Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Marinated Meats: Unrivaled Tenderness and Flavor

It can be challenging to continually come up with new and exciting menus for family dinners, not to mention the occasional party or holiday gathering. It can take pondering over recipe websites or dozens of cookbooks looking for ways to make the meal interesting. A better solution is asking your neighborhood butcher shop about their marinated meats and poultry.
Chances are, nearly all the best recipes that will be found online or in a cookbook will take advantage of this well-known method for infusing flavor and tenderness into beef, pork, lamb and chicken. Certainly meat can be marinated by those who have the patience and the time to do it properly. However, the best results for marinated meats are going to come from a butcher who expertly blends the recipes and uses a unique tenderizing process.
The truth of the matter is that preparing a marinade and placing the meat in it for a few minutes or even overnight is not going to necessarily tenderize the meat.  It is more than just the ingredients that do this miraculous trick — it is the process, as well, that can be quite difficult to duplicate at home.
Besides getting a better result, obtaining marinated meats from a professional butcher is going to save you a great deal of time. Simply bring the meat home and toss it on the grill, and you can be eating in just a few minutes. Anything that gets you out of the kitchen quicker and spending time with your family is a great idea!
Looking for steak in Charlotte NC? Visit us at Holy Joes Halal Meat| Indian Groceries & Meat Market ! We carry a wide selection of fresh food items — everything you need to prepare a gourmet meal for your family and friends!
We are located in Charlotte, North Carolina and have everything you have been looking for in a grocery store.
Address: 10210 Berkeley Pl Dr #120, Charlotte, NC 28262

Chicken Breast Recipes: The Options Are Endless!

The breast is one of the most versatile cuts of chicken you’ll ever encounter. It can be stir-fried, poached, braised, broiled, sautéed, stuffed, deep-fried, baked, grilled and marinated – phew, that’s a mouthful! The list of chicken breast recipes goes on and on. You can strip it down to its birthday suit for a really healthy option, or dress it up by leaving the bone and skin on.
The breast cut comes from the front chest area of the chicken. It consists of white meat only and is available skinless or skin-on, boneless or bone-in. Because it is white meat, you get that wonderful chicken taste without as much calories and fat as red meat. When cooking chicken breast recipes, you can split the cut into two halves (split-breast), which are also available with or without bone and skin.
When cooking skinless and boneless breasts, use seasoning, rub or a marinade to add moisture and flavor. It’s recommended to use a seasoning such as Original Camp Mix (available from The Butcher’s Market in Charlotte, North Carolina) or pre-marinated breasts like Sun Dried Tomato or Lemon Pepper. Chicken pairs particularly well with herbs like thyme, tarragon, rosemary, parsley, ginger, cinnamon, bay leaves and basil. Other great pairings include tomatoes, olive oil, mushrooms, lemon, garlic, butter, carrots, and wine.
Cooking chicken breast recipes with the bone and skin attached adds flavor and texture to meals. The extra moisture comes when the fat that’s attached to the skin melts into the meat. If you want that flavor without the fat, cook with the skin attached and remove it before serving.
Looking for steak in Charlotte NC? Visit us at Holy Joes Halal Meat| Indian Groceries & Meat Market ! We carry a wide selection of fresh food items — everything you need to prepare a gourmet meal for your family and friends!
We are located in Charlotte, North Carolina and have everything you have been looking for in a grocery store.
Address: 10210 Berkeley Pl Dr #120, Charlotte, NC 28262

