This week we focus on the Midwest and because Chicago was so important in the creation of our beef industry I wanted to showcase two beef recipes. The first recipe  was made popular by Italian immigrants who worked the infamous Union Stock Yards: the Chicago Italian Beef Sandwich.  The second recipe is a steak house recipe because the history of American beef is not complete with out talking about steak and the our love of steak houses. Steak has always followed the money and that is why the best steak houses are in financial centers.  Steakhouses use commercial broilers to cook their steaks, and Chicago is famous for its charred very rare steaks which is perfect for grass-fed steaks because they are best rare. 

Chicago Italian Beef Sandwich
Ingredients:
1 (3-pound)La Cense bottom-round beef rump roast
2 tablespoons fresh oregano or 2 teaspoons dried oregano, minced    
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, minced
5 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups beef stock
salt and pepper to taste
For sandwiches:
Italian sweet peppers, sautéed
Giardiniera(Italian picked vegetables)
Hero Rolls

Preparation: Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 500°F.  Pat roast dry and sprinkle all over with 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper set on rack and place beef stock in pan.  Mix parsley, oregano and garlic and olive oil spread over roast. Roast, fat side up, in a roasting pan 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F and continue to roast until thermometer inserted into center of meat registers 120°F, 35 to 45 minutes more. Transfer roast to a cutting board and let stand, uncovered, 15 minutes.  Boil drippings, this will be the sauce. VERY Thinly slice meat across the grain and serve with sauce or make an Italian Beef Sandwich.

I served this for dinner-- hot --with left over mashed potatoes from Thanksgiving it was so good! Then I made the sandwich for lunch the next day. I recommend doing this because the roast is so good fresh out of the oven!

To assemble sandwich: heat sliced meat in sauce, place on hero, add sautéed Italian sweet peppers. Enjoy!

Chicago Steakhouse Style Grass-fed Steak



The secret to mimicking a steakhouse style steak in the comfort of your own home is to heat your broiler 20 minutes before you put the steaks in. You want the oven really hot! Some people go as far as to broil the steaks over a rack that is placed over an aluminum tray filled with salt so that it catches the juices. With a grass-fed steak you want to broil it about 5 minutes on each side. But each broiler is different so do please use your personal discretion. Make sure to season the steaks with salt and pepper. I made herb butter with mine because I love the flavor of the charred steak with herbed butter!

Herb Butter: In bowl, blend 1/2 cup softened butter, 2 cloves finely chopped garlic and 2 Tbsp. finely thyme and parsley.