INSTANT POT AL PASTOR

I posted a few pix of this dish on my Instagram account and the response was unanimous - PLEASE POST THIS RECIPE. So here it is, Enjoy!

I’ll be honest…my mother gave me my Instant Pot for Christmas a few years ago, and I was like “what?” I struggled to understand the value of something that would inevitably create shortcuts I assumed no ‘true’ chef would take. And my mother and I cook together all the time using tried and true classic methods, never a shortcut. The thing sat in the box for over a year in my basement until a chef friend suggested I speed up the process of making boiled peanuts by using an Instant Pot. He was right. The hours and hours of time it normally took to make the classic southern roadside delicacy was reduced to minutes. I began to look around for other recipes immediately and found myself experimenting with beef, chicken, pork…whatever, and suddenly I was in love. I got it, I was in.

Some of the very best tacos Al Pastor I’ve eaten were thanks to my good friend Mark Tripp in Los Angeles. He took me to a parking lot pop-up taco stand in West LA called Brothers Cousins and I was hooked. I’ve eaten many tacos in my life but up to that point had never experienced the deep flavors that came from this simple taco set up in a Rite Aid parking lot. This recipe will not ever compete with that experience, but with some practice you can get pretty damn close.

INGREDIENTS:

3 to 4 pounds - trimmed pork shoulder (Costco has great pork for less)

1 - tbsp garlic powder

1 - tbsp classic chili powder

1 - tbsp red chile powder (chile rojo - NOT cayenne or CHILI powder)

1 - tsp cumin

1 - tbsp dried oregano

1 - tsp cinnamon

1 - tbsp kosher or sea salt

1 - large onion chopped/diced

6 - cloves garlic

4 - chipotles in adobo (La Morena brand is best)

3 - 6 ounce cans (or 2 1/2 cups) pineapple juice

1/4 cup - distilled white vinegar

corn tortillas + vegetable oil

fresh pineapple, diced for garnish

good hot sauce

Start by whisking the dry spices together in a large bowl. Cut the pork into 2-3 inch chunks and toss in bowl with the spice rub. Set the Instant Pot to ‘SAUTEE’, add a splash of the vegetable oil (or olive) and sear the pork chunks, in batches, for a few minutes each side.

Remove the pork, add 1/2 cup of water to deglaze (scrape bits off bottom), then turn off the the Pot.

Add the onions, garlic cloves (each sliced once lengthwise), chipotles, and vinegar to the Pot, place the pork back into the Pot, seal the lid and set Pot to high for 50 mins.

When the Pot has finished and the steam has finally escaped remove the lid and pull out pork with a slotted spoon or small colander spreading it out on a sheet pan. Separate the lean chunks from the grizzly bits (though save the garlic and some of the ‘good’ fat), press with a fork to shred and move to a second sheet pan. Spread the shredded pork to the thinnest layer and place under broiler in oven. Check often so you do not burn, and turn over the layer of pork at least once. When golden and crispy it’s ready to EAT.

Serve on (preferably) ‘street’-sized corn tortillas (which have been fried up with some oil) and add the diced pineapple as garnish. Also add a tasty hot sauce and stick into your face. Repeat at least 6 times for maximum fulfillment.

Beef Pot Pie

As part of a series I’ve created for my ground beef partner Schweid & Sons I present to you NOT BURGERS! In each episode I’ll give you great ideas for what to do with ground beef other than make burgers. Scroll to the bottom to see the video and follow along with this recipe.

Now that the holidays are fast approaching it’s time to impress the family with this one - a homemade ground beef Pot Pie. It’s time to make a real savory pie with fresh ingredients and high quality ground beef. The frozen pot pies you find in the supermarket have nothing on this.

Savory pie has a very long history that some believe may go back as far as 1300 BC in Ancient Egypt. There is evidence that carvings exist in the tomb of RAMSES II in the Valley of the Kings. The tomb is filled with images of food and specifically pies, it’s astounding.

In 16th century Medieval England the pot pie went from being a luxury of the wealthy to beloved by all. To this day the Brits take their savory pies very seriously and can be found everywhere in the British Isles.

