Bourbon-Glazed Ham with Peach Chutney
Smoky Ribs with Peach BBQ Sauce
Steak ’n Shake’s Chili Deluxe (bowl)
1,220 calories
74 g fat (39 g saturated, 1.5 g trans)
2,560 mg sodium
Price: $3.99
“Chili” is short for chili con carne—a Mexican stew anchored by chile peppers, beef, and onions. “Chili Deluxe” is short for beef con ab flab. Fattier cuts of meat may come at a higher cost to your health, but they also come with a lower price tag, which is why most restaurant chili is brimming with subpar beef. And Steak ’n Shake takes the fat frenzy one step further by topping its chili with a fistful of shredded cheese. Our suggestion for ensuring your bowl doesn’t house half a day’s calories: Keep your meat where you can see it—in your home fridge.
Eat This Instead!
Crockpot Chili (Check out our recipe!)
250 calories
8 g fat (2.5 g saturated)
500 mg sodium
Cost per serving: $1.80
Save! 970 calories and $2.19!
Cheesecake Factory’s Grilled Pork Chops
1,500 calories
N/A g fat (52 g saturated)
2,441 mg sodium
Price: $19.95
Don’t blame the pig. An 8-ounce center-cut chop—the same cut proudly touted on the Cheesecake Factory menu—contains just 440 calories. After all, this remarkable leanness is one of the many reasons we love pork so much. But no cut is safe in the hands of the restaurant industry, especially those of its most diabolical practitioner, the Cheesecake Factory. The chain keeps its sinful culinary secrets under lock and key, but we’re guessing this pork’s pitiful performance is owed to a frying pan full of oil and the Factory’s typical elephantine portions.
Eat This Instead!
Smothered Pork Chops (Check out our recipe!)
260 calories
15 g fat (6 g saturated)
720 mg sodium
Cost per serving: $2.49
Save! 1,240 calories and $17.46!
On The Border’s Big Steak Bordurrito (without side salad)
1,550 calories
77 g fat (25 g saturated)
3,210 mg sodium
Price: $10.99
A burrito by any other name would look as bleak. Call it what you will, but the Tex-Mex staple is just an excuse for chains to take as much meat, cheese, rice, and other high-cal fillers as possible, and wrap ’em up in a massive blanket of processed carbs. To take a bad thing and make it worse, On the Border decides to boil the whole burrito in oil. We like our burritos big but not bursting, saucy but not soaking, and lightly toasted, not deep-fried in fat. (That’s why we eat them at home, not at a dodgy chain!)
Eat This Instead!
Carne Asada Burritos (Check out our recipe!)
420 calories
20 g fat (6 g saturated)
660 mg sodium
Cost per serving: $3.37
Save! 1,130 calories and $7.62!
WORST STEAK
Romano’s Macaroni Grill’s Chianti BBQ Steak
1,920 calories
121 g fat (42 g saturated, 0.5 g trans)
3,130 mg sodium
Price: $21.00
Despite its association with decadence, steak is often the safest choice at your local restaurant—especially when opting for a lean cut like flank or sirloin. But the problem here isn’t the cut (Macaroni Grill uses sirloin cap); it’s the size of the steak (roughly as big as a catcher’s mitt), the smothering of sugary barbecue sauce, and the shameless sideshow of mac and cheese, bread, and creamy garlic dip. A potent reminder that no steak is as good—or as healthy—as the one you grill yourself.
Eat This Instead!
Steak with Red Wine Sauce (Check out our recipe!)
380 calories
18 g fat (6 g saturated)
410 mg sodium
Cost per serving: $3.92
Save! 1,540 calories and $17.08!
WORST RIBS
Chili’s Shiner Bock Ribs (full rack without fries)
1,930 calories
109 calories (43 g saturated)
5,120 mg sodium
Price: $16.99
Ribs are an inherently precarious pork option at any chain. First, they’re one of the fattiest cuts the pig has to offer. Second, restaurants make a habit of slathering their racks with sickeningly sweet sauces that contribute tons of superfluous calories. And finally, salt is often the seasoning of choice at big chains, a cheap move that, at Chili’s, results in a slab of meat with more than 2 days’ worth of sodium! But don’t fret: We’ve developed a two-step process that produces tender, succulent ribs for less than a quarter of the calories.
