oven, grill steaks for 3 minutes per side using a grill attachment. Do not place the steaks directly over the flame, but just a little off to the side. You do want your oven to be quite hot - about 500 degrees. 
4. Place steaks immediately on top of your prepared arugula and drizzle steaks with remaining olive oil. Scatter Parmesan on top of each steak and finish with an extra sprinkle of sea salt and pepper. Let steaks rest like this for 10 minutes before serving. 

Southwestern Steak Salad

Ingredients:

for marinade ~

• 1/2 jalapeno, seeded and roughly chopped
• 1/2 bunch of cilantro
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• pinch of pepper

for salad ~

• 1 lb flank steak, preferably grass fed / organic
• big bunch of salad greens {spinach, romaine…whatever you have on hand}
• cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cucumber, sliced
• big handful of crushed blue corn tortilla chips
• 4 oz hot Habanero cheese, grated {we love this one by Cabot!}
• 1 avocado, chopped

for dressing ~

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, to taste
• pinch of salt
• pinch of pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp honey
• 1 tsp mustard

Directions:

1. Place all marinade ingredients in either a food processor or a high speed blender and process until smooth. Pour marinade over steak in a large ziploc bag and seal. Massage marinade all over steak and place in the fridge for 2-5 hours {longer the better!}.
2. After the steak has finished marinating, remove from the fridge and let sit on the counter for 30 minutes before you cook it. Heat a grill pan over medium / high heat with a little olive oil on the bottom. When hot, add the steak and cook for 6-8 minutes per side, depending on how done you like your steak and how thick of a cut it is. Keep in mind that you can always put the steak back on the heat if it’s not done but you can’t take back if you cook it too long. Plus, it will carry-over cook after you remove it from the pan.
3. Let cooked steak rest on a cutting board while you assemble the salads.
4. Put salad greens in two big bowls and top with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, crushed tortilla chips and spicy grated cheese. Mix together the dressing ingredients in a small dish and pour over salads. Toss well.
5. Cut steak against the grain into thin strips. Place on salads and serve!

BASIL CHICKEN WITH KUMQUATS

INGREDIENTS

• 4 chicken thighs
• 2 tbsp Bertolli Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 cup kumquats, sliced
• 1 red onion, sliced into wedges
• 1 tsp dried basil
• salt and pepper
• fresh basil, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit.
2. Place the chicken thighs, sliced kumquats and red onion in a cast iron or oven safe dish and drizzle with olive oil. Use your fingers to ensure eveything is coated in oil, including both sides of the chicken. Then, place the kumquats and red onion around the chicken.
3. Sprinkle the chicken with the dried basil, salt and pepper. Cook for 40-50 minutes or until cooked through.
4. If you'd like the top of the chicken more golden, turn the top broiler on for the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Oven Roasted Chicken Recipe with Lemon and Rosemary

Ingredients

• 5 Lb Whole Chicken
• 5 Lemons
• Fresh Rosemary
• 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Fresh Cracked Pepper
• 1 Tablespoon Chicken Seasoning*, salt free

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F
2. Slice 2 lemons and layer evenly on bottom of large roasting pan or baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and top with fresh rosemary.**
3. Remove giblets from inside chicken. Rinse and pat chicken dry with paper towel. Place chicken on top of sliced lemons, breast side up.
4. Mix olive oil, juice of 1 lemon, salt, pepper and chicken seasoning. Pour mixture over chicken and rub in to ensure entire chicken is coated. Sprinkle with more salt and pepper.
5. Cut remaining 2 lemons into wedges and stuff inside chicken along with more rosemary.
6. Roast for 1-1½ hours. Until legs wiggle loosely, juices run clear and/or a thermometer reaches 165° in the thickest part of the thigh.
7. *cover chicken with foil towards the end if it begins to get too dark (optional)*
8. Slice and serve chicken. Drizzle a bit of the pan drippings over chicken.

GRILLED GUACAMOLE CHICKEN & SHRIMP

INGREDIENTS

Chicken & Shrimp

• 4 whole chicken breast thawed
• 10 large shrimp thawed
• 1  whole lemon juiced

Guacamole

• 1 tsp Garlic salt
• 1 tsp Pink salt Himalyan
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 whole Lime juice
• 1 small tomato roma
• 1/2 small onion red

INSTRUCTIONS

Chicken & Shrimp

1. Turn on your grill. While that is heating up go ahead and prep your chicken and shrimp. To do this, cut the thawed chicken horizontal down the middle. I do this to make the pieces thin so it is easier to cook. Once you have your pieces cut, add juice from 1 lemon and season with garlic powder and pepper. Season your shrimp the same way.
2. I heat my grill to 375- 400 degrees fahrenheit. Add the chicken but don't add the shrimp until the last 8 mins (4 mins on each side). Cook the chicken 10-12 minutes on each side. You may need to cook a little longer, I always cut to make sure the inside isn't pink.

Guacamole

1. While your chicken is cooking prepare your guacamole salsa. Take 2 avocadoes and remove the pits and use a spoon to scoop out the insides. Add to a medium size bowl.
2. Next, chop your tomatoes and onions and add along with all of your seasonings.
3. Finally, squeeze the juice from 1 whole lemon and use a fork to mix all the ingredients together.

Main Dish

1. Once your chicken and shrimp are completely cooked, place on a dish and add with a big scoop of guacamole and add shrimp on top. Sprinkle fresh chives and red onions. Enjoy!

SLOW COOKER FRENCH DIP SANDWICHES

INGREDIENTS

•  2 tablespoons olive oil
•  2 1/2 to 3 pounds beef chuck shoulder roast
•  Kosher salt
•  Freshly ground pepper
•  2 1-ounce packages dry onion soup mix
•  2 cups water
•  2 14.5-ounce cans beef broth
•  6-8 slices swiss or provolone cheese
•  6-8 crusty rolls, like ciabatta

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. While the oil is heating, generously season all sides of the chuck roast with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.
2. When the oil starts to shimmer, carefully place the roast in the hot pan and sear it on all sides by letting it sit without moving for a minute or two on each side before flipping it. Searing won't take very long - you just want to quickly brown the roast to add flavor and seal in the juices.
3. Transfer the roast to your slow cooker. Sprinkle onion soup mix over the roast and add water and beef broth. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours.
4. When the meat is so tender that it shreds easily with a fork, remove the roast from the slow cooker and shred. Serve by piling the shredded meat onto sliced, crusty rolls with a slice of Swiss cheese. Toast the cheese and top bun under the broiler until the cheese melts and the bun starts toasting. Serve with the juices from the slow cooker as au jus for dipping.