Meats recipes

Texas-style ribs are pork spareribs par-roasted to render fat, then oven-basted in a tangy citrus-ketchup sauce with horseradish and hot sauce. Sticky, sweet, and sharp with a sharp Hill Country edge.

Master flank steak marinates two trimmed flank steaks in barbecue sauce for 4 to 6 hours, then grills to your preferred doneness. A two-ingredient summer cookout staple.

Steak au poivre, sirloin pressed with a bold crust of cracked peppercorns, chilled overnight, then seared and oven-finished. Sliced thin and brushed with a bright lemon butter, this is French pepper steak done simply.

Potato flake sourdough starter: a simple three-ingredient base of water, sugar, and instant potato flakes left to ferment for 3 to 4 days. The sweet, old-fashioned starter used in friendship bread and soft white loaves.

Herb-roasted beef tenderloin with rosemary, garlic, cumin, and oregano. Roasted high and fast at 400F (200C), then paired with a bright roasted red pepper and papaya relish.

Maple glazed ham for the smoker: a 7-pound cooked ham basted in spiced maple syrup, studded with cloves, and smoked slow with pineapple and cherries for a holiday showstopper.

Tender Scandinavian-style meatballs simmered in a dill and white wine beef gravy, served over buttered noodles. Warming Nordic comfort food with a whisper of cardamom.

Basic rack of lamb: a French-trimmed rack marinated, then roasted hot to a rosy medium-rare and carved into elegant double-bone chops. The foundation technique for an impressive special-occasion main.

Fried venison heart marinated overnight in red wine, vinegar, and pickling spices, then dredged in flour and pan-fried in butter. A hunter's classic for nose-to-tail wild game cooking.

Hernekeitto (Finnish pea soup) made with dried whole peas and pork leg simmered low and slow with marjoram and mustard. A traditional Scandinavian comfort soup that freezes beautifully.

Pan-seared filet mignon cooked in butter and olive oil. Just four ingredients, high heat, and three minutes per side for a steakhouse-quality crust at home.

Steak a la Stone broils thick-cut filet mignon, slices it thin, and tosses it in a buttery sauce of sauteed onions and pimientos. Served on toast points for an elegant retro dinner party main.

Veal saltimbocca with prosciutto, fresh sage, and a white wine pan glaze. Classic Italian main dish that cooks in just 5 minutes for an elegant weeknight dinner.

Homemade beef gravy mix from scratch using flour, beef base, cornstarch, and ketchup. A DIY replacement for store-bought gravy packets with pantry staples.

Chinese red-braised beef (hong shao niu rou) with dark soy, sherry, star anise, and ginger. Slow-simmered chuck cubes glazed in a glossy mahogany sauce.

Ship Wreck is an old-fashioned layered casserole with sliced potatoes, onions, ground beef, rice, and tomatoes baked covered for 90 minutes. Just layer, season, and let the oven do the work.