Pulled Beef

Pulled Beef 

A wonderful recipe to take on a picnic, enjoy an outdoor backyard party or even cook in your bbq smoker. I have prepared this in an oven. While it is hard to reheat, it is best to pull it apart immediately while warm and moist. It can be enjoyed at room temperature with coleslaw, tandoori fries, and fresh corn on the cob. Using other meats is an option.

The piece of meat; cooked to perfection is soft, moist and delicious. Simply ''pull'' it with a fork while it is warm. 

Marinate overnight
2 kg/ 4.4 lb piece of boneless meat rubbed with one teaspoon of salt

Marinade

1 1/2 cup bbq sauce

1 tbsp hot paprika

1 tsp fresly grated garlic

1 tsp freshly grated ginger

6 juniper berries crushed

1 tsp coffee granules

1 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 cup beer

Place the meat in a baking dish and cover it with foil, tightly sealing it to ensure it will not allow the steam built during cooking to escape.

Cook in an oven at 170 C | 350 F for 30 minutes, reducing the heat to 120 C | 250 F for about 2 hours.

Turn the oven off, allow it to stand as is for another 20 minutes, and then carefully remove the cover. Put the piece of meat into a deep serving dish. With the help of a fork, ''pull it apart''. Now add as much of the gravy as needed, avoiding the "grease" as best as you can.

Serve the extra in a bowl on the side to spoon over.

Tips

The marinated meat should be brought to room temperature before you start to cook.

It is best to have a preheated oven to start off the cooking. Once the heat is built up, we reduce the heat to allow it to "slow cook," which is the best way to cook this meat.

While the piece of pork used for this is called a "näcken",  pork neck or pork shoulder. The cut of beef is called a "flat bottom".

Use a boneless piece of meat that has a bit of fat to keep the moisture through the long process. A cheaper cut of meat serves well for this recipe.

 

Use your favourite barbecue sauce as it is the 'base' of your marinade. The simpler the BBQ sauce you pick, the better it allows for the other ingredients to share its flavours.

 

If you prefer not to use beer, use sparkling water like perrier, tonic or even ginger ale. It will do the job well.

My published cookbooks are available for sale through myself and on Amazon.

The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is a 3 award winning book. It has been self published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022. 

The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through amazon book depot book depository and from the publishers.

Seekh Kebab

Seekh Kebabs

Seekh kebabs are indigenous to Pakistan's northern half, extending into northern India as well. Originally, the meat was ground on a stone with another stone, much like the mortar and pestle or a masala no pathar (spice-stone), until it was completely macerated to a fine pulp, using water, ghee or butter, milk or cream to help it along, so the final product is soft. Once cooked, it should almost melt in the mouth, in spite of it being a meat dish.

 

Besides the method of preparing the meat, the result is just as dependent on the cooking method. Tandoors and open fires are the best options. While the aromas of the coal enhance the taste, the high temperature and quick cooking time help caramelise the outside of the kebabs to perfection.

 

The metal skewer itself emits enough heat within the kebab to cook the meat while keeping it soft and pinkish. The blazing heat from the outside is meant to crisp and caramelise just the outer kebab, forming almost a "skin" to keep the kebab together. The true art of a good seekh kebab is how well one manages to skewer it on the seekh; the thinner you can keep the kebab, the faster it will cook, and the softer and moister the end result.

 

There are plenty of types of kebabs that can be described as the old traditional food of the Persians, Indians, Pakistanis, Afghanis, Turks, and the Middle East regions of the world. The kebab, commonly prepared and mainly considered a timeless street food, continues to be just as popular to date. From food trucks to cafes, fine dining and hotel restaurants, everyone seems to have it on their menu. The choice of herbs and spices as well as the shape and size mainly define the 'type' of kebab it is. Kebabs can be made up of any kind of meat; chicken, vegetables, and even paneer or cottage cheese. While the meat kebab can be either minced or cut into pieces as a whole, the vegetable and paneer kebabs are generally cubed and threaded on skewers.

One can only imagine the magical flavour of an outdoor bbq pit fueled with wonderful charcoal.
 Simply delectable.

Makes 50 kebabs

In a food processor blend until smooth

2 large onions

2 1/2 tsp salt

1 packed cup fresh coriander leaves

10 leaves of fresh mint 

Now add until a smooth pulp

1 generous tsp of garam masala

6 green chillies

1/2 tsp turmeric

2 1/2 tsp red chilli powder

2 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp tamarind paste

1 tsp jaggery

1 tbsp ghee or clarified butter

3 tbsp cream

8 tbsp bread crumbs

2 eggs

2 generous tsp garlic paste

2 tsp ginger paste

2 kg /4.4 lb minced ground meat

This particular kebab is named after the tool used for their preparation—the skewer or "seekh". 

Transfer to a working bowl and chill for a few hours, or until chilled.

Mix it well and divide it into 50 equal parts. Wet your hands and skewer it up.

Taking a wooden spoon with a rounded drum stick like handle, working around the'stick' can be your skewer. Preparing this one at a time, remove the kebab from the spoon onto the tray lined with parchment. Keep it chilled until ready to cook.

