Traditionally barbecue involved cooking the toughest and largest cuts of meat—the cuts that nobody else wanted. Often when beef is butchered, scraps of meat are left piled on the cutting board. Some view this pile of discards as waste; others envision dinner. So it is with these beef skewers. For this preparation you can use beef chunks left over from any of the cuts in this chapter: tenderloin tips, top round chunks, tri-tip scraps, and more. By adding vegetables to the skewer, you can stretch a small amount of beef to serve an entire family. The marinade recipe figures prominently and fondly in my memories of the days before I joined the Big Bob Gibson family. When visiting my future in-laws Don McLemore (Big Bob’s grandson) and his wife, Carolyn, I was treated to beef kebabs in this wonderfully balanced marinade. The sweet ginger and soy flavor is as good on veggies as it is on meat. I added the mustard horseradish sauce to take this recipe to the next level.
An extra-silky filling (no water bath needed!) and a smooth sour cream topping make this the ultimate cheesecake.
Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.
Round out these autumn greens with tart pomegranate seeds, crunchy pepitas, and a shower of Parmesan.
This is the type of soup that, at first glance, might seem a little…unexciting. But you’re underestimating the power of mushrooms, which do the heavy lifting.
A dash of cocoa powder adds depth and richness to the broth of this easy turkey chili.
This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.
The silky French vanilla sauce that goes with everything.
This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.