Eat This Instead!
Smoky Ribs with Peach BBQ Sauce (Check out our recipe!)
410 calories
31 g fat (11 g saturated)
460 mg sodium
Cost per serving: $2.76
Save! 1,520 calories and $14.23!
Life would be easier if there were one pan capable of handling all kitchen jobs. There isn't. But if there were, there's no question what metal would form the base of that pan: iron.
For much of history, iron was all anybody needed for cooking. Only in modern times have alternative materials like steel and anodized aluminum come into fashion. Those metals make good (not to mention extremely expensive) pans, but they don't touch the durability and heat distribution of iron. A well-cared-for cast-iron skillet can sear steaks for decades without showing any signs of fatigue.
And while Teflon relies on polytetrafluoroethylene to prevent sticking, cast iron does the same thing naturally, converting the oils from foods cooked in the skillet into a smooth nonstick patina. The metal retains seasoning between uses, meaning you can brown burgers and sauté vegetables with little or no oil at all and still get the caramelization we all crave.
Maintaining a well-seasoned skillet is what scares some people away from cast iron. Listen to the cast-iron evangelicals (yes, they exist), and you might think that cast iron will explode if it touches soap or water. Not so. It's perfectly acceptable to rinse it after each use, and a touch of soap is fine for removing sticky gunk. Just wipe it dry, stick it back in the cupboard, and you'll never have to replace it.
OUR PICK:
LODGE LOGIC 12-INCH SKILLET WITH ASSIST HANDLE
$36.95, Lodgemfg.com
Lodge has been cranking out cast-iron cookware for more than 200 years, and the company's Logic line comes with the seasoning already baked in place. If you'd rather find an antique from a secondhand store, go ahead. Just buff off any rust, rub it down with oil, and bake it in a 500°F oven for 30 minutes to set the nonstick patina.
Skillet
SUPERPOWERS
No cookware retains heat as well as cast iron, which makes it ideal for searing steaks and burgers, browning chicken breasts, and blackening catfish. The thinner the cut, the higher the heat needed to obtain a crust without drying out the meat: For fish, you want the heat on at full blast; for a thick steak, you'll want to maintain a medium flame.
Its heat-holding ability makes a cast-iron skillet the perfect stand-in for a wok. Heat a thin film of oil over high heat and cook minced garlic, ginger, and scallions for 30 seconds. Stir in your chopped vegetables and protein, stir-fry until the meat is cooked through, then splash in soy sauce and sriracha.
Bacon and sausage are the obvious breakfast candidates, but cast iron creates beautiful brown crusts on pancakes and French toast. And because a well-kept skillet develops a natural nonstick sheen, you can fry an egg with just a few drops of oil.
Meatballs are hardly the sole province of Italian grandmothers and their burbling vats of tomato gravy. In fact, few foods transcend geographic barriers as deliciously as the meatball does, and many of the world's food cultures have molded it to their culinary wills.
Here is a road map to meatball creation, along with a few tricks to help you nail the craft. Don't worry—when it comes to meatballs, even the experiments turn out pretty darn delicious.
Choosing a ground protein...
• Remove the skin and bones of tuna or salmon, and pulse in a food processor until the flesh is reduced to small, pebble-sized pieces.
Choosing your binder...
Meatball Magic
To make your masterpiece, combine the standard binder (eggs or bread crumbs) with any combination of protein and sidekicks, form into golf ball–size meatballs, and bake in a 400°F for about 20 minutes, until nicely browned on the outside and just cooked through. Simmer in the sauce for 15 minutes before serving, or serve as is with the sauce on the side.
• For extra-moist meatballs, tear a baguette or sliced bread into large crumbs and soak in milk for 10 minutes. Squeeze the milk out before adding to the mix.
Choosing fillers...
