Category: Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.

By Jessica Ivey, RDN

 

Summertime means grilling time, and I fully embrace this fun method that takes the cooking from the kitchen to the outdoors. While I love the fact that my husband often makes dinner if the grill is involved, we girls can grill too.

 

The first step is to choose the right cut. I like to choose lean cuts, like Strip Steak, Top Sirloin Steak and Flank Steak most often, although a Ribeye is another delicious option. Next, prepare the beef. Start by trimming away all visible fat to help prevent flare-ups on the grill. While most of the cuts are delicious with a simple sprinkle of salt and pepper, dry rubs and marinades can add additional flavor.  If your marinade is meant only to add flavor, then marinade the beef for just 15 minutes or up to 2 hours in a zip-top plastic freezer bag or a glass or plastic container in the refrigerator. For tougher cuts, like flank or skirt steak, marinade for at least six hours but no more than 24 hours. Turn or stir the beef occasionally to ensure an even exposure to the marinade, and be sure to pat the beef dry with paper towels before cooking.

 

Prepare your grill and preheat to medium heat. Place the beef on the grid and cook, turning occasionally, until the internal temperature reaches 145°F for medium-rare and 160°F for medium. Covering the grill with the lid will cook the meat all the way through to the center for a more uniform doneness. Let cooked steaks rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.

 

Grilling requires several food safety precautions. First of all, keep beef refrigerated until you’re ready to cook. If you’ll be taking the food to another site to grill, place the beef in an insulated cooler on ice to ensure it stays cold. Be sure to wash your hands after handling raw beef, and use a clean plate or platter (not the same one as the raw meat) for cooked beef to prevent cross-contamination.

 

While you’ve got the grill fired up, throw on some veggies as well. I love grilled asparagus, bell peppers, squash, zucchini and eggplant. Or why not skewer beef along with veggies for a fun meal-on-a-stick?! These Classic Beef, Sweet Peppers and Mushroom Kabobs are simple but big on flavor, and for a more adventurous option, try Citrus-Marinated Beef Top Sirloin & Fruit Kabobs. Grilling fruit caramelizes the natural sugars for a flavorful side dish or healthy dessert.

 

Head on over to BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com for more grilling favorites. I can’t get enough of my Grilled Steak and Asparagus Salad with Strawberries, which I’ll be serving up on the @alcattlemen Instagram story on Thursday, May 10. Join me for step-by-step instructions on this summery meal that’s full of flavor and nutrition!

 

This article was funded by Beef Farmers and Ranchers. Brought to you by the Alabama Beef Checkoff Program. 

By Jessica Ivey, RDN

 

Breakfast, lunch, dinner, breakfast, lunch, dinner…

 

It can be so easy to get stuck in a rut, eating the same foods over and over again. Incorporating ethnic cuisines can be a fun way to break out of the mealtime monotony and add news flavors to your family’s dinner table.

 

As our world has become more and more global, and diners have become increasingly adventurous, Americans are exposed to a plethora of ethnic cuisines. Mexican, Chinese and Italian foods hardly seem foreign anymore, while Indian, Thai and Korean are growing in popularity. Introducing your family to world cuisines can be a healthy way to eat and can make mealtime more fun. Try having a weekly theme, like Mediterranean Monday or Asian Friday. Or why not take a trip around the world, learning about a different country and their traditional foods each Saturday night?

 

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, healthy eating patterns can be adapted for all cultural, ethnic and personal preferences, opening the door to a world of flavors. No matter the cuisine, be sure to include a serving of lean protein paired with plenty of vegetables, fruits and whole grains for a balanced plate.

 

Try these healthy global dishes to add flavor and variety to your week:

• Mediterranean: Beef kofta are meatballs bursting with flavor thanks to the addition of onions, spices and/or herbs. Skewer the meatballs and grill along with skewers of peppers and onions. Serve the kofta and veggies on top of grilled pita bread with Tzatziki sauce, a yogurt and cucumber condiment, and fresh parsley. Try this Mediterranean Beef Meatball Kabob recipe for inspiration.
• Thai: With the characteristic balance of sweet, salty and spicy, this Thai Burger puts a fun new spin on the all-American tradition of grilling out. If you’re watching your calorie intake, try this Thai Beef and Cucumber Salad featuring a peanut butter beef marinade and cool cucumber salad.
• Korean: Bibimbap, which means “mixed rice,” can be a nutritionally-balanced dish, featuring rice topped with sautéed or steamed vegetables and sliced beef. Make this Bibimbap-Style Korean-Marinated Flank Steak for a lean and flavorful protein, and serve over whole grain brown rice with steamed broccoli, sautéed mushrooms or your other favorite vegetables.
• Peruvian: Peruvian Lomo Saltado is sure to be a crowd-pleaser, thanks to the addition of one of America’s favorite side dishes – French fries. That’s right – this traditional stir-fried dish features strips of lean beef, onions, tomatoes and French fries. Now that’s a fun Friday night dinner idea.
• Indian: With its exotic ingredients and aromatic spice mixes, Indian cuisine has many new tastes to entice American palates. This Beef Tikka with Pineapple Coconut Raita features well-seasoned beef topped with a sweet pineapple yogurt sauce. For a hands-off option, try this Indian Slow Cooker Shredded Beef made with a prepared Indian Tikka Masala sauce.

 

Head on over to BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com for more delicious recipes inspired by flavors from all around the world. For me, I can’t wait to try the Beef Tikka, which I will be serving up on the @alcattlemen Instagram story on Thursday, April 12. Join me for step-by-step instructions on this delicious, nutritious dish!

 

By Jessica Ivey, RDN

 

Raising cattle is a community effort! Did you know that beef cattle often change ownership up to our times during their lives? This process is in part guided by the cattle’s changing nutrition needs, and cattle producers along all points of the process are committed to raising cattle in a safe, humane and environmentally-sustainable way that results in a delicious and nutritious beef product. The difference between grass-finished and grain-fed beef begins during the life of the beef animal.

 

 

The beef lifecycle begins at a cow-calf operation where cattlemen care for a herd of cows that calve annually. Those calves then graze on grass and are nourished by their mother’s milk until they are weaned around six months of age. At weaning, a typical calf weighs anywhere between 450 and 700 pounds.

 

 

After weaning, many calves are sold at auction and move to stocker and backgrounder operations. The stockers and backgrounders are responsible for ensuring the calves receive a sound, veterinary-prescribed immunization protocol to maintain good health and are fed a high-energy, forage-based diet to maintain a high average daily gain in weight. Calves continue to graze on grass while receiving supplemental forages and grains, such as flaked corn, fermented corn stalks (or silage), soy hull pellets, distillers’ grains or cottonseed, as well as supplemental feed that may contain vitamins and minerals that help the calves grow and stay healthy.

 

 

Once the cattle reach a mature weight, they then head to to a cattle feeding operation, also known as a feedlot. At feedlots, the cattle are free to graze on a scientifically-balanced diet comprised of roughage grass, hay, grain (such as corn, wheat and soybean meal) and local renewable feed sources, like potato hulls or sugar beets. During their stay at the feedlot, cattle have plenty of room to roam and eat while receiving watchful care from veterinarians and nutritionists until the time that they reach market weight.

 

 

When it comes to grain-finished vs. grass-finished beef, the truth is all cattle spend a majority of their lives grazing on grass. Most beef is grain-finished and comes from a cattle that has spent time at a feedlot receiving a grain-based diet as described above. Grass-finished beef comes from cattle that spend their whole lives eating grasses or forages, although they may spend time at a feedlot eating a diet comprised only of grasses and other forages. Many claims have been made that grass-finished beef is more nutritious than grain-finished beef, but most experts agree that both provide high-quality nutrition. Grass-finished cattle tend to be leaner, but there are a number of additional variables that impact leanness, including breed, age, grade and cut. Thanks to enhancements in cattle breeding and feeding, as well as improved trimming practices, the number of beef cuts that qualify as “lean” has increased sixfold from 1989 to 2013. So whether you chose grain-finished or grass-finished beef, you can be sure that you are feeding your family a safe and nutritious high-quality protein food.

 

 

So why not cook up some lean beef for your family? Nothing is more delicious to me than a grilled tenderloin or sirloin steak, so this weekend, I’m going to let my husband cook the steaks while I prepare this delicious champagne pan sauce and risotto. Yum! 

