Make the Most Out of Your Meals with Leftover Beef
Whether you're meal planning or looking to use leftovers from last night's dinner, beef’s versatility allows you to make the most out of any meal by reinventing leftovers into an appetizing second (or even third) meal. Learn delicious ways to make beef go further by elevating leftovers with meal planning tips from our pro's.
Beef Up Your Leftovers
What's better than one beef dish? Two beef dishes. Our roster of celebrity chefs share how to make one beef meal and turn the leftovers into a new, flavorful dish to enjoy the next day.
Korean BBQ Braised Brisket (Brisket Jjim) with Chef Esther Choi
Chef Esther Choi begins with a Korean twist on BBQ Braised Brisket and makes speedy Brisket Japchae with the leftovers.
Slow-Roasted Short Ribs with Chef Michael Schwartz
Chef Michael Schwartz creates Slow-Roasted Short Ribs and utilizes the leftovers for a crispy and gooey Short Rib Fontina Panini.
Meal Planning Tips and Tricks
Planning ahead in the kitchen saves time and helps make the most of your budget. Meal prepping and planning for leftovers is a cinch when you start out strong with perfectly prepared beef.
Batch Cooking Shredded Beef:
- Pick Your Cut: Choose a cut that’s good for Slow-Cooking such as a Chuck Roast, Shoulder Roast or a Bottom Round Roast
- Cook your Roast: Place 1 large onion, chopped, 1/2 cup beef broth or water, and 2 tablespoons minced garlic into your slow cooker; place roast on top. Cover and cook on LOW for 9 to 10 hours, or on HIGH for 5 to 6 hours, or until roast is fork tender. To get the most flavor from your roast, brown all sides in a non-stick skillet prior to cooking.
- Shred Your Roast: Remove roast from slow cooker. Skim fat from cooking liquid, if necessary, and reserve 1 cup onion mixture. Shred beef with two forks. Combine shredded beef and reserved onion mixture. Season with salt and pepper, as desired.
- Assemble Your Meals: Portion into 3-oz. servings, about the size of a smart phone. A 3-oz portion provides about 25 grams of protein). Transfer each portion to reusable storage containers and add your choice of ½ cup of starchy vegetable or whole grain, like sweet potato, quinoa, or brown rice, and 1 cup of your favorite vegetable, like broccoli, asparagus, or green beans. Seal your containers and place in the fridge for convenient, balanced, and nutritious meals on the go. Make sure to consume your batch-cooked beef within 3 to 4 days.
Batch Cooking Steak:
- Pick Your Cut: Many cuts of beef are perfect for delicious and nutritious grilling. And all steak cuts contain essential nutrients like zinc, iron, and protein to power healthy, active lifestyles. Some of the best cuts for grilling include Top Sirloin Steak, Strip Steak and Flank Steak.
- Prepare Your Beef: Fire up the grill (gas or charcoal) to medium heat. Remove beef from refrigerator and season with herbs or seasonings of your choice. Remember to marinate less tender cuts of beef, like Flank Steak, prior to grilling, for 6 to 24 hours.
- Cook Your Beef: Place steaks on the grill and cook, covered, turning occasionally with tongs until cooked to medium rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness. To determine the internal temperature, insert an instant-read thermometer horizontally into the thickest part of the steak. Once finished, let the steaks rest for five minutes before slicing to allow those tasty juices to redistribute. Season beef with salt, if desired.
- Assemble Your Meals: Once your steaks have rested, slice against the grain and portion into 3-oz. servings (a sensible 3-oz. portion, about the size of a computer mouse, has about 25 grams of protein). Transfer to reusable storage containers and add your choice of ½ cup of starchy vegetable or whole grain side dish, like sweet potato, quinoa or brown rice, and 1 cup of your favorite vegetable, such as broccoli, asparagus or green beans. Seal your containers and place in the fridge for convenient, balanced and nutritious meals on the go. Make sure to consume your batch cooked steak within 3 to 4 days.
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Reheating Tips:
Reheating beef can be a hurdle for some with fear of drying out the meat. In order to keep the beef juicy, mix in a splash of low-sodium beef broth. Wrap the beef in a loosely wrapped foil packet or oven-safe pan covered in foil. Reheat in the oven at 350°F low and slow until the beef reaches a safe internal temperature.
Beef on a Budget
Beef is delicious, nutritious and oh-so-easy to prepare. And affordable for your wallet too! Explore some budget-friendly recipes, leftover ideas and cooking tips to make the most out of any meal.
Cooking Lessons
Want to know how to make a delicious stir-fry or how to perfectly brown Ground Beef? Our cooking lessons have everything that you need!
Affordable Beef Cuts
These overlooked budget-friendly faves – like Chuck Eye Roast, Sirloin Tip Steak and Brisket – are sure to delight your table.