• For more bite, add raw onions and garlic, but make sure they're finely minced (or grated on a cheese grater). For a gentler effect, sauté in olive oil until soft before adding.
• TO MAKE THE TOMATO SAUCE: In a medium saucepan, combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ minced onion, 2 cloves minced garlic, and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Sauté until the onion is soft, then add one 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, breaking up the tomatoes with a fork. Simmer for about 15 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
• TO MAKE THE MANGO CHUTNEY: Simmer 2 cups chopped mango with ½ cup orange juice, ¼ cup minced red onion, 1 tablespoon minced jalapeño, and 2 cloves minced garlic for 20 minutes.
• TO MAKE THE MUSHROOM GRAVY: Sauté ½ pound sliced white or cremini mushrooms until browned. Stir in 2 tablespoons flour. Slowly pour in 2 cups broth, whisking to prevent lumps. Stir in ¼ cup heavy cream and simmer until the gravy has thickened.
• TO MAKE THE THAI PEANUT SAUCE: Combine 2 tablespoons each Thai red curry paste and peanut butter with 1 cup of coconut milk and the juice of a lime. Simmer for 5 minutes.
The true genius of the meatball is its infinite versatility. This chart only scratches the surface of the flavor potential. Follow the basic formula, but dig through the pantry to stretch the boundaries.
Garlic-Rosemary Roast Beef
Whatever happened to the days when the 6 p.m. dinner bell would ring and Mom would pull a beautifully browned roast from the oven? Well, plenty of things: microwaves, pizza delivery, the narrowing of the gender equality gap. Point is, we miss the roast, and there’s no reason moms (and dads, brothers, and boyfriends!) shouldn’t endeavor to make one every so often. It’s as simple as turning on the oven, putting in the seasoned beef, and pulling it out when it’s ready. This type of magic should be timeless.
No baking rack? No problem. Many recipes call for baking racks to allow the warm air to fully circulate around the meat, but you can simulate the effect very simply with no extra equipment. Position one oven rack in the middle of the oven and another immediately below it. Prep and season the meat, then place it directly on the middle rack. Place a rimmed baking sheet below to catch the juices as they fall from the meat. (Those precious juices can be turned into gravy with a bit of flour and broth!)
You’ll Need:
3 lb rump roast
8 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
2 Tbsp olive oil
½ Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
Salt and black pepper to taste
How to Make It:
• Remove the roast from the fridge at least 30 minutes before cooking.
• Preheat the oven to 250°F. Use a small paring knife to make incisions into the roast and gently insert garlic clove halves all over. Rub the roast with the olive oil and season all over with the rosemary and plenty of salt and pepper. Place on a rack on a baking sheet and place in the middle rack of the oven.
• Roast for 90 minutes. Turn up the heat to 475°F and roast for another 15 minutes, until the beef has developed a deep-brown crust and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 140°F.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
Per Serving:
$2.09
260 calories
16 g fat (5 g saturated)
380 mg sodium
Smothered Pork Chops
On a menu, the word “smothered” foretells a certain type of nutritional doom, one dominated by butter (or worse, margarine or cheap oil) and cream, saturated fat and excess calories. At home, though, one can do all the smothering she wants and still walk away from the table feeling good about dinner. That’s because in one’s own kitchen, the smothering is done with a mixture of chicken stock, low-fat buttermilk, and sharp mustard, which combine with the cooking juices of the pork to create a beautiful—and low-calorie—blanket for the chop. Serve with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Honey-Roasted Carrots for a perfect comfort feast.
You’ll Need:
4 thick center-cut pork chops (preferably bone-in), about 6 oz each
Salt and black pepper to taste
Pinch of cayenne
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
½ cup low-fat buttermilk
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
How to Make It:
• An hour before cooking, season the chops on both sides with salt, black pepper, and a bit of cayenne and return to the refrigerator. (You can skip this step, but it ensures a juicier, more fully seasoned chop.)
• Heat the butter in a large cast-iron skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Dust the chops lightly with flour, coating both sides and shaking off any excess flour. Cook the chops, turning once, for 4 minutes per side, until nicely browned but not cooked all the way through. Remove to the cutting board.