Traditionally Beef pot pie is made using chunks of stew beef, but my recipe uses high quality fresh ground beef, which is a lot easier. Other than that, the filling is virtually identical to what you’d find in the classic Beef Pot Pie.

1 - pound Schweid & Sons fresh ground beef

1 - large Russett potato, peeled and cut into 1/2” cubes

2 - carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2” cubes or discs

2 - medium yellow or sweet onion, diced

2 - tbs butter

1 - cup sliced bella mushrooms

1/4 - cup sherry or marsala wine

1/2 - cup white wine

1 - tsp dried thyme

1 - tsp garlic powder

1.5 - cups beef stock

1/3 - cup flour

1 - tbs Worcestershire sauce

1/2 - cup frozen peas

1/2 - cup heavy cream

a few shakes of ground pepper

For the crust, I only use my favorite flaky butter crust recipe from my friend Paula Haney at Hoosier Mama Pie Company in Chicago. You can use store-bought crust but this recipe is so simple people. Just do it! (recipe at the bottom)

Boil the diced potatoes and carrots for 5 minutes, drain and set aside. At same time brown beef in a separate pan, drain fat and set aside as well. Melt butter in the pan and sauté onion until it is just beginning to brown then add the sliced mushrooms, cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add the sherry and the wine to the pan, raise heat a bit and cook until the alcohol burns off and the liquid is slightly thickened (about 2 mins). Add the garlic powder and thyme, the cooked potatoes and carrots, and reintroduce the beef to the pan. Next add the Worcestershire, stir and then the flour. Stir the contents gently to coat, then add the beef stock slowly, drizzling and gently stirring until you have a nice thickened sauce. Add a few shakes of ground pepper, the frozen peas and heavy cream, stir and turn the heat off.

Roll out your crust (use the recipe below) and gently lay in a pie plate. Don’t forget you’ll need 2 pieces of dough for top and bottom. Once the filling has cooled slightly add to the pie dish. Use a bit of water, or better some milk, along the edge of the pie crust.. This will help the top seal to the bottom. Gently lay the top piece of rolled dough and using a fork pinch the top and bottom together. Trim excess dough and cut slits for air vents. You can brush the top of the pie with some milk or egg wash (I use milk) for browning. Put into a preheated 400 degree oven for 30 minutes. You will know its done when the filling begins to bubble out of the air vents.

Paula Haney’s All-Butter Pie Crust Dough

1 3/4 sticks (196 grams) - unsalted butter, divided

1 tbsp - red wine vinegar

1/2 cup - cold water

2 1/4 cups - all-purpose flour

1 1/4 tsp - kosher salt

1/2 tbsp - granulated sugar

Cut the butter into 1/2-inch cubes. Freeze 5 Tbsp. (70 g) for 20 minutes or overnight; chill the remaining 1 1/8 sticks (126 g) in the refrigerator until ready to use. Stir the red wine vinegar into the cold water and set aside.

Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor and pulse 5 or 6 times to combine. Add the chilled butter and mix for 25 to 30 seconds, until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the frozen butter and PULSE 15 to 20 times, until the butter is in pea-sized pieces. Add 6 tablespoons of the vinegar water and pulse 6 times. The dough should start to look crumbly. Test the dough by squeezing a small amount in the palm of your hand. If it easily holds together, it is done. If not, add 1/2 Tbsp. of the vinegar water and pulse 3 more times. Repeat this process as needed until the dough holds together.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead together until smooth; dough should never come together in the food processor. Divide the dough into 2 equal parts and roll each into a ball. Flatten the balls slightly and wrap separately in plastic wrap. Let the dough rest in the refrigerator until ready to use, at least 20 minutes but preferably overnight.

Reproduced with permission from The Hoosier Mama Book of Pie © 2013 by Paula Haney. Buy the book from Amazon, visit the pie shop in Chicago, and follow Hoosier Mama on Instagram at @hoosiermamapie

CHEESEBURGER STUFFING

As part of a series I’ve created for my ground beef partner Schweid & Sons I present to you NOT BURGERS! In each episode I’ll give you great ideas for what to do with ground beef other than make burgers. Scroll to the bottom to see the video and follow along with this recipe

Traditional Thanksgiving stuffing move over! By replacing the standard sausage with quality ground beef from Schweid & Sons, switching the croutons for cubed bits of Martin’s Potato Rolls and adding some cheese you can elevate the basic stuffing recipe for your Thanksgiving dinner. And it’s fun to tell your family you are bringing the Cheeseburger Stuffing. It’s time to be the Holiday Hero!

