Chef Karen Nelson is part of the 5th generation of the Nelson family. In 2012 she completed her culinary arts degrees from Seattle Culinary Academy and has worked in a variety of restaurants, catering companies, and education programs. Photos of her work can be found on facebook (https://www.facebook.com/1861food/) and instagram (@1861food) well as www.1861community.com. If you’d like ideas for what to do with your Nelson Ranch beef, contact her at 1861food@gmail.com or through social media. Here’s a couple of recipes to get you started.
Recipes
Easy Ragù Alla Bolognese
Published on Pass Me Some Tasty! December 11, 2024 by Shannon Emery
Ingredients & Suggestions
• Nelson Ranch Ground Beef: Our beef will allow the flavors to shine through without extra oil. Higher fat content will make the sauce greasier.
• Pancetta: A little pancetta goes a long way to enhance the flavor of this ragù, but if you don’t have it on hand, no worries. Bolognese is known for using a mix of meats. This is what gives it a deeper, more complex flavor. If you don’t have pancetta, use finely chopped bacon or Italian sausage (removed from its casing and crumbled). It’s also not uncommon to see Bolognese recipes that use a 60/40 mix of ground beef and ground pork. These substitutions will give the Bolognese sauce a slightly different flavor but it will still be super tasty!
• Marinara sauce: Choose a high-quality store-bought marinara sauce that uses just a few simple ingredients—tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, onions, and herbs. Avoid sauces with added sugars, artificial preservatives, or fillers. Look for a marinara sauce that uses San Marzano tomatoes or vine-ripened tomatoes, as these varieties tend to be sweeter and less acidic.
• Mushrooms: While not typically used in Bolognese, I love adding them to the sauce for the extra umami and texture they provide. When finely chopped, even those who claim to be mushroom haters will never notice them.
For a full list of ingredients and quantities see the recipe card at the end of this post.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until softened.
Step 2: Add the garlic, celery, carrot, and mushrooms, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
Step 3: Add the pancetta, ground beef, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to the veggies, breaking up the ground beef as it cooks. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until the ground beef is browned.
Step 4: Pour in a jar of your favorite store-bought marinara sauce and stir to combine.
Step 5: Allow the Bolognese to simmer for roughly 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens.
Step 6: Serve over your favorite pasta. Traditionally Ragù alla Bolognese is served over tagliatelle but my family also enjoys it over spaghetti. Top it off with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano and you’ll be eating happily.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Lazy weekend days that allow time for slow cooking can be dreamy, but I’ll be honest—a meal that comes together quickly and still tastes amazing is always a dream.
A few other reasons to love this recipe:
1. Whole foods and simple ingredients = nutritious dinner for the entire family. Fresh vegetables and lean ground beef are the heart and soul of this meat sauce. Did you know that beef contains 10 essential nutrients such as Vitamin B12, Zinc, and Iron? Check out the Washington State Beef Commission for how beef compares to other protein options. Beef has a lot to offer!
2. It’s a budget-friendly dinner for the whole family. Ground beef is relatively low cost per pound making it an easy way to stretch your grocery budget while still providing a tasty, protein-rich meal.
3. Almost everything on the ingredient list is likely already in your pantry or fridge. And if not, this recipe is forgiving. I’ve got you covered with some workarounds, so keep reading.
4. This recipe only gets better with time. With time the flavors deepen, the sauce thickens, and those leftovers (if there are any) will be even more delicious. Perhaps doubling the recipe is in order.
Tequila Short Ribs
Ingredients
2# beef short ribs
kosher salt and ground black pepper
1–2 T oil, for frying–rice bran works well
28 oz canned whole tomatoes
7 oz canned pineapple chunks, with juice
1/4 c tequila (use the cheap stuff, save the good stuff for drinks)
1 julienned onion
6 crushed garlic cloves
fresh parsley (optional, it’s for the second day, mince just before using for best results)
smoked salt (hickory works great)
Method
Day One
Season ribs with salt and pepper
Heat 1T oil in large oven proof pan
Brown ribs, in small