• Add the stock, buttermilk, and mustard to the pan and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, until the liquid is reduced by half. Return the chops to the pan and continue simmering for another 3 minutes or so, until they’re just cooked through.
• Serve the chops with the gravy poured over the tops and garnished with a bit of parsley if using.
Makes 4 servings
Per Serving:
$2.49
260 calories
15 g fat (6 g saturated)
720 mg sodium
Crockpot Chili
Chili is particularly well suited to the slow cooker, since it’s the type of dish that demands a long, slow simmer in order to seamlessly blend all the big flavors at play. And this chili has big flavors in spades: smoky chipotle pepper, hoppy IPA, and plenty of cumin and chili powder to tie the whole thing together. Chili and corn have a natural affinity for each other, so we like serving this with a wedge of cornbread or a stack of warm tortillas.
You’ll Need:
1 Tbsp canola oil
2 lb chuck roast or sirloin tip, cut into ¾" cubes
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 lb ground sirloin
1 large yellow onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup tomato paste
1 can or bottle (12 oz) IPA or stout
1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp chili powder (as good and freshly ground as you can get)
1 Tbsp chopped chipotle pepper
1 tsp cumin
2 bay leaves
Pinch of cinnamon (optional)
1 can (14 oz) pinto beans
Garnishes: chopped onion, chopped cilantro, sliced scallions, cubed avocado, pickled jalapeños, shredded Jack or Cheddar cheese
How to Make It:
• Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet or pan over medium-high heat. Season the cubes of chuck all over with salt and pepper. Working in batches, cook the chuck, turning occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, until nicely browned all over. Transfer to a slow cooker.
• In the same pan, cook the ground sirloin, onions, and garlic for about 10 minutes, until the sirloin is cooked through and the onions are soft. Stir in the tomato paste and beer, bring to a simmer, then pour it all over the beef in the slow cooker. Add the crushed tomatoes, broth, chili powder, chipotle, cumin, bay leaves, and cinnamon, if using. Set the slow cooker to high, cover, and cook for about 5 hours, until the chuck is fork-tender. Taste and season with more salt and black pepper if necessary. Stir in the pintos and cook until heated through. Discard the bay leaves and serve with your choice of garnishes.
Makes 10 servings
Per Serving:
$1.80
250 calories
8 g fat (2.5 g saturated)
500 mg sodium
Bourbon-Glazed Ham
with Peach Chutney
For most people, a baked ham is as rare a tabletop guest as a roast turkey—it’s the kind of dish you’re likely to see just once a year, around Christmastime. But unless you’re brining and smoking your own (why would you, when amazing ready-to-cook hams await you at most supermarkets across the country?), ham’s ease and overall awesomeness is tough to top. All you need to do is apply a glaze (in this case, a sweet-spicy mustard-bourbon sauce) and pop it in the oven for 45 minutes. And like that holiday turkey, the best thing about a baked ham is what’s waiting for you in the fridge the next day.
Both the meat and the bone, suffused with smoky intensity, contain incredible next-day potential. Here are a few of our favorites.
• Scrambled eggs with ham, scallion, and sharp Cheddar
• Ham, arugula, and peach marmalade sandwich
• Baby spinach salad with ham, dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, and goat cheese
• Split Pea Soup, the perfect follow-up to this dinner
You’ll Need:
½ cup apricot or peach marmalade
2 Tbsp bourbon
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
Black pepper to taste
1 (9-pound) bone-in smoked ham (such as Smithfield)
3 peaches, pitted, peeled, and chopped
½ small red onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, minced
1 cup orange juice
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
How to Make It:
• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Combine the marmalade, bourbon, mustard, and plenty of black pepper in a mixing bowl. Use a knife to score the skin side of the ham, cutting 1 inch down into the meat to create diamonds. Spread the glaze all over the ham, rubbing into the cracks created by the scoring. Place on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 45 minutes, until the glaze caramelizes and browns on the surface of the ham.