Ingredients:

1 - pack/8 Martin’s classic sandwich potato roll

1 - pound Schweid & Sons ground beef

1 - med white/sweet onion, diced

2 - large stalks celery, diced

1 - stick butter

2 - cloves garlic, pressed

1 tsp each - dried parsley, sage, rosemary & thyme

1.5 - cups beef broth

2 - eggs, beaten

1/2 cup - shredded cheddar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Start by cubing the burger buns and placing on a cookie sheet. Bake for 20 mins at 300 degrees until they are stiff, not toasted. Next, cook and chop the beef in a large skillet. When the pink has just left, remove from heat and drain fat. Remove crumbled beef from the pan and set aside. In same pan melt the butter and add the diced celery and onion. Sauté until the onion is translucent (about 5 mins) then add the pressed garlic and cook for one minute more. Add the parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme and stir to incorporate. Add the broth to the pan, cook for 1 minute and remove from heat.

Grease a casserole dish with butter. In a large bowl mix the egg and burger bun croutons together, then immediately add the onion/broth mixture and the cooked ground beef. Stir to incorporate all and dump into the casserole dish. Top with about a 1/2 cup sharp cheddar. Bake uncovered for about 35 mins, until the top is golden brown.

TAILGATING with the LOOSEMEAT SANDWICH

George & Mac have partnered with Martin’s Potato Rolls to bring you the easiest tailgating meal ever - the Iowa Loosemeat Sandwich!

The Loosemeat Sandwich

Makes 6 sandwiches

The Loosemeat Sandwich of Iowa is technically not a burger. It does however exhibit many burger-like characteristics so we consider it a member of the hamburger ‘family’. True to its name, the loosemeat sandwich is basically an unformed hamburger. It’s served on a bun with mustard and pickles, but the difference lies in the preparation of the beef. Instead of a standard patty, ground beef is crumbled and steamed with nothing but salt added. Much of the fat drains off and you are left with a lean pile of pebbled beef. Once married to a bun that has been doped with condiments, it becomes a sort of Sloppy Joe without the slop. It is a very straightforward sandwich—one where the flavor of beef shines.

Not surprisingly the Loosemeat, sometimes called a Maid-Rite or a Tavern, is the perfect tailgate food because you can prepare ahead at home and bring the goods to the stadium. We like to cook a big pile of chopped beef and reheat it in the lot. And serving time is lightening fast - your hungry group will be eating in less than a minute.

3 pounds fresh-ground prime chuck (preferably Schweid & Sons)

Kosher salt

water

many Martin’s Potato Rolls

Yellow mustard

Dill pickle chips

1. Preheat a seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the beef and, using a wooden spoon, crumble the beef as it cooks, as if you were preparing ground beef for tacos.

2. drain fat from pan

3. add salt to taste, stir, lower heat

4. open a few Martins Potato Rolls and place open side DOWN on top of the beef mixture to steam the buns for a minute or so.

5. remove buns from pan one at a time, give each a squirt of mustard and a few pickles, then scoop the crumbled beef onto the bun.

6. serve and eat! It’s that easy...

LOWCOUNTRY SHRIMP BOIL

I made some fun stuff for @tonychacheres Creole spice! This spice has been a staple in my kitchen forever and it goes well on literally EVERY DAMN THING. Look for a new recipe and video here every month from May to July.

My southern roots run deep and I have a ton of family in the Lowcountry of South Carolina, the seafood-rich region north and south of Charleston. Much like a good old Louisiana crawfish boil, the region has its own boil designed for large events and gatherings. This very communal meal is sometimes called Frogmore Stew because it originated in the community of Frogmore in Beaufort County, SC.

