Church banquet for seventy audio cooking class [5:39m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Listen now as Chef Sara shares her ideas and tips on preparing pork, chicken, and vegetable side dishes for a large crowd. In this case, Barbara from Bloomington’s is catering a church banquet. Although Sara offers her dish ideas, we encourage party-throwers to call ChefsLine to discuss menu planning with one of our expert chefs. Our team offers not only great dish ideas, but also can work with you to develop a menu, address issues about timing, and create a preparation schedule for any ocassion, large and small.

 

 Roast Beef Audio Cooking Class [1:11m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Rose in Tempe wants to make a traditional Sunday roast beef, but doesn’t want to use a rib roast. Given the price of what’s often called “prime rib” that’s understandable.

Rose, no other cut of beef will be as tender and juicy as a rib roast — that’s why it’s so expensive, but with a little care and some patience you can produce good results with a top round, rump roast, or even eye of round (the prettiest). The key is slow roasting it and not cooking it past medium rare.

Ingredients:

• 1 3 - 4 lb roast
• salt and ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/3 cup red wine
• 1 cup low sodium beef broth

Method:

Heat the oven to 250F. Generously season the roast with salt and pepper.

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven then sear the roast on all sides until brown — about 4 minutes per side. Place the pot in the oven and cook until a meat thermometer or instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the roast registers 125F for rare or 130F for medium rare. Your roast’s temperature will rise to the noted final temperature of 135 for medium rare. This will take an hour to an hour and half, depending on your oven and the size and shape of the roast.

Remove from oven, place roast on a carving board, and tent with foil. Allow to rest 20 minutes.

In the meantime, return to pot to the stove over medium-high heat. Add the wine and scrape up the browned bits. Add the beef broth and reduce liquid by half.

Cut the roast into thin slices, then pour the meat juices into the pan juices.

Notes: To slice as thinly as possible, here are some tricks. One, use a carving knife - narrow, long blade with a non-serrated edge. Alternatively, electric carving knives have found a home with a roast beef. Dig it out from the cellar! Resting has given your roast all it needs to be “primed” for slicing. Your goal: a 1/4 inch slice. Use your hand to secure the roast. Cut across the roast width-wise (the blade forming a “T”). Saw gently back and forth.

~Chefs Kevin and Erika

 

 Brisket by Dinner Time [2:02m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Listen now to Chef Kevin’s advice on getting the brisket done for dinner in time. Don’t worry Amy, dinner’s going to be wonderful. Happy Holiday!

 

 Ham Glaze 101 Audio Cooking Class [3:12m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This season, we can’t think of anything more beautiful than a shiny crusted ham. If you want to know what it takes to create a perfectly delicious, perfectly you, glaze for your Easter ham, listen now to Chef Andrew Selz who responds to Jackie’s request from Boston.

Chef Andrew’s Favorite Ham Glaze

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups brown stock, or beef broth
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 cup bourbon whisky
1 cup brown sugar
6 each bruised (slightly crushed then peeled) garlic cloves
1/4 cup lime juice, fresh
2 Tbsp chili powder

Method
Add all the ingredients together and simmer for 30-40 minutes on medium heat. Remove from the heat and lastly add the lime juice. Spread on the ham half way through the roasting time (follow roasting instructions for ham). Continue to baste for the remaining roasting time. Optional: When the ham is finished you can fold into the glaze drippings, a little whole butter to create a smooth sauce. It is my advice you strain the final sauce through a fine sieve.

 

 Leg of Lamb Audio Cooking Class [1:42m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

A roast leg of lamb is the perfect special occasion meal for spring. Listen now as Chef Erika describes how to select a quality cut, trim, and roast with a simple mustard marinade.

Here are some lamb recipes from our chefs.

Recipe: Mustard Marinated Leg of Lamb
Recipe: Red Wine Braised Lamb Shanks with Pomegranate
Recipe: Sautéed Lamb Chops with Herb Butter

 

 Baked Pork Chops Audio Cooking Class [2:44m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Lisa in Hanford wants to bake pork chops and is looking for some expert advice. What follows is Chef Kevin Week’s baked pork chop recipe (Italian Pork Al Latte) and his chef-fly preparation tips. Listen now!

 

 Winter Squash Tips Audio Cooking Class [2:41m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Stephanie in Indianapolis is interested in trying butternut and/or acorn squash, but worries that they are too much like sweet potatoes. Listen to Chef Adam talk about both kinds of squash, including basic prep procedures. Soon we’ll necessarily need to focus on summer squash, so now is an ideal time to enjoy winter squash while they are still at their peak produce season.

Here are three great chef recipes for butternut squash:

Chef Melanie Underwood’s Butternut Squash Risotto
Chef Kevin’s Squash Soup with Maple Syrup and Horseradish
Chef Barb Freda’s White Lasagna with Gorgonzola and Butternut Squash

 

 Corned Beef 101 Audio Cooking Class [1:11m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Chef Erika, half Irish and our resident “meat maven” describes her favorite way to prepare corned beef.