• While the ham cooks, make the chutney: Combine the peaches, onion, garlic, jalapeño, juice, and vinegar in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down just enough to maintain a bare simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes, until the fruit is soft and most of the liquid has evaporated.
• Slice the ham and serve with the chutney.
Makes 16 servings
Per Serving:
$1.97
350 calories
11 g fat (5 g saturated)
920 mg sodium
Classic Beef Stew
It’s the dead of winter. You’ve endured a long day of injustices at the office and you arrive home cold, wet, famished. But when you open the front door the smell hits you: beef and red wine and vegetables, slow-cooked into a state of deliciousness while you worked. Now that's comfort.
Gremolata
While classic beef stew comes with no splashy garnishes, intense meaty dishes like this one are best when finished with a fresh, contrasting note. Cue gremolata, a combination of garlic, parsley, and lemon used to garnish bold Italian dishes like osso buco. The combination also works perfectly on top of grilled steak, roast chicken, and even pasta. To make, combine 2 tablespoons minced garlic with ½ cup minced fresh parsley and 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest.
You’ll Need:
1 Tbsp canola oil
3 lb sirloin roast, brisket, or chuck, cut into 1" cubes
1 Tbsp flour
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 medium onions, chopped
1 cup dry red wine, such as Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 cups chicken broth
3 bay leaves
8 branches fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
6 medium red potatoes, cut into ½" pieces
3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
2 cups frozen pearl onions
1 cup frozen peas
Chopped fresh parsley or gremolata (optional; see note)
How to Make It:
• Heat ½ tablespoon of the oil in a large cast-iron skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Combine the beef and flour in a bowl, season with salt and pepper, and toss to lightly coat the beef. Working in two batches to avoid crowding the pan, sear the beef in the hot oil, turning occasionally, until nicely browned. Transfer to a slow cooker.
• Add the remaining oil to the skillet. Add the chopped onions and cook for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Stir in the wine and tomato paste, scraping the bottom of the pan to free up any browned bits. Pour the onion mixture over the beef, then add the broth, bay leaves, and thyme. Set the slow cooker to high, cover, and cook for about 4 hours (or on low for 8 hours), until the beef is fork-tender.
• An hour before serving, add the potatoes, carrots, and pearl onions. Five minutes before serving, add the peas. Discard the bay leaves and thyme branches and season with salt and black pepper. Serve garnished with parsley or gremolata if you like.
Makes 8 servings
Per Serving:
$2.56
410 calories
13 g fat (4 g saturated)
600 mg sodium
Smoky Ribs
with Peach BBQ Sauce
Pit masters can spend 10 hours feeding their smokers to sweat out a few racks of ribs. We admire the dedication, but when it comes to home cooking, there’s an easier way to make amazing ribs. It starts in the oven, where spice-rubbed ribs are slow-roasted until tender. From there they go to the grill for a concentrated blast of hickory smoke. Finish with a barbecue sauce spiked with bourbon and peach and you have ribs any barbecue baron could respect.
A full-blown smoker is out of the question for most people, but that doesn't mean you can't achieve the smoky effect with your current setup. A wood-chip box holds the chips directly above a gas or charcoal fire as the heat releases their aroma. Failing that, you can make a wood-chip packet with a large piece of aluminum foil—just be sure to poke holes in it so that the smoke can escape. In either case, soak the wood chips before adding to the fire; damp chips will smoke more than dry ones.
You’ll Need:
2 medium racks baby back ribs
½ Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp brown sugar
Salt and black pepper to taste
½ cup Classic Barbecue Sauce or favorite barbecue sauce
2 Tbsp bourbon (optional)
1 very ripe peach, peeled and pitted
2 cups hickory chips, soaked in water for 30 minutes
How to Make It:
• Preheat the oven to 300°F. Rub the top sides of the ribs with the chili powder and brown sugar and season with salt and black pepper. Place the racks on a baking sheet, cover with foil, and bake for 90 minutes, until the meat is tender but not falling completely off the bone.
• While the ribs cook, combine the barbecue sauce, bourbon (if using), and peach in a food processor or blender and puree.