A traditional Lowcountry Shrimp boil, includes only four ingredients - potatoes, corn on the cob, kielbasa, and fresh local shrimp. For this boil I use ample amounts of Tony Chachere’s Supreme Crab Boil seasoning. And true to form, this meal is served outdoors, on a paper-covered table to guests standing and eating.

Makes enough to satisfy 6-8 hungry guests

 5-6 lbs - super-fresh shrimp, unpeeled with tail on

2lbs - small red potatoes, scrubbed clean

4 ears - corn on cob, shucked and cut in quarters

1.5lbs - good smoked kielbasa, sliced into 1/8” thick discs

16oz - Tony Chachere’s Supreme Crab Boil Seasoning

2.5gal - water

FOR THE TABLE

soft butter

cocktail sauce

Prep a table outside with either newspaper or rolled out kraft paper.

In a very large stock pot (preferably one with a strainer insert) add the water and Tony Chachere’s Supreme Crab Boil Seasoning. When water is boiling add first (and only!) the potatoes. After 10 minutes add the kielbasa. After 5 more minutes add the corn. Then after 5 minutes finally add the shrimp and cook for only 2-3 minutes.

While the pot is boiling place soft wads of butter directly onto the table so guests can butter their potatoes and corn, and dump cocktail sauce onto the table as well for dipping the shrimp. When you are finished simply wrap up the paper and throw in trash, so easy!

PRO TIP #1 - if you have any potatoes left over, smash them and fry up in some hot oil. Season with Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning.

PRO TIP #2 - chop fine any leftover kielbasa and shrimp and toss with lemon juice, hot sauce, and mayo for a darn tasty shrimp dip

THE SMOKED TONY BURGER with REMOULADE

I made some fun stuff for @tonychacheres Creole spice! This spice has been a staple in my kitchen forever and it goes well on literally EVERY DAMN THING. Look for a new recipe and video here every month from May to July.

I love a good smoked burger so I combined some Texas smoke to a Tony Chachere spiced burger and made something very special. I topped it off with my homemade remoulade and proved that all you need is some Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning and a single condiment to create backyard magic.

Makes 4 quarter pound burgers 

1 lb - high quality ground chuck, divided into 4 equal parts

4 - classic, seeded burger buns

butter

Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning

MOTZ’S REMOULADE 

1/2 cup - mayonnaise

1 - clove garlic, chopped fine

1/2 tsp - lemon juice

1/2 tsp - pickle juice

1 tsp - diced dill pickle

2 tsp - sweet paprika

2 tsp - horseradish

2 tbs - creole mustard

1/2 tsp - Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp - Tony Chachere’s Louisiana Pepper Sauce

1.5 tsp - Tony Chachere’s NO SALT Creole Seasoning

Get your smoker up to 225 degrees.

 Form beef into thick patties. For excellent consistency use a food ring or round dough cutter to make perfect patties. Season both sides of each patty with Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning and place in the smoker. Time your burgers to 50 minutes.

 Combine all of the ingredients for the remoulade in a bowl, whisk and refridgerate while the burgers are smoking. The more time the sauce spends in the fridge the better it gets. This allows the dry spices to ‘bloom’ in the sauce. 

 Just before the burgers are finished butter and toast your burger buns in a skillet. Transfer the finished patties to the toasted buns and top with a generous amount of remoulade. 

 Hand-smash balls of beef using 2 squares of parchment paper. Place on flattop or in cast iron skillet at 400F and sprinkle with Tony Chachere’s Orig Creole. Place buns, butter side down, on flattop near burgers (if using a cast iron pan toast the buns first and set aside). Cook the burgers until liquid forms on top of patties (could be as fast as 2 mins), flip and place a slice of cheese on each patty.

JUDICE INN DOUBLE CHEESEBURGER

I made some fun stuff for @tonychacheres Creole spice! This spice has been a staple in my kitchen forever and it goes well on literally EVERY DAMN THING. Look for a new recipe and video here every month from May to July.

Those who know the Judice Inn of Lafayette, LA know what a great place it is, and how specifically Acadian that burger tastes. Their Double Cheeseburger is a classic, no-frills burger cooked on a flattop and served wrapped in waxed paper. But what makes this simple burger stand out is Creole spice.