 

By Jessica Ivey, RDN

 

With the New Year in full swing, many Americans have made resolutions, particularly ones focused on improved health. This year, make a resolution to eat more nutrient-rich lean beef to combine delicious flavor with the power of protein. Beef is a nutritional powerhouse, providing 10 essential nutrients your body needs to be fueled optimally. Notably, beef supplies more nutrition in a smaller package than other protein foods. Each three-ounce serving of cooked lean beef contains 25 grams of protein (that’s 50% of the Daily Value) packaged in  just around 150 calories. You would have to eat three cups of cooked quinoa to get that same amount of protein, and you’d take in 666 calories. Research shows that people who eat a higher-protein diet feel more satisfied, which may help prevent overeating, and that exercise is more effective when paired with a high-protein diet.

 

Concerned about heart health? The Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet (BOLD) Study, a checkoff-funded research effort, found that people who consumed lean beef daily as part of a heart-healthy diet saw a 10 percent decrease in their LDL, or “bad” cholesterol. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend adults consume about 5.5 ounces of protein foods each day, and beef can be incorporated at any meal to help meet the recommended intake. In addition to protein, beef’s nutrient package includes iron, zinc, and vitamins B12 and B6, which play a role in immune and brain function.

 

Lean beef gives you fewer calories to help with weight control. Lean beef choices have less than 10 grams total fat, 4.5 grams saturated fat and 95 milligrams of cholesterol per three-ounce cooked serving. There are many lean beef choices available, and thanks to advancements in breeding technology, nutrition programs and trimming practices, more than 60 percent of the whole muscle beef cuts available in grocery stores today meet the criteria for lean when trimmed of visible fat. As a rule of thumb, go for cuts with the words “round” or “loin” in the name. Some common choices include SsirloinSteak, Tenderloin Steak, Strip Steak (or New York Strip), Top Sirloin Roast, and 95% ean Ground Beef.

 

While pursuing your New Year resolutions, be sure to enjoy lean beef as part of your new low-calorie, heart-healthy diet. Visit BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com to find thousands of delicious recipes that are sure drive your weightloss goals without sacrificing fullness or flavor.

 

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By Jessica Ivey, RDN

 

 

Between work and school, extra-curricular activities, and of course, football season, fall is a busy time for most of us Alabamians, but a full schedule doesn’t have to mean fewer home-cooked meals. A slow cooker is one of my favorite secrets for preparing hot, homemade meals ready when we are. Check out my tips for making the most of this versatile kitchen tool.

• Choose the right cut. Lean cuts of beef, like bottom round roast and shoulder pot roast, become tender when cooked low and slow in a small amount of liquid. Convenient beef stew meat is another good option that can be an economical choice.
• Get rid of excess fat. Before putting your roast into the slow cooker, be sure to trim away the excess fat. For recipes calling for ground beef, brown the beef in a skillet before adding to the slow cooker using a slotted spoon to drain away the fat. This will result in a lower-fat and more appealing final product.
• Include vegetables, beans, and/or whole grains. For a well-balanced complete meal, be sure to add a serving of vegetables to your slow cooker. Heartier vegetables, like potatoes and sweet potatoes, onions, carrots, bell peppers and kale, can be added at the beginning of the cooking time. Add more tender vegetables, like squash, zucchini, and fresh spinach, during the last 30 minutes of cooking to ensure a crisp-tender result. Fiber-rich whole grains and beans are an easy addition to round out a meal and provide additional nutrients.
• Prep ingredients in advance. Cutting meat and chopping vegetables in advance can help set you up for faster meals on especially busy days. Place prepared ingredients in large zip-top plastic bags or air-tight containers, and store in the refrigerator up to three days. If you have a slow cooker with a removable insert, you can even assemble the recipe in the insert and refrigerate the whole thing overnight; in the morning all you have to do is slip the insert into the base and turn it on.
• Reinvent leftovers. Instead of serving the same recipe twice, turn last night’s leftovers into a fun new dish. For example, make this After Work Beef Pot Roast Dinner early in the week, and later stuff the remaining meat and vegetables into a loaf of French bread cut in half lengthwise. Top with slices of provolone or mozzarella cheese and bake until the sandwiches are hot and the cheese is melted.

What’s your favorite beefy slow cooker meal? Let us know in the comments or post a picture of your Crocktober creation on Facebook or Instagram. Be sure to tag @alcattlemen.