• Preheat a grill over medium heat. Place the chips in a wood-chip box (or in a foil packet, see “Kitchen MacGyver,” right) and place the box below the grill grate, directly over the flame (if using charcoal, sprinkle the chips directly over the fire). Place the ribs on the grill, close the lid, and allow the meat to absorb the smoke for 15 to 20 minutes. Paint the ribs with a generous amount of the barbecue sauce. Close the lid and continue cooking for another 15 minutes, until the sauce caramelizes on the ribs.
• Remove the ribs and brush once more with the sauce before serving.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
Per Serving:
$2.76
410 calories
31 g fat (11 g saturated)
460 mg sodium
Shepherd’s Pie
Like so many of the world’s great comfort foods, shepherd’s pie was born of humble origins, invented as a way of using up old scraps of meat, with the vegetables and the potato topping used to stretch the dish into extra portions. This is meat-and-potato fare at its finest: a slow-simmered mixture of ground red meat and vegetables blanketed with a warm cover of mashed potatoes. The dish is traditionally made with lamb (you know, since shepherds look after sheep), but sirloin makes a leaner and perfectly tasty pie.
You’ll Need:
2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 Tbsp butter
¾ cup 2% milk
½ Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground sirloin or ground lamb
1 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 cup low-sodium beef stock
1 tsp Worcestershire
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup frozen peas
How to Make It:
• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan, cover with water, and season with a pinch of salt. Cook for about 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender all the way through. Press through a potato ricer (if you have one) or mash with a masher or a pair of forks. Stir in the butter and milk and season with salt and black pepper.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, until soft. Add the ground meat and cook for about 5 minutes, until no longer pink. Stir in the flour and tomato sauce and stir so that the ingredients are evenly coated. Add the stock, Worcestershire, and rosemary and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the peas and season with salt and black pepper.
• Pour the meat and vegetable mixture into a 13" x 9" baking dish and spread into an even layer. Top with the mashed potatoes. Bake for about 25 minutes, until the potatoes are nicely browned on the surface.
Makes 4 servings
Per Serving:
$2.76
380 calories
14 g fat (6 g saturated)
510 mg sodium
Steaks
with Red Wine Sauce
Beyond mere convenience, cooking a steak indoors offers a few huge benefits over outdoor grilling: It’s easier to control the temperature of the stovetop, which means it’s easier to create a crust on the outside and a rosy warm center within. Plus the pan captures those vital bits of browned meat and escaped juices, which form the base for a rich sauce to pour over the steak. It’s the kind of simple technique that makes you look like a pro in the kitchen.
Pan Sauce
Steak makes for the most classic pan sauce, but the technique can be used for other meats and fish as well. Follow the steps in the recipe (remove protein, add aromatics and liquid, scrape pan, reduce liquid, stir in cold butter) for any of these combinations:
• CHICKEN BREASTS OR THIGHS: garlic, sherry or port, chicken broth, rosemary
• PORK CHOPS: garlic, ginger, orange juice, soy sauce
• FIRM WHITE FISH: fresh thyme or parsley, white wine, lemon juice
You’ll Need:
½ Tbsp olive oil
2 (12 oz each) sirloin, skirt, or flank steaks
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 medium shallot, minced
1 cup red wine
1 cup beef broth
2 Tbsp cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves or 2 Tbsp chopped parsley
How to Make It:
• Heat the olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet or stainless-steel pan over medium-high heat. Season the steaks on both sides with salt and plenty of black pepper. When the oil is lightly smoking, add the steaks to the pan. Cook, turning every minute or so, for about 8 minutes total, until the steaks are deeply browned and firm but yielding to the touch. Remove to a cutting board to rest.
• Add the shallot to the same pan and sauté for 1 minute, until softened. Pour in the red wine and the broth, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any brown bits. Cook over high heat for 5 minutes, until the liquid is reduced by three-quarters. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter one piece at a time. Stir in the parsley.
• Slice the steaks into thick pieces, arrange on 4 warm plates, and pour the red wine sauce over the pieces.
