We don't often have red meat so when we do, I like to splurge and buy a really good beef tenderloin. I'm a stickler for not over cooking mine so my husband Dave has learned that rare means "almost walking". The teriyaki sauce for this tender beef tenderloin is something I always have in the fridge, ready to drown or marinate on any meat or poultry. We've also been on a Paleo kick so I made a really hearty salad for this on the side and love the crunchiness of the brussel sprouts combined with the sweetness of the apples. The dressing comes from my mom's Chinese Chicken Salad dressing that I make a double recipe of and store in the refrigerator as well. It's all from scratch but won't take half the time if you already have the teriyaki sauce and the dressing ready to go. Teriyaki Sauce
Here's my recipe for a simple teriyaki sauce that you can keep in your refrigerator for weeks (if it lasts that long!) - [embed]http://wp.me/p1L4Tl-N[/embed]
BBQ Beef Tenderloin Teriyaki
Ingredients:
2-3 beef tenderloin steaks
1-2 tbsp good olive oil
salt and pepper
flour
Directions:
Heat BBQ to high about 375 degrees. Sprinkle salt & freshly cracked pepper on both sides of your tenderloin. Drizzle with olive oil on both sides to coat. Sprinkle with flour on both sides. Don't season too early as the salt will draw out the meat juices and make the steaks soggy. It's a common myth to let steaks come to room temperature first - they should be cold when put on the grill. Put them on the grill and turn the heat down to medium high.
Try to only flip your steaks once if you want a crispy outer crust and don't slice them to see if they are done. The best way to check for doneness is to poke a steak with your finger. A rare steak is soft and squishy; a medium rare steak is yielding; medium is gently yielding; medium-well is firm; and well-done is hard and springy.
Take your steaks off of the grill when they've reached the desired tenderness you'd like. Allow the steak to rest for a juicier steak.
I love these steak myths that you should read if you have the time - [embed]http://lifehacker.com/5571192/seven-myths-about-grilling-a-steak[/embed]
After the steak has rested, slice up the steak into thin pieces, spoon over some delicious and warm teriyaki sauce and sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds over the top for garnish. Ready to serve!
Arugula, Crispy Brussel Sprouts, Asian Pear and Avocado Salad
I like to put this salad together right before serving so the lettuce doesn't wilt too much from the warmth of the brussel sprouts and the brussel sprouts stay nice and crispy. Dress right before serving as well.
Ingredients:
1 bag of organic arugula (washed and damped dry)
1 small bag of whole brussel sprouts
1 avocado
1/2 asian pear or fuji apple
2 tbs olive oil
salt and pepper
Dressing:
I use the same dressing I make with my Chinese Chicken salad except that I add a little balsamic vinegar to give it a little extra tang. Either way, the dressing is great on any salad. Here's the recipe.
Directions:
Heat an oven 400 degrees. After cutting the tough tip off, slice each brussel sprout into thin slices. Lay on an aluminum lined pan. Drizzle some olive oil and salt and pepper over the sprouts and toss them to incorporate. Lay out evenly on your pan but don't crowd. Make sure they can bake separated without touching one another. Bake in the oven for about 10-15 minutes, tossing in between until you get crispy, crunchy pieces. don't be afraid to char them a bit. While your brussel sprouts are cooking, julienne 1/2 of a fuji apple.
In a medium salad bowl, add your arugula, your toasty brussel sprouts, apple and cut up avocado. Dress right before serving. I served mine with a roasted sweet potato as well. Deelish!