The Judice opened in 1947 and today, almost 75 years later, is still owned and operated by the same family. The spice combination the family uses on the burger is a secret, but use Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning and I’ll bet you'll get pretty close. They also have a special red sauce that I’ve heard is assembled in complete secrecy and only a few Judice family members actually know the recipe. I have attempted to reverse engineer the sauce and I think I came pretty close.

Makes 3 burgers

1 lb - high quality ground chuck

1 - large sweet onion, sliced thin

3 - classic, seeded burger buns

butter

6 - slices American cheese

mayonaise

yellow mustard

Secret Red Sauce (see below)

iceberg lettuce, shredded

Secret Red Sauce (see below)

Tony Chachere’s Orig Creole Seasoning

Judice Inn Secret Red Sauce

(just a guess)

1/2 cup - ketchup

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons - diced sweet onion

1/4 cup diced dill pickle

1/2 tsp - garlic powder

1 tsp - white vinegar

a few shakes - fresh ground black pepper

a few shakes - Tony Chachere’s Louisiana Pepper Sauce

Tony Chachere’s Orig Creole Seasoning

Divide meat into 6 equal portions and roll into loosely formed balls. Cook the sliced onion in a pan with some butter and olive oil over low heat until caramelized (20 mins+).

Combine all of the Secret Red Sauce ingredients in a bowl, whisk and set aside. Butter buns and set aside.

Hand-smash balls of beef using 2 squares of parchment paper. Place on flattop or in cast iron skillet at 400F and sprinkle with Tony Chachere’s Orig Creole. Place buns, butter side down, on flattop near burgers (if using a cast iron pan toast the buns first and set aside). Cook the burgers until liquid forms on top of patties (could be as fast as 2 mins), flip and place a slice of cheese on each patty.

Spread the bottom half of a toasted bun (the ‘heel’) with some mayo and mustard. To that add a cooked patty, then spoon some caramelized onion on top, then the second patty. Add a handful of the shredded iceberg, a big dollop of the Secret Red Sauce, and the top half of the toasted bun. To make this a truly authentic Judice Inn Double Cheeseburger wrap it up in waxed paper, grab a bag of Zapp’s chips and a cold beer.

Nora's Meatloaf Sandwich

As part of a series I’ve created for my ground beef partner Schweid & Sons I present to you NOT BURGERS! On this show I’ll give you great ideas for what to do with ground beef other than make burgers. Scroll to the bottom to see the video and follow along with this recipe…

Being at my mom’s house in summer means the occasional sliced meatloaf sandwich. Although I’ve enjoyed meatloaf my entire life this way my favorite way to enjoy it, sliced thick and served cold on good old white bread as a sandwich. My mom makes the best meatloaf sandwich ever but this recipe comes from my father’s nanny Nora and it goes all the way back to the 1940’s. There is historical proof that minced cooked loaves of meat may go back as far as 5th century Roman Empire, but the classic version we know today is likely just over 130 years old.

2lbs - quality ground beef

2 - eggs

1 cup - fine breadcrumbs

2 tbs - heavy cream

4 shakes - worcestershire sauce

3 shakes - tabasco

1 tsp - dijon

1/2 tsp - onion powder

1/2 cup - ketchup

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup barbecue sauce (to glaze)

heat oven to 350 degrees

All ingredients (except bbq sauce) into a large mixing bowl. Mix by hand until uniform. Form into the shape of a loaf of bread and place in a shallow roasting pan. Use a pastry brush (or clean paintbrush) to glaze the top and sides of the loaf with the barbecue sauce. Into the oven for 55 minutes. Let cool, then refrigerate for at least an hour. Slice thick and serve on untoasted white bread with mayonnaise.

Cottage Pie by Motz

As part of a series I’ve created for my ground beef partner Schweid & Sons I present to you NOT BURGERS! On this show I’ll give you great ideas for what to do with ground beef other than make burgers. Scroll to the bottom to see the video and follow along with this recipe…

Cottage Pie is essentially Shepard’s Pie where the lamb ‘mince’ (as the Brits would say) is replaced by beef. Cottage Pie actually predates Shepard’s by many decades and may have origins in peasant cooking going all the way back to the mid-1700s. That would make this dish around 250 years old! It was devised as a way to use leftovers in a pie, mixed with beef and topped with cheddary mashed potatoes.