Makes 4 servings
Per Serving:
$3.92
380 calories
18 g fat (6 g saturated)
410 mg sodium
Slow-Roasted Pork Shoulder
Walk past Momofuku Ssäm Bar in New York’s East Village any night around 8 p.m. and you’ll see a table of eight or so lucky diners, jaws agape, tucking into a heroic hunk of pork just like this. It’s a dramatic dish, one that you want to bring to a table crowded with ravenous friends and loved ones. You can serve the pork with a variety of amazing accoutrements—from salsa and guac and corn tortillas for tacos, to lettuce leaves and Asian condiments for Korean-style wraps (as it’s served at Ssäm Bar). But, truthfully, it’s delicious enough to be dinner on its own.
This fork-tender mountain of pork can be the star of a dozen different final dishes. Here are just a few sources of inspiration:
• MEXICAN: Corn tortillas, black beans, salsa, guacamole
• KOREAN: Bibb lettuce leaves, steamed rice, hoisin, sriracha
• CAROLINA: Apple cider vinegar spiked with chili flakes, cole slaw, potato rolls
You’ll Need:
1 (6 to 8 lb) boneless pork shoulder
2 Tbsp salt
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
How to Make It:
• The night before cooking, rub the pork all over with the salt and the granulated sugar. Cover and return to the refrigerator to brine overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 300°F. Place the pork in a large baking dish and roast on the bottom rack, using a baster or a large spoon to baste the pork every 30 minutes or so. (If you want to leave the pork in the oven and forget about it, it will still come out great without basting.) The pork is done when it easily pulls apart with a fork, about 5 hours.
• Remove the pork from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 475°F. Rub the pork all over with the brown sugar and return to the oven. Roast for about 15 minutes, until the sugar forms a dark mahogany crust. Serve as is with a few vegetable sides, or in any of the manners outlined in “Meal Multiplier,” right.
Makes 12 to 16 servings
Per Serving:
$1.96
410 calories
22 g fat (8 g saturated)
900 mg sodium
Carne Asada Burritos
The modern burrito is a tortilla swollen to the size of Chuck Norris’s bicep, stuffed to the point of bursting with meat, cheese, and condiments. Delicious stuff, but capable of packing up to 1,500 calories a pop. Our version, modestly scaled down, concentrates on the most important parts of the burrito: guac, black beans, and, above all, juicy chunks of marinated skirt steak.
Burritos are fine every so often, but you can achieve the same harmony of flavors by making tacos instead. Follow the same marinated steak recipe, but ditch the big tortilla and serve the meat with a pile of lightly grilled corn tortillas instead—plus all of the fixings, of course. A pile of grilled scallions, a staple of taco carts all over Mexico, makes for a nice side dish.
You’ll Need:
½ cup orange juice
2 Tbsp canola or vegetable oil
1 Tbsp chipotle pepper purée
1 tsp cumin
4 cloves garlic
1 lb skirt or flank steak
Salt and black pepper to taste
4 large whole-wheat tortillas
½ cup shredded Jack cheese
4 Tbsp Guacamole, or high-quality packaged guacamole like Wholly Guacamole
1 cup Pico de Gallo
1 can (15 oz) black or pinto beans, drained
How to Make It:
• Combine the juice, oil, chipotle purée, cumin, and garlic in a blender and puree. Place the steak in a sealable plastic bag and cover with the marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.
• Preheat a grill over high heat. Remove the steak from the marinade, pat dry with paper towels, and season all over with salt and black pepper. Grill, turning occasionally, for 8 minutes, until the surface is nicely browned and the meat is firm but still yielding to the touch. Remove and rest for at least 5 minutes before chopping into bite-size pieces.