Seasonings Can Turn a So-So Steak into Something Awesome

Few things in life can beat the pleasure of tucking into properly grilled meat – that tenderness, that smoky beef flavor, and that hit of sweet-tasting fat. However, there’s so much more than what you do with the meat. Seasonings, sauces, marinades and rubs can turn a so-so steak into something awesome.
Seasonings can be as simple as salt and fresh ground black pepper, or a complex blend of herbs and spices. Marinades can make plain steaks spectacular and tough steaks tender. After grilling, sauces can fix any flavor and put the finishing touch to any meal.
In the area of steaks, salt is somewhat controversial. Some professional chefs say that it prevents meat from browning – a crucial element of a properly grilled steak. Others will tell you that salt will dry the meat out. Then there are those who are adamant that salt is essential for flavor enhancement. The trick is, if you’re going to use it, then use it in moderation.
Beef has the ability to go well with most spices. Seasonings can be used to carry flavor deep into meat via marinades, or they can be rubbed on the surface. Of course, many people say that good steaks don’t need additional seasonings. While this may be true for a great cut that’s grilled to perfection, poorer cuts can benefit hugely by some sprucing up.
P.S. The best way to grill beef is medium-rare. Although plenty of people will disagree with this, any professional chef will tell you that cooking steak anywhere past medium is a practice that should be harshly condemned!
Looking for steak in Charlotte NC? Visit us at Holy Joes Halal Meat| Indian Groceries & Meat Market ! We carry a wide selection of fresh food items — everything you need to prepare a gourmet meal for your family and friends!
We are located in Charlotte, North Carolina and have everything you have been looking for in a grocery store.
Address: 10210 Berkeley Pl Dr #120, Charlotte, NC 28262

One of the Most Valued Cuts of Beef Is the Filet Mignon

The name’s literal translation is ‘cute filet’. We’re talking about the filet mignon, known for its supreme tenderness. It comes from the tenderloin that runs along both sides of the animal’s spine. The tenderloin is harvested in 2 long pieces and cut into sections. Filet mignon medallions come from the small end of the tenderloin.
Even the most experienced chefs have nightmares about undercooking, drying or burning this prime cut of beef. The name alone sounds intimidating, reminiscent of a French aristocrat with high expectations and fancy tastes. But, in reality, the filet mignon is simply a small cut with a big ego, and you have the power to bring it down to earth!
Trick #1 is to add the correct amount of fat. And which ingredient delivers fat better than bacon? Often, bacon is used to cook filet mignon because the meat has a low fat content. Bacon not only adds flavor, but it prevents the beef from drying out while cooking. But, now we’re going to get a little more gourmet and suggest using pancetta rather than bacon. Wrap each raw filet with pancetta and use a water-soaked toothpick to secure them.
Trick #2 is to stuff it with something. It might sound complex, but it’s simple. Make a small incision in the side of the filet and spoon the mixture in. The final trick is to serve it with sides that can stand up to the robust flavors of cheese and pancetta. Filet mignon – truly, a beef dinner fit for a king!
Looking for steak in Charlotte NC? Visit us at Holy Joes Halal Meat| Indian Groceries & Meat Market ! We carry a wide selection of fresh food items — everything you need to prepare a gourmet meal for your family and friends!
We are located in Charlotte, North Carolina and have everything you have been looking for in a grocery store.
Address: 10210 Berkeley Pl Dr #120, Charlotte, NC 28262

How to Cook a Cowboy Steak That’s Fit for a Flintstone!

The cowboy steak comes from the bone-in rib eye, and it has one bone left attached. In addition to cowboy steak, this part allows for several generous portions of porterhouse and t-bone. All these cuts are known for their generous marbling and for being fine-grained, so they are really tender.
With something that’s fit for a Flintstone, you should know how to cook it properly:
  • Prep: Since it’s perfectly marbled, avoid using a heavy marinade. Instead, lightly coat the meat with fresh garlic, cracked pepper, sea salt and olive oil. If you’d like a bit of a kick, add a dash of red chili flakes.  Then let it rest.
  • Preheat: While the meat is resting, heat the grill. This is especially important for larger pieces of steak because if the grill isn’t up to temperature, the meat will take longer to cook, and it may dry out. Also, without a hot grill, you won’t get those great sear marks.
  • Cook: You’ve done the hard part! When the steak is at room temperature, put it on the grill. Time depends on how you like your meat cooked. For a 2-inch cut, the recommended time is 12 to 14 minutes on both sides. Because grill temperatures vary, it’s best to have a thermometer, and for medium-rare, cook to 130 to 135.
  • Rest Again: To allow the juices to settle and seal, rest the cooked steak for another 5 minutes. Now, for the best part – tuck in!
Tip: Although a cowboy steak is a meal in itself, you can balance the richness by pairing it with a small summer salad or grilled asparagus.
steak in Charlotte, NC
Looking for steak in Charlotte NC? Visit us at Holy Joes Halal Meat| Indian Groceries & Meat Market ! We carry a wide selection of fresh food items — everything you need to prepare a gourmet meal for your family and friends!
We are located in Charlotte, North Carolina and have everything you have been looking for in a grocery store.
Address: 10210 Berkeley Pl Dr #120, Charlotte, NC 28262

Have you been looking for a good neighborhood butcher shop and grocery outlet?