INGREDIENTS for FILLING

1.5 lbs - quality ground chuck

1 - tbsp butter

1 - large leek diced

2 - carrots, diced

1 - stalk celery diced

1 - clove garlic pressed

2 - tbsp flour

1 - cup beef broth

1 - cup red wine

1 - tbsp tomato paste

1 - tbsp worstcehterresurre

2 - bay leaves

1 - tsp fresh ground black pepper

2 - tsp fresh rosemary leaves chopped (or 1 tsp dry)

2 - tsp fresh thyme chopped (or 1 tsp dry)

1 - cup frozen green peas

grated sharp cheddar cheese (for top)

MASHED POTATOES

4 - large russet potatoes, peeled and quartered

1/4 cup sour cream

1/2 stick - butter

1/2 cup - heavy cream

salt to taste

Cook beef, chop in pan, until pink has left. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and discard most of the rendered fat. Leave just a slick of fat in pan. Beef should be pebbly and moist.

Sauté veggies in butter 5 mins. Add flour, stir to coat and add broth slowly while stirring. Simmer 5 mins, add wine, worstcestchre sauce, tomato paste, and simmer. Add seasonings, stir to incorporate then return beef to pan. Stir all together.

Heat oven to 375 F

Simmer covered for up to 45mins. if it dries out, add some more broth. If still wet uncover and cook until not so liquid.

Make mashed potatoes while meat is simmering. Cut potatoes in quarters and boil until knife goes thru easy (roughly 20mins). Mash in large mixing bowl, add sour cream, cream and butter, and whip with hand mixer. Add a dash of salt, taste. Should be awesome.

Add peas after an hour and cook covered for 5 mins. LET COOL then add mixture to an 8” square baking pan, cover with the mashed potatoes gently, score with fork and sprinkle lightly with the grated cheddar. Into the oven for 25 mins or until top is golden.

Yaya's Meatballs

As part of a series I’ve created for my ground beef partner Schweid & Sons I present to you NOT BURGERS! On this show I’ll give you great ideas for what to do with ground beef other than make burgers. Scroll to the bottom to see the video and follow along with this recipe…

Spaghetti and Meatballs are one of my favorite comfort foods of ALL TIME. For years I’ve tried to master the meat ball and never made balls I would brag about. That all changed after a visit to my mom one day. She too had been struggling with a recipe she liked. I happened to walk in to find big balls submerged in sauce. Her new recipe was perfect, but I embellished a bit with a slight Swedish tweak. It’s essentially a cross between Italian and Swedish meatballs BUT the only spice is salt, and the only meat is BEEF. The real magic happens when you submerge the finished balls into a red sauce and let it simmer for hours…

1 - large onion diced fine

4 - tbsp butter

1 - cup fine breadcrumbs

1/3 cup half+half

salt to taste

2lbs ground chuck

2 - large eggs

1 - cup grated parmesan

GEORGE’S BASIC RED SAUCE

1/4 cup olive oil

6 - cloves garlic pressed

2 - 28oz cans quality canned, diced tomatoes

salt to taste

heat oven to 400F

Sauté onion in butter, let cool. Mix breadcrumbs and half+half in bowl until it’s a paste. Add onion/butter mixture and a pinch of salt. Taste here. If it tastes awesome, you’re ready for the next step.

Add beef, eggs and parmesan and mix by HAND until uniform (no spoons here). Stick in fridge for at least 20 mins to cool.

Form the chilled beef mixture into balls, space in a large cast iron pan or baking dish, into the oven for 20 mins.

Make sauce while the balls are cooking. Open cans of tomatoes BEFORE starting. Olive oil in large pot (need extra room for your balls), medium heat and sauté garlic for 1 min until fragrant. DO NOT BURN GARLIC. Add tomatoes, stir and cook covered for 10 mins. remove from heat, pulse in blender for 3-5 seconds (or use immersion blender in pot). simmer covered.

Add finished balls to the sauce. This can sit on stovetop for hours, simmering….enjoy!

