Since SS Backwards Longhorns is the featured farm for November, my pick from the New Hope Network Blogger Co-Op Box was pretty simple: Chef Sharone Hakman’s One Pot Korean BBQ Cooking Sauce with Sesame and Ginger. Don and I are both fans, and here’s why…
Because I’m a vegetarian who is married to a diehard meat-eater, it’s no wonder you hear me fuss about the complexities of menus in our house. Sure Don grills a lot of the fine meats I am able to buy from local producers, but sometimes he really wants a meat-centered meal, and that means moving the cooking back into the kitchen and basically making a meal just for him. Well, I really don’t mind, but it does create a time crunch and double mess when I need to make two casseroles or two separate entrées. I’m not big on prepackaged stuff, you know, so typically cooking for two incompatible diets can be a big, complex deal. The item I chose from the blogger box this month, however, changed that and gave Don exactly what he wanted—his own meat-centered meal.
One of the coolest things about Hak’s One Pot Cooking Sauce is its creator Chef Sharone Hakman, who left the high-stress, me-centered world of financial planning to follow his dreams, become a chef and encourage everyone to eat well (And we are all about following dreams at Green Gal of the Midwest.).
Additionally—and more important to Don—is the great taste Chef Hakman has achieved with his new line of products that features sauces, spice mixes, rubs and marinades. These enhancements take quality cuts of meat, fish and poultry from good to great with little effort. In fact, when I used the Korean BBQ Sauce with Sesame and Ginger, Don managed to polish off an entire round steak in two sittings!
Round steak actually can be tricky to prepare well—to make sure it stays tender and juicy—because it is technically a rather “tough” cut. This is especially challenging with very lean round steak, like the steaks I get from SS Backwards Longhorns. So here’s what I did to make it one of Don’s favorite November meals (and mine, too, because it was a breeze to make).
Slow-Cooker Asian Round Steak
Caramelize two large yellow, thin-sliced onions in some olive oil and butter. When they are nice and syrupy (remember this takes a while but doesn’t need your constant attention), transfer them to your slow cooker. If you have some extra stuff like mushrooms and garlic lying around, you could chop them up and add them in near the end of the caramelization process, finishing with splash with sherry—not necessary but a nice thought, don’t ya think?
Next add your round steak to the hot skillet and sear well on both sides, about one minute per side. Put the steak in the slow cooker, along with any remaining pan drippings. Add the pouch of Hak’s One Pot Cooking Sauce, put on the lid, turn to low and wait five hours. Your day is now free; there’s little cleanup; and dinner will be done when you are hungry and ready to eat. We just added coconut rice and a side salad.
You can shop for the entire line of Chef Hakman’s products on his website, but you may find them showing up at your favorite local stores, as well, especially if the stores you frequent sell quality ingredients. The sauce we used was non-GMO, gluten-free, preservative-free and made in small batches. The price online was a mere $3.99. Well worth it! In addition, Chef Hakman is pretty transparent about his philosophy toward food and the joys of eating, so his creations will be making a repeat visit in our house… maybe yours, too!
