Derivatives

This jar of beef fat was featured in the post about the five pound chub of ground beef found on sale and made into a large batch of meatballs.  I've used this grease to tenderize meat in the sous vide, the latest cut being a large marked down hunk of Top Round.  I'd prepared it low and slow for almost 30 hours, and we enjoyed one dinner with slices of meat, baked yellow potatoes and roasted brussell sprouts.  The beef was cooked with the intention of having tender meat for either a pie or stew.

The fat was an awesome base to start a roux with.  It's got a high smoke point and tons of flavor.  All I needed to do was mix in the flour and let it get to the right color and consistency for a base.

Yes, it's fat, which some people think is unhealthy.  I beg to differ in that it is 100% natural.  Also, it added flavor to all of the fresh veggies that went into the dish.  The bell pepper, corn, carrots, celery, onion, mushrooms and peas picked up a lot of flavor when tossed into this dark base.

I added beef stock to this mixture and let it simmer low and slow on the stove for most of the afternoon.  Although it was destined for the oven, the additional simmer time was given to enhance the flavors and tenderize the beef even more.  A handful of fresh garden herbs added to the savory yum.

The yellow potatoes from the night before would not hold up in stew. No worries!  I thickened the mixture with a bit of corn starch and topped the dish with mashed potatoes.  I left the skin on the potatoes, then added some sour cream and butter.  This was baked for 45 minutes at 375 degrees.

This dish was enough for dinner and lunch for the both of us the next day.  We feel no guilt for eating a dish that started out with a couple of tablespoons of beef fat.  That's cooking the old-fashion, frugal, and healthy way.