Rodo's Empanadas

As part of a series I’ve created for my ground beef partner Schweid & Sons I present to you NOT BURGERS! On this show I’ll give you great ideas for what to do with ground beef other than make burgers. Scroll to the bottom to see the video and follow along with this recipe…

The Empanada is the pride of Argentina and one of the greatest meat stuffed dough foods in the world. Empanadas originated in Spain but can now be found all over South America. They are traditionally filled with ground beef and baked, not deep fried. 

Empanada comes from the Galician verb ‘empanar', which translates to ‘wrap in bread’. This is not just any recipe, and it’s not mine either.  It comes from my good friend Rodolfo Camara in Buenos Aires. Rodo owns and operates a few of the best burger joints in Argentina and his father recently was forced to close the family’s 20 year old cafe Panini, a victim of the pandemic. Honor Panini and the Camara Family and make some really tasty empanadas. 

You’ll need to make a butter crust dough for this recipe. Traditional empanadas are made with a crust using lard or shortening. My favorite comes from pie chef extraordinaire Paula Haney of the Hoosier Mama Pie Shop in Chicago. It’s super-easy to make, especially if you use a food processor. The recipe is included here with Chef Paula’s permission (thanks Paula!). You should make the dough FIRST, then make the filling. You can even make the dough a day in advance.

Paula Haney’s All-Butter Pie Crust Dough

1 3/4 sticks (196 grams) - unsalted butter, divided

1 tbsp - red wine vinegar

1/2 cup - cold water

2 1/4 cups - all-purpose flour

2 1/4 tsp - kosher salt

1/2 tbsp - granulated sugar

Cut the butter into 1/2-inch cubes. Freeze 5 Tbsp. (70 g) for 20 minutes or overnight; chill the remaining 1 1/8 sticks (126 g) in the refrigerator until ready to use. Stir the red wine vinegar into the cold water and set aside.

Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor and pulse 5 or 6 times to combine. Add the chilled butter and mix for 25 to 30 seconds, until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the frozen butter and PULSE 15 to 20 times, until the butter is in pea-sized pieces. Add 6 tablespoons of the vinegar water and pulse 6 times. The dough should start to look crumbly. Test the dough by squeezing a small amount in the palm of your hand. If it easily holds together, it is done. If not, add 1/2 Tbsp. of the vinegar water and pulse 3 more times. Repeat this process as needed until the dough holds together.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead together until smooth; dough should never come together in the food processor. Divide the dough into 2 equal parts and roll each into a ball. Flatten the balls slightly and wrap separately in plastic wrap. Let the dough rest in the refrigerator until ready to use, at least 20 minutes but preferably overnight.

From The Hoosier Mama Book of Pie © 2013 by Paula Haney. Buy the book from Amazon, visit the pie shop in Chicago, and follow Hoosier Mama on Instagram at @hoosiermamapie

INGREDIENTS for the FILLING

1 lb - fresh ground beef

1/2 cup - onions chopped fine

1 tsp - salt

1/2 tsp - pepper

1/2 tsp - dried oregano

1/2 tsp - paprika

1/2 tsp - crushed red pepper flakes

1 tsp - concentrated vegetable broth or 1 boullion

2 tbs - tomato sauce

1 tbs - tomato paste

1/2 cup - white wine

1 - cup water

2 tbs - corn oil

Add corn oil to a large skillet. Cook beef, chop in pan, until pink has left. Add onion and cook until they are translucent (approx 5 min). Add salt, pepper, spices, wine, tomato paste, sauce, and vegetable broth and stir. Add water, lower to a simmer and cook covered for 1 hr 15 mins. Let cool and transfer to a bowl.

Heat oven to 400 degrees

Roll dough out until 1/8” thin and cut into 4” rounds (use a round dough cutter, or a large glass measuring at least 4”). prepare a small dish with cold water. With your finger rub the outer edge of the dough with a bit of water. Put a small, teaspoon-sized glob of mixture in the center of the dough ring and pinch together in a half-moon shape. Using a fork gently pinch the edge to form a seal. Cook on a cookie sheet for 20 min, or until the dough is golden.