Ground beef, it’s the most popular “cut” of beef around and for good reason – it’s versatile, economical, and provides a nutrient dense package (including zinc, iron and protein) to fuel active lifestyle.
What would you do if you WON 30 pounds of delicious grass-fed, ground beef? I’d be jumping up and down with excitement and drooling with anticipation! Just imagine the convenience to have a freezer loaded with 30 one-pound sleeves of quality grass-fed ground beef, ready to thaw and make a favorite meal. Wink, wink – I’m sharing three ground beef recipes later in this post.
But, first, ENTER TODAY to win just what I described – 30 (THIRTY!!) one-pound sleeves of ground beef delivered on dry ice to your home. The beef is grass-fed and finished, has no added hormones or steroids, no drugs or antibiotics and is USDA-inspected. Giveaway limited to USA, contiguous 48 states.
My giveaway sponsors, Tyler and Taylor (along with their two young sons) of Reil Ranch in South Dakota, are devoted to humanely raising the best grass-fed and grass-finished beef and connecting people to their food source – and I’m all about that connection! That’s why like to get my ground beef straight from the source, and feeling that close connection in supporting America’s ranchers.
So, now that you’ve entered the ground beef giveaway, check out the three of my favorite ground beef recipes I’ve made dozens and dozens of times. I raised up three strapping young men on these healthy beef recipes (plus a husband, lol), not to mention fueled my own running and workout adventures. I’m confident your family will love these easy ground beef meals much as mine still do.
Beef Mushroom Quinoa Chili gets a five-star rating, even from my carnivorous sons and husband. With such a hearty, meaty taste, you’d never expect that more than half of the chili is plant-based, coming from finely chopped mushrooms and quinoa that have a similar texture to ground beef. It’s delicious, has extra nutrients like fiber, and also is mindful of your pocket book, helping to stretch your use of beef in recipes.
This “hybrid” chili recipe with beef, quinoa and mushrooms is being featured in the upcoming cookbook Seriously Good Chili by Brian Baumgartner (aka Kevin from “The Office”) which publishes in September 2022. You can pre order now.
Beef and Egg Barn-raiser Bake is a breakfast casserole that has been VERY popular on my blog for years. It’s also been featured in Taste of Home cookbooks, Beef Loving Texans, and also with me on the Home & Family Show on the Hallmark Channel. If you’re wondering why it’s called “Barn-raiser,” it is referencing the tradition of a community cooperating together to build a barn or another structure. For that, you need nutritious fuel that tastes great (to get helpers motivated) and enough to feed a crowd – this beef and egg breakfast casserole delivers!
Farm Fresh Meat Sauce was inspired by a veggie-loaded recipe by my friends at Beef Loving Texans. I’m all about more veggies with my beef. The sauce does need to simmer for about an hour, but the short wait is definitely work it. It’s delicious served on noodles, zoodles or grits – or as a sauce for baked pasta dishes like lasagna. I usually make a double-batch to freeze because I’ve discovered a few other amazing ways to use this ground beef and vegetable sauce – in an egg bake “shakshuka” style or with a little cream and extra broth to make a quick soup!
*This post is sponsored and contains affiliate links. Giveaway limited to the USA and ends 2/25/2022 at 11:59 CT.Winner will be contacted directly by Reil Ranch.
Let’s hear it for steak night in the middle of the week, whoot-whoot! My recipe for Air Fryer Montreal Steak Bites with Spicy Tomato Butter and Spinach-Quinoa is ready in 20 minutes or less, delivers tender and juicy morsels of beef, and will have any-old work or school night dinner feeling a little extra special.
Honestly, learning how to cook steak in an air fryer has been my best life hack lately. Typically, I only grill or pan sear /oven finish steaks and was feeling wary and anxious that air frying beef (especially cut up chunks of good steak) might yield an overdone, dried-out result. BUT NOT TRUE, these air fryer steak bites were succulent and mouthwatering through and through.
First you need to start with a tender cut of beef for best results in the Air Fryer. Tenderloin or filet mignon cut into chunks would be to-die-for, but more affordable cuts like flat iron, top sirloin or strip steak are still very tender, but cost a fraction of the price. I used Flat Iron steaks which rank second in tenderness among common beef cuts, deferring only to tenderloin. And the price difference is often $10 a pound less!
