(BPT) - The holiday season is about gathering together, sharing joy as you feed your family, and strengthening your community by giving to others. You can enjoy the season even more if you choose high-quality foods, prepare them with care and focus on what matters most: time with loved ones.
To help families savor the season, ranchers of Country Natural Beef, the largest ranching cooperative in the U.S., share recipes and tips for saving money and time, so you can enjoy every moment. For 40 years, Country Natural Beef has produced beef that honors where it came from by doing the right thing for people, land and animals. Their Country Natural Beefâ„¢ and Oregon Country Beefâ„¢ brands are all-natural, never given antibiotics or added hormones.
"With Country Natural Beef, we have control of that beef product all the way to the retail store," said rancher Jack Southworth. "We're able to represent the beef that's in the counter and take pride in the fact that it was raised in the right way, that the land was taken care of, that the cattle were taken care of and that the people that work on these ranches were treated with respect."
Here's advice from their families to yours, helping you create delicious meals to please a crowd without adding stress to the season.
Think batch cooking
When your family is busy and you want to keep costs down without compromising on flavor and quality, choose hearty recipes that feed a family well — with plenty of leftovers. This recipe from the Lickley Family is perfect for the holiday season and beyond.
Make the most of your cut with this slow, oven-roasted tri-tip for dinner, then use leftovers for a savory breakfast tomorrow.
Total time: 2 hours
Ingredients
1 tri-tip roast (2-1/2 to 3 pounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil or other cooking oil
Salt and fresh ground pepper
Method
Preparation:
Remove tri-tip from the refrigerator roughly 30 minutes before cooking.
Cooking the tri-tip:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large cast-iron skillet (or other oven-proof pan). Heat pan on high.
Once the pan reaches high heat, add the tri-tip, fat side down. Reduce heat to medium-high and sear roast about 4 minutes. Turn the tri-tip and put the pan into the preheated oven.
Immediately turn the oven down to 225°F and cook the roast 15 minutes per pound, checking with an instant-read thermometer after 30 minutes. Once your roast hits an internal temperature of 120°F, it's medium-rare and ready to pull from the oven.
Place tri-tip on a cutting board and wrap in aluminum foil; let it rest for 10-15 minutes. Remove tri-tip from the foil and slice across the grain. Serve with barbecue sauce or steak sauce, if desired.
Transform your leftovers
Nothing will go to waste if you plan ahead. Using leftovers for completely new meals is an effective way to get more bang for your buck and save time, too. Leftover tri-tip can make a hearty breakfast the next day, and this recipe will help you make every bite count.
No matter if it's breakfast-for-dinner or breakfast-for-breakfast, make it a no-brainer with this spicy, leftover-friendly skillet. Recipe courtesy of Beef. It's What's For Dinner.
Total time: 25 minutes; Servings: 4
Ingredients
12 ounces cooked tri-tip beef, cut into bite-sized pieces or shredded
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium red or green bell pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4 large eggs, beaten
2-3 cups baked or regular tortilla chips (about 2 ounces)
1 cup thick and chunky salsa
1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
Toppings (optional):
salsa
sour cream
lime wedges
chopped avocado
chopped tomato
fresh chopped cilantro
Method
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add bell pepper and garlic; cook 4-6 minutes or until pepper is crisp-tender, stirring occasionally.
Add eggs and tortilla chips. Cook 30-60 seconds or until eggs begin to set, stirring constantly. Stir in beef and salsa; cook 2-4 minutes or until beef is heated through. Season with salt and pepper, as desired.
Sprinkle with cheese; remove from heat. Let stand, uncovered, 1 minute. Serve with toppings if desired.
So much of what makes holidays special is the food you share with loved ones. The ranchers of Country Natural Beef want to help you create incredible meals without adding stress to the season. For more ways to stretch a roast and tasty dishes that stretch your dollar — or that you can set and forget to cook all day — check out 12 ways to save time and money at CountryNaturalBeef.com.
