Easy Beef Recipes for Weeknights and Sunday Dinner

Beef works in a roll, in the oven with vegetables or in a quick skillet. Here are three dinners with amounts for 4 servings: a stuffed beef roll, sheet-pan beef with vegetables, and spicy beef strips with roasted potatoes. All use ordinary grocery store ingredients.

Stuffed beef roll with vegetables

Prep 30 minutes, cooking about 1 hour 30 minutes. Use top round or flank steak, cut in one thin, wide piece (ask the butcher to butterfly it).

Ingredients

• 600 g (1 1/3 lb) beef top round, butterflied into one piece about 1 cm (1/2 in) thick
• 100 g (3.5 oz) bacon, chopped
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tomatoes, sliced
• 2 red bell peppers, cut into strips
• 2 onions, sliced into rings
• 2 dill pickles, cut into strips
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 liter (4 cups) beef broth
• 1 to 2 tablespoons flour for thickening
• Salt and black pepper

Directions

1. Pound the beef to an even thickness, season with salt and pepper and spread with mustard.
2. Scatter bacon, tomatoes, peppers, onions and pickles over the meat, leaving a small border.
3. Roll up tightly from the short side and tie with kitchen twine.
4. Brown the roll on all sides in hot oil in a Dutch oven, about 6 minutes.
5. Pour in the broth, cover and cook at 325°F (160°C) for about 1 hour 30 minutes, until a fork slides in easily.
6. Rest the roll under foil for 10 minutes. Meanwhile whisk the flour with a little cold water and stir it into the simmering cooking liquid to make a gravy.
7. Slice and serve with boiled potatoes and a salad.

Sheet-pan beef with vegetables

Prep 20 minutes, marinate 30 minutes, cooking 35 to 40 minutes.

Ingredients

• 500 g (1 lb) beef sirloin or tri-tip, sliced 1 cm (1/2 in) thick
• 2 large carrots and 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 5 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 3 kale leaves, shredded
• Handful of fresh parsley

Marinade: 5 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, 1/2 teaspoon steak seasoning, 2 grated garlic cloves, pepper, and salt for the meat.

Directions

1. Salt the beef and toss with the marinade. Leave 30 minutes.
2. Spread the vegetables in a roasting pan, drizzle with a little oil and a splash of water and season.
3. Lay the beef on top, pour over any marinade and cover with foil.
4. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 20 minutes. Remove the foil, turn the slices and bake another 15 to 20 minutes, until the beef is done to your liking.

Serve with boiled or mashed potatoes. Sliced thin like this, lean cuts stay tender only if they do not overbake, so check early.

Spicy beef strips with roasted potatoes

Prep 25 minutes, cooking about 45 minutes.

Ingredients

• 600 g (1 1/3 lb) beef sirloin, cut into strips 1 cm (1/2 in) wide
• 6 large potatoes, cut into chunks
• 2 carrots, diced
• 3 onions and 3 garlic cloves
• 4 mushrooms, sliced, and 2 handfuls of green beans
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce (use a sweet chili sauce if you prefer it mild)
• 1 level teaspoon sweet paprika, salt, pepper, oil

Directions

1. Toss the potatoes, carrots, two of the onions (sliced) and the garlic with oil, salt and pepper. Cover with foil and roast at 400°F (200°C) for 30 minutes, then uncover for 10 more minutes.
2. Meanwhile fry the remaining diced onion in oil until golden.
3. Add the beef strips and sear over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and paprika, then add the soy sauce, hot sauce and about 1 cup (250 ml) of water.
4. Simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes, adding the mushrooms and green beans for the last 5 minutes.
5. Serve the beef over the potatoes.

Tips for tender beef

• Cook to a safe internal temperature: 145°F (63°C) for steaks and roasts followed by a 3-minute rest, and 160°F (71°C) for ground beef.
• Let meat rest before slicing so juices stay in.
• Slice across the grain.
• Braising cuts such as chuck need long, moist heat, quick cuts such as sirloin need short, hot cooking.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best cut of beef for a stuffed beef roll?

Top round or flank steak works well because it can be pounded thin and rolled. Cook it slowly in broth so it turns tender.

What temperature should beef be cooked to?

The USDA recommends 145°F (63°C) for whole cuts of beef with a 3-minute rest, and 160°F (71°C) for ground beef.

How do I keep beef strips from turning tough?

Cut across the grain, sear quickly over high heat and then simmer gently until tender, rather than boiling hard.