The simplicity of this beef air fryer recipe is what makes it a winner, it addition the incredible flavor. Bite-sized chunks of steak are drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with a purchased Montreal seasoning (an iconic spice blend of garlic, coriander, dill, black pepper, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper). Then it’s just a matter of pre-heating the air fryer to 400F degrees and then cooking steak for about 8 to 10 minutes, no flipping needed!
Please note that you do not want to overcrowd the air fryer pan, this will hamper circulation and the final result may not be as tasty. Place your choice of cut up tender steak like flat iron steaks in Air Fryer. Don’t pile up, place in a single later and give a little space between each steak bite. My Air Fryer comfortably holds about ½ pound of steak bites at a time – so I prepare in two batches, which is really no big deal because it will take about 15 minutes to cook the quinoa that I serve with this easy beef dinner. Currently, I’m using the Instant Pot® Duo Crisp which is an ahhhh-mazing kitchen appliance with 11 functions – air-frying, pressure cook, slow cooker, steamer, sauté pan, food warmer, sous vide, roaster, mini oven, broiler, and dehydrator. But, did you know that Instant Pot also makes stand-alone, serious-business air-fryers? Check out the Vortex air fryers (pictured above) that have all the latest, super-crispy technology!
I start my quinoa at the same time as the air-fryer – it usually takes about 15 minutes to make light and fluffy quinoa on the stove top (and even less just to defrost and reheat, if I’ve have quinoa meal prepped in the freezer). Once the quinoa is finished, simple stir in a cup or so of chopped fresh spinach while it’s hot – it will automatically wilt down.
Now, all that is left is making the spicy tomato butter – a 1 minute deal! Melt butter and stir in tomato pesto (already prepared spicy or sweeter sun-dried tomato with a little dried red pepper to taste).
To serve, place Montreal steak bites on bed of spinach quinoa and drizzle with the tomato butter! Or, to serve as a crowd-pleasing air fryer beef appetizer, simply skip the quinoa and set out the steak bites with spicy tomato butter along with toothpicks for dipping.
A nicely portioned, balanced and nourishing meal to fuel an active lifestyle with 367 calories, 18g fat, 16g net cart, and 29g protein for one-fourth of the recipe yield (but I may have eaten more, just sayin’ – lol)
Note: This post contains affiliate links. I earn a small commission from purchases made, but the price to you remains the same. Thank you for supporting The Fit Fork when you shop!
Air Fryer Montreal Steak Bites with Spicy Tomato Butter and Spinach-Quinoa
Cook Time
16mins
Total Time
20mins
Amazingly easy and delicious! Create quick air-fryer dinner with beef steak bites that turns out tender and just every time — served with spicy tomato butter sauce and spinach-quinoa toss!
Course:
dinner, dinner, entree
Keyword:
air fryer, beef, flat iron, sirloin, steak
Servings: 4servings
Calories: 367kcal
Ingredients
2/3 cupquinoa, rinsedto yield 2 cups cooked
1 1/3cupwater
1lb.beef flat iron steaksor top sirloin or other tender cut
2tsp.olive oil
2tsp.Montreal seasoning
1cupchopped fresh spinach
3tbspbutter
1tbsptomato pesto
1/4 tspdried red pepper flaker, or more to taste
Instructions
Bring water to boil, add quinoa. Reduce to simmer, add lid, cook for 15 minutes, or until all water absorbed. When done, stir in chopped spinach, set aside, keeping lid on pot to stay warm.
Meanwhile, after starting quinoa bring air fryer up to 400F heat.
Cut steaks into 1 ½” chunks, place in bowl, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Montreal seasoning. Stir until evenly coated.
Place steak bites into hot tray of Air Fryer, if your air fryer is small, don not overcrowd, simply prepare in two batches.
Air fry for 8 to 10 minutes and remove tray from heat.
While beef cooking, prepare spicy tomato butter by stirring pesto and red pepper flakes into melted butter.
Portion plates with spinach quinoa and beef bites, drizzle with spicy tomato butter.
Asian Filet Mignon with Gochujang Butter makes a delicious, decadent and yet, dare I say, fast-and-easy steak night dinner ready in just 20 minutes.
For this Gochujang steak, I’ve used grass-fed filet mignon fromGood Chop, a meat a seafood subscription service (keep reading on to get the recipe and get my Good Chop review).
Perfect for date night or every night, this Asian steak recipe starts with a simple wet rub of soy sauce, ginger and garlic that is then pan seared and finished in the oven. Preparing a filet mignon in the skillet and then oven finishing is one of my favorite methods, it creates such a delicious crust.