• Heat a cast-iron skillet or nonstick pan over low heat. Place a tortilla in the center and warm on one side for 30 seconds. Flip and cover with 2 tablespoons of the cheese. Continue heating until gently toasted. Remove to a plate and top with 1 tablespoon guacamole, ¼ cup pico de gallo, and one-quarter of the beans and steak. Fold opposite sides over toward the center, then roll the tortilla to create a tight, sealed burrito. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
Makes 4 servings
Per Serving:
$3.37
420 calories
20 g fat (6 g saturated)
660 mg sodium
Poor Man’s Steak
with Garlicky Gravy
This country has fallen on lean times in recent years, but unfortunately the figurative belt-tightening doesn’t seem to be accompanied by a literal one. That’s because the most potent sources of calories and seasoning (oil, sugar, salt) are still cheap and more common in restaurant cooking than ever. Here, we fuse health, flavor, and affordability in a way only good home cooking can. Inexpensive lean ground sirloin is formed into steaks, then covered with mushrooms, onions, and a soy-spiked sauce good enough to make your doormat taste delicious. Serve this decadent mess over a bed of mashed potatoes, or for a healthier, easier sidekick, Garlic-Lemon Spinach.
You’ll Need:
1 lb ground sirloin or chuck, shaped into 4 equal patties
1½ Tbsp canola oil, divided
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 yellow onion, sliced
4 oz white or cremini mushrooms, stems removed, sliced
½ Tbsp flour
½ cup beef or chicken stock
1 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
How to Make It:
• Preheat the oven to 200°F.
• Heat a large cast-iron skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat.
• Season the patties all over with salt and pepper. Add 1 Tbsp oil to the pan and cook until a nicely browned crust forms on the patties, about 3 to 4 minutes, then flip and continue cooking for another 3 to 4 minutes for medium-rare. Move the patties to a baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm.
• Add the remaining oil and the garlic, onions, and mushrooms to the same pan, and cook until the vegetables begin to brown nicely, about 5 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables, stir so that it coats them evenly, then add the stock, using a whisk to keep lumps from forming. Stir in the ketchup, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce and continue cooking until the gravy thickens, another 2 to 3 minutes. Serve the patties on a bed of mashed potatoes or sautéed spinach (or both) with the gravy drizzled over the top.
Makes 4 servings
Per Serving:
$1.81
220 calories
9 g fat (3 g saturated)
470 mg sodium
Braised Brisket
with Horseradish Cream
Brisket is a notoriously tough piece of meat. It takes the best pit masters up to 18 hours of low-temperature smoking to wrestle the beef into a state of acceptable tenderness. But through the miracle of the slow cooker, where moisture and heat combine to turn even the toughest cuts into spoon-tender masterpieces, brisket can be worked into a state of soul-soothing deliciousness with only about 15 minutes of prep work.
Three ways to turn extra brisket into a next-day bounty:
• BRISKET FRENCH DIP: Slice the brisket thinly, top with caramelized onions and Swiss. Serve with a warm cup of the braising liquid.
• CORNED BEEF HASH: Cook diced potatoes and onions in a pan until soft, then stir in shredded brisket, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, and some of the leftover braising liquid.
• BRISKET NACHOS: Shred the meat, then use it to top tortilla chips along with pepper-Jack cheese, pinto beans, sliced jalapeños, and salsa verde.
You’ll Need:
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 lb brisket (preferably with a thin fat cap still attached)
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 bottle (12 oz) dark beer
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 large yellow onions, quartered
1 bunch carrots, peeled
8 cloves garlic, peeled
2 bay leaves
¼ cup 2% Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp prepared horseradish
How to Make It:
• Heat the olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet or sauté pan. Season the brisket all over with salt and black pepper. Sear in the pan for about 7 minutes, until all sides are nicely browned. Place in a slow cooker. Add the beer to the pan and scrape up any browned bits. Pour over the brisket. Add the stock, tomato paste, onions, carrots, garlic, and bay leaves to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours (or on low for up to 8 hours), until the brisket is very tender.
• Combine the yogurt, parsley, and horseradish in a mixing bowl.
• Remove the brisket from the cooker and slice into thin pieces. Discard the bay leaves. Serve the brisket in a shallow, wide bowl with the onions, carrots, and a bit of broth poured over the top. Garnish each serving with a scoop of the horseradish cream.
Makes 10 servings
Per Serving:
$2.47
380 calories
25 g fat (8 g saturated)
350 mg sodium