Look no further, because at  Holy Joes Halal Meat| Indian Groceries & Meat Market, we carry everything from Halal meat, sea food, Indian Groceries and Poultry to everyday groceries!
We are located in Charlotte, North Carolina and have everything you have been looking for in a grocery store.
Address10210 Berkeley Pl Dr #120, Charlotte, NC 28262
New Halal

Thursday, May 12, 2016

Holy Joes Indian Groceries and Halal Market Beef Biryani

Holy Joes Indian Groceries and Halal Market

Holy Joes provides fresh and local Meats, Groceries and seafood. All our meat is Zabiha Halal. Fresh Chicken and lamb

holyjoescharlotte@gmail.com

http://holyjoeshalalmeats.com

704-248-8686



My today's recipe is Kerala kappa biriyani / Tapioca biriyani / Mashed tapioca with beef / Kappa-beef biryani. During my last vacation to India, I visited Bangalore and I stayed there for couple of days with my friends "Shin", "Meree" & "Anc". Those were undoubtedly the most beautiful days of my life as I had a nice time with my friends, did lots of shopping at commercial street, did window shopping at all those expensive malls, took some wonderful pictures together, lots of gossiping at night, had "pani puri" at least twice a day, had some great Indo-chinese food and last but not the least had the best Kappa biriyani of this world from Josettan's hotel near Koramangala. Even after I was back in US, the memories of Josettan's kappa biriyani was all over my mind, so I decided to give it a try. After a few failures, I was able to make almost the same kappa biriyani, which I had back in India and now a days I used to make it so often that my hubby started teasing me as the brand ambassador for "Josettan's Kappa biriyani".

So here comes my recipe,

Ingredients

Tapioca / Kappa / Yuca - Peeled and cut to small pieces ~ 5 to 5 1/2 cups
Beef ~ 1/2 kg - wash and chop to small pieces
Turmeric powder ~ 1 1/4 tsp
Red chilly powder ~ 1 tsp
Garam masala ~ 1/2 tsp
Black pepper powder ~ 1/2 tsp
Green chillies ~ 4-7 nos ( use it according to your personal preference )
Onions ~ 2 medium sized
Ginger ~ a medium sized piece - peeled and crushed
Garlic ~ 5-6 cloves - peeled and crushed
Vinegar ~ 1 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves ~ 1-2 stems
Mustard seeds / Kaduku ~ 1/2 tsp
Oil ~ 2-3 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method

To cook tapioca :
  • First peel the skin of the tapioca using a knife, you have to remove both the brown and pink color skin of the tapioca and then chop it to small pieces. Next wash it nicely by changing the water 2-3 times.
  • Then boil enough water and add chopped tapioca pieces along with 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and enough salt and let it boil for around 30-35 minutes or till the tapioca pieces are nicely cooked, do make sure that the pieces have become very soft and transparent. Next drain the water using a colander and then transfer the drained tapioca pieces to an another vessel and then mash it nicely using a wooden ladle or a potato masher and do make sure there are no lumps.

To cook beef :
  • Marinate the beef pieces with 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp red chilly powder, 1/2 tsp black pepper powder, 1 1/2 tsp vinegar and enough salt and keep it aside for about 15 minutes.
  • Then pressure cook the beef pieces in a medium flame without adding any water for about 3 whistles and wait till the pressure releases automatically.

To make kappa biryani :

  • First heat 2-3 tbsps of oil in a big pan and add mustard seeds and when it crackles, add curry leaves followed by crushed ginger and garlic and fry for about a minute. Next add finely chopped onions and chopped green chillies and saute till onions become soft and translucent. 
  • Then reduce the flame and add 1/2 tsp red chilly powder, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp garam masala and fry for less than a minute. Next add cooked beef pieces along with the water left in the pressure cooker and boil it for around 2-3 minutes. Finally add mashed and cooked tapioca pieces and keep on stirring it using a wooden ladle till the beef and the tapioca are well mixed and then remove from the flame after 1-2 minutes.






Cheers!!