Beef tenderloin and filet mignon (the coveted steak cut from the tenderest tail end of the loin) are favorite cuts of mine because the texture is “melt in your mouth” tender, and this inherent tenderness means that there is no need for a texture-improving marinade that can often take hours. Ain’t nobody got time for that! Also, despite being so succulent, filet mignon is an incredible lean cut – the 100% grass-fed filets from Good Chop are generous-sized and have only 12g fat per 6-ounce serving with a whopping 36g protein.
Instead, filet mignon recipes, despite their elegance, are almost always simple and easy – only a light seasoning (even just salt and pepper) or a simple wet rub (like the one I used) can make a filet mignon steak recipe even MORE next level.
For even more flavor to complement the beef filets, I made a compound butter with Gochujang and lightly sweetened it with honey. Gochujang paste is fundamental to Korean cooking and is made from red chile pepper flakes, glutinous rice, fermented soybeans, and salt. The red past is spicy-sweet and bumps up the umami taste in beef recipes. After mixing up the ingredients, stick in the freezer to get the Gochujang compound butter to set up fast – then serve atop the hot filet mignon and watch it slowly melt into a sauce that will knock your socks off without being too spicy. I also love how the lightly sweet spicy compound butter also spreads over the veggies on my plate.
In addition to Korean steak, any leftover Gochujang butter can be added as a flavor-enhancer for simple steamed vegetables, spread on bread and toasted, dolloped on hot noodles or rice – you get the idea, it’s delicious!
So, let me give you my Good Chop, review! This subscription service brings you quality proteins exclusively from American family farms and fisheries. It’s a convenient and surprisingly cost-effective way to source my protein – I definitely appreciate not having to drive all over town to source top-quality meats and seafood. There are never any antibiotics or hormones in Good Chop products and premium options like USDA Prime beef and 100% grass-fed beef are also available.
Of course, being a beef-loving girl, I made a beeline for the filet mignon steaks! But, variety in protein choices is best for a balanced diet and the cool thing about a Good Chop subscription box is that it can also be customized to include other protein options (including pork, chicken and seafood) that are just as top-quality as the beef featured here today. Visit Good Chop today to learn more about their sourcing specifications and what beef, chicken, pork, and seafood options are available for your own custom meat subscription box.
Seriously, the convenience of having quality meat and seafood shipped to your house is unmatched – especially in this day and age where many of us are minimizing so much of our in-person shopping due to busy schedules and/or wanting to minimize contact. Boxes are delivered every four weeks, and you can pick a plan that is best for you – either 6 menu items (up to 36 portions) or 12 menu items (up to 72 portions) per delivery. Good Chop delivers pretty much everywhere in the lower 48 US states. They email you tracking links to alert you when delivery is expected, so you don’t have to worry about it sitting out on your porch all day. That being said, my meat subscription box was delivered in 100-degree temperatures, sat on my porch for two hours, and upon opening the dry ice had kept everything frozen solid, no signs of thawing at all. Of course, they have a money-back, satisfaction-guaranteed policy and you can cancel at any time. Also, love the mindful shipping materials – it’s all fully curbside recyclable, even the insulated liners made from plant-based components.
Disclaimer: This post is sponsored byGood Chopand contains affiliate links, however all comments, opinions and enthusiasm remain my own. I earn a small commission from referred subscriptions, but the price to you remains the same. Proceeds are used to offset operating costs for The Fit Fork, thank you for your support.
2beef filet mignon steakscut 1-3/4 to 2 inches thick (about 12 to 14-ounces total)
1tablespoonreduced-sodium soy saucedivided
1teaspoonminced gingerdivided
1teaspoonminced garlic
1 to 2tablespoonsolive oil
For Gochujang compound butter:
1/2stick2-ounces butter, room temperature
1tablespoonsgochujang pastefind on Asian condiment aisle
1teaspoonminced garlic
1teaspoonsesame oil
1teaspoonfresh lemon juice
1teaspoonhoney
1/4teaspoonground black pepper
Parchment or wax paper for storingoptional
Instructions
Ahead of time or at the start of preparing steaks, make Gochujang compound butter by simply mixing together softened butter, Gochujang past, garlic, sesame oil, lemon juice honey and black pepper until combined. May leave in bowl or wrap up in Parchment paper, twisting off ends. Stick in freezer while steaks cook to firm up.
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Brush beef filets with soy sauce. Press minced ginger and garlic evenly onto beef, set aside.
