Since 1926, the Agricultural Review has been a free newspaper published by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. For many years, The Tar Heel Kitchen was a featured column written by the department’s marketing home economist. These recipes tended to be seasonal with just a handful of ingredients. We thought these recipes needed to be shared in a new format. Tar Heel Kitchen posts will unearth a few of these timeless recipes each month. This week we are traveling back 30 years to the March 1, 1986 issue and a delicious and unusual way to prepare a roast.
“Although the cattle drives of the mid-1800s only lasted a span of twenty years, our minds are filled with songs, movies, stories and folklore of this period,” said Barbara “Babs” Minter Wilkinson, former NCDA home economist. “One can just picture a large herd of long-horned steer being prodded along by a number of cowboys with the chuck wagon in the lead.”
“Today, our beef is raised with the demanding consumer in mind – fewer calories, less fat, and less cholesterol. For those of us who enjoy eating beef that’s music to our ears.”
“It is important to consider cost per serving rather than cost per pound,” said Wilkinson. She offers the following recommendations for different cuts of beef.
- Boneless beef (ground meat, meats for stew and soup, boneless roast, steak, etc): 1/4 to 1/3 pound per serving
- Bone-in beef (roast, steak with moderate amount of bone): 1/3 to 1/2 pound per serving
- Bony meat (spareribs, short ribs): 3/4 to 1 pound per serving
Since the original article, we have seen a rise in the availability of local meat products. In 2002, there was one farmer registered as a meat handler with our Meat and Poultry Inspection Division. A meat handler is a farmer that raises, processes and sells his own meat products. Today, more than 850 farmers are registered as meat handlers in the state. Check out your local farmers market or grocery store for local products grown, raised, caught or made in North Carolina.
Here’s a savory beef recipe to enjoy this coming weekend.
Cola Roast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 (4-to-5 pound) bottom round roast
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 (10-ounce) bottle cola-flavored beverage
- 1 (12-ounce) bottle chili sauce
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
Combine salt, pepper and garlic salt; rub over surface of roast. Brown roast on all sides in vegetable oil in a Dutch oven. Drain off drippings. Combine remaining ingredients; pour over roast. Cover and bake at 325 degrees for 3 hours until tender.