 

 

To start off, make your griddle or skillet screaming hot. Add a spoon of canola oil or ghee. Place each kebab carefully, ensuring they are not touching the next one. Cook it over a high heat. Turn it after a minute, being very gentle. It will cook very quickly. Cover and reduce heat once both sides are nicely browned. Cook for another 3 minutes. Eat it with warm naan, a fresh salad made up of sliced onions, tomatoes, and a date and tamarind chutney, green coconut chutney, and a squeeze of lemon. Do not overcook them as they will get harder by the minute.

Tips

The length of the kebab can vary, this recipe is for fifty of about 18cm/ 7-inch long.

Chill the kebab mixture before trying to skewer it. This helps it stick easier. 

Keep it as thin as possible; the thinner they are, the faster they will cook, leaving the meat moist and deliciously soft-'moo-ly-em' is the word which describes it best!

If you have skewers, you can leave the kebabs on to chill and use them later on a grill or bbq.

Use the fresh coriander with the young, soft stalks which are flavourful.

Using medium to lean mince generally is the best. However, using completely lean mince can make the kebabs dry, especially if you use them in a hot tandoor or barbecue grill.

The end result: caramelised from the outside and creamy-soft from the inside.

My published cookbooks are available for sale through myself and on Amazon.

The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is a 3 award winning book. It has been self published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022. 

The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through amazon book depot book depository and from the publishers.

Photograph courtesy  Yashaan Mavalvala and Jehangir Khan

Readers Comments

Khursheed Olpadwala‎Parsis Exchange Recipes (PER)

April 22 

Seekh kebabs ready for girls night tonight👠👠🎉Thank you Niloufer Mavalvala for the recipe....😙

Only change was I baked them in the oven at 425 F Chaalo time to party☺☺

Beef Wellington

 Boeuf en croute or Beef wellington; a piece of tenderloin covered with pate, mushrooms and wrapped in a puff pastry, baked to perfection until a golden brown.

The French call it fillet de boeuf en croute, while the English have named this very French dish Beef Wellington; Legend has it that the Duke of Wellington had once proclaimed this to be his favourite French Meal, hence after the English won the Battle of Waterloo it was decided to label the dish after him!

Either way it is a delicious way of enjoying a good steak. The addition of strips of bacon is a further option. However it tastes just as superb without it.

A beef fillet cooked to perfection

Can serve 2 generously

It is essential to slice thickly to avoid it crumbling

4 to 6 servings
The picture above is off a smaller beef wellington than in the recipe below.

Beef wrapped in puff pastry

1 kg/2.2lb Beef

250gm/1/4lb Pate, at room temperature

250gm/1/4lb finely diced mushrooms; duxelle

1 tbsp Mustard

Salt  and pepper; freshly cracked.

A sheet of puff pastry; approximately 13x9 inches/ 33x22 cm

Egg wash
Lightly beat an egg and add 2 tbsp some cold water.

Pat dry the piece of beef. Lightly season with mustard, salt and pepper. Leave aside.

Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out the sheet of puff pastry on it.
Apply the pate` all over the meat, roll it in the mushroom duxelle and place it on the puff pastry. Fold starting with the shorter sides, and bring the bottom side up, cover with top side to make it into an envelope. press it very lightly across the seam. Turn it over so the seam is down side. 
Brush all over with an egg wash.

Bake in a preheated oven of 410F/200C for 40 minutes. Let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing it. 
Serve it with a peppercorn sauce if you prefer.

Tips

For avoiding a soggy bottom you can take the following extra steps.

1. Keep the puff pastry chilled, work quickly to avoid it getting warm.

2.  Begin with brushing the pastry with a beaten egg white - so this is technically on the inside of the beef wellington. Do not go right up to the edges.

3. Keep a cookie sheet which has holes in it - like a pizza tray or place it on a rack on top of the cookie sheet. 

This circulates the air to the bottom of the beef wellington.

 More Tips

The piece of beef should be like a roll. The best piece is from the center part of a tenderloin
(undercut). 
Prepare this while the meat is cold. It helps to retain the shape better. 
The pate is best at room temperature for easy application.

if using duxelle keep it chilled. 


For more delicious recipes click
Niloufer's Kitchen: French Bistro from read.amazon.com

Peppercorn Sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp salted butter
1 finely grated fresh clove of garlic ;optional
2 tbsp mixed french peppercorns; these are softer and come mixed in pinks, reds, grey and black
2 finely chopped shallots
4 cups of meat broth, boiled  and reduced to 2 cups
1/2 cup brandy or rum
1 1/2 cups cream at room temperature

Salt to taste

In a pan heat the oil and butter. Saute the shallots until soft. Drop in the peppercorns. Add the broth and allow it to simmer until reduced by half. Add the brandy or rum. Remove from the heat and add the cream stirring constantly.
Return to a very gentle heat to warm the sauce.

Tips
Gently heat the cream before adding it to the sauce
The brandy will make it sharp while the rum will give it a sweeter taste. Pick your preference accordingly.
If you like a smoother sauce ensure the shallots are very finely chopped.