Heat ovenproof skillet (preferably cast iron) to medium-high on stove top until very hot, add olive oil.
Place filets in skillet and sear for approximately two minutes per side, until a caramelized crust has formed and they release from the skillet without sticking.
Place skillet into preheated oven.
Continue to cook in 400°F oven for approximately 10 to 15 more minutes (total time will vary based on thickness of steaks and desired level of doneness)* See recipe notes
Remove steaks from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
While steaks are still warm (but not hot, hot), top with a slice or smear of Gochujang butter. It will melt to make a decadent sauce.
Store remaining butter, covered, in refrigerator for up to a week. It’s great on rice, noodles, toast, and steamed vegetables.
Recipe Notes
Medium rare: 130-135° (remove from heat at 125° ) Medium: 135-145° (remove from heat at 130° ) Medium well: 145-155°. (remove from heat at 140° )
Note: The reason you take steaks off the heat BEFORE the desired finish temperature is because they will continue to cook (with temperature rising 7° on average) as they rest for 10 minutes before cutting.
This post is sponsored as part of a blogger recipe challenge hosted by Lucky Foods.
One bite of these delicious beef stuffed peppers and your taste buds will be immediately high-fiving the flavor receptors your gustatory cortex (that’s the part of your brain responsible for the perception of taste).
This recipe for Korean BBQ Beef-stuffed Peppers with Gochujang Butter Crumb Topping and Kimchi Mayo Drizzle definitely has some funky fusion flavor. It’s all inspired by Korean street food and some of my favorite Tex-Mex Southern cooking techniques – like stuffing peppers with stuff and putting buttery cracker crumb toppings on anything and everything.
I love stuffing and roasting peppers with beef and other delicious ingredients but I decided to think beyond Chile Rellenos. Putting delicious Korean BBQ in a Poblano pepper just seemed like a mouth-watering thing to do – my hunch was correct!
Caramelized onions and very thinly sliced sirloin steak* come together in a couple hot minutes in a skillet, and are married with a sauce with sweet-savory flavor and a pop of ginger. I used the convenient and very authentic Kalbi Sauce from Lucky foods.
In one of my Tex Mex pepper creations, I’d typically go overboard on cheese – but that didn’t seem like a match for this Asian stuffed pepper recipe. Instead, a light-bulb went off with “buttery crumb topping” lighting up in my mind.
Kinda like those rich and buttery crumb toppings made with classic crackers like Ritz or Club Crackers us Southerners like to put on near everything, from casseroles to fish to fruit desserts. Except, I made this a spicy cracker crumb topping using Gochujang paste (again from Lucky Foods) in the melted butter. These lightly spicy and umami-elevated buttery crumbs pile on top the beef mixture and hit the broiler to crisp up and turn golden buttery brown.
Finally, a drizzle of creamy Kimchi mayo from Lucky foods for the finishing touch along with some cool, fresh shaved green onion stalk, carrot and cilantro. Every bite of this Korean BBQ pepper so good, so many directions of texture and flavor.
Making this recipe inspired by Asian street food was so easy thanks to Lucky Foods. Lucky Foods is a proud purveyor of Asian heritage-inspired foods with clean ingredients. The family behind this family-run business immigrated to the US in the 70s, started with a single restaurant, then a popular spring roll product, and now has expanded to include a variety of wholesome products. These Asian condiments include the Korean and fusion sauces I used in this recipe (under the Seoul label) using fresh ingredients and aromatic spices – you will never find MSG, GMOS, or added colors and/or preservations in any products from Lucky Foods.
Learn more about Lucky Foods products, where to purchase them, and more recipe ideas at LuckyFood.com or on Facebook and Instagram
For a more interactive demo of the recipe, please visit my Idea Pin on Pinterest.
Korean BBQ Beef-stuffed Peppers with Gochujang Butter Crumb Topping and Kimchi Mayo Drizzle
Prep Time
10mins
Cook Time
30mins
Total Time
40mins
Inspired by Asian street food, this dish of Korean BBQ beef stuffed peppers is bursting with insane spicy, sweet flavor and a unique crunchy crumb topping with a hint of heat!
Course:
Appetizer, dinner
Cuisine:
Asian, fusion, korean
Keyword:
beef, kalbi, poblano, stuffed pepper
Servings: 4
Ingredients
2poblano peppershalved, ribs and seeds removed
1cupfinely sliced/chopped white onion
1tbsp.sesame oil
1teaspooncoconut sugaror brown sugar
1/2lb.sirloin steakvery, very thinly sliced (or equivalent “steak-umm” type product)
1/3cupKalbi sauceI used Lucky Foods brand
1tbsp.butter
1tsp.Gochujang pasteI used Lucky Foods brand
10+ buttery crackers like Ritz or Club crackerscrushed to make about ½ cup crumbs
¼cupKimchi MayoI used Lucky Foods brand
Garnish as desired: shaved green onion stalkscarrots, cilantro, etc.
Instructions
Heat oven to 350F degrees. Place prepped peppers in a baking dish, cut side ups. Roast in oven for approximately 20 minutes or until softening and lightly browning on edges.
Meanwhile, add chopped onion to skilled with oil and stir constantly over medium heat until turning a dark golden brown. Stir in coconut sugar and cook for an additional minute, taking care not to burn. Transfer to plate.
Stir fry beef quickly over medium-high heat, for just two to three minutes until just barely cooked through. Add onions back in and cook, stirring, for another minute. Stir in Kalbi sauce.
Stuff beef mixture into roasted peppers.
Melt butter in small skillet, stir in Gochujang paste until combined. Stir in cracker crumbs.
Pile buttered cracker crumbs over top of beef mixture in peppers. Stick under broiler on High for about 2 minutes, or until browning and getting crunchy on top.
Remove and drizzle with Kimchi mayo and garnish with desired ingredients such as shaved green onion stalks, carrots, cilantro, etc.
Recipe Notes
Note: Instead of slicing sirloin, I used an equivalent amount frozen sirloin patties (pre-sliced and formed) found in the freezer meat section.
Whether it’s a laid-back family dinner, a snack for football watching, potluck party offering, this easy recipe for Pull-Apart Italian Cheesy, Beefy Party Bread will make you the most popular person around.
Just imagine one giant sough dough round cut-up “Blooming Onion” style, drizzled with garlic and herb butter, stuffed with loads of ground beef and cheese, baked up until ooey-gooey – spicy sauce for dunking on the side. Wait, don’t imagine it – make this easy beef appetizer tonight!
If you’re wondering how to make sourdough party bread, it’s simple! Start with a big round loaf of artisan style sour dough bread with a nice hearty crust. Whether you make your own bread or prefer the convenience of bakery prepared, either work beautifully!
The key to making pull-apart pieces is the slice crosswise and lengthwise WITHOUT cutting all the way to the bottom crust. This allows for the long cubes to be pulled out later and dunked in sauce – no forks really required.
After cutting the loaf for pull apart party bread, the inside crevices are drizzled with herbed butter and then stuffed with ground beef and shredded cheese – then baked until ooey-gooey deliciousness. Serve with warmed marinara sauce for dipping!
There is no macro nutrient or calorie running of this recipe, it is made just to be enjoyed and we often doing on family pizza night for a change!
Whether served as a snack for a party or casual alternative to family pizza night, this cheese and beef stuffed sourdough loaf is always a winner!
Course:
Appetizer, party, Snack
Cuisine:
Italian
Keyword:
beef, blue cheese, finger food, super bowl
Servings: 8
Ingredients
1large sourdough bread round
1stick Buttermelted
2tsp.minced garlic
1tsp.Italian seasoning
12oz.ground beef
½tsp.salt
½tsp.red pepper flakes
8oz.shredded cheese of choice
1tablespoonfinely chopped fresh herbs like parsley or basil for sprinkling on top
Optional: 1 cup warmed marinara sauce
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375F degrees.
In skillet, brown ground beef over medium-heat until cooked through – drain off any excess grease. Season with salt and red pepper. Set aside.
Place soughdough load on baking pan and a sheet of foil Use serrated knife to slice ALMOST to the bottom of sourdough round in 1/2” slices. Don’t slice all the way down, leave about ¼” inch at the bottom so that loaf stays intact. Next, make ½” slices going in the other direction to create a grid of long bread sticks that can be pulled out later.
Melt butter in small microwave-safe dish for approximately 20 – 30 seconds, stir in garlic and Italian seasoning. Using a small spoon drizzle garlic butter down into the crevices of bread.
Next fill the crevices with ground beef and cheese, pushing down as needed.
Pull foil up around bread, topping loosely with more foil if needed. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until heated through and cheese bubbling.
Sprinkle with fresh herbs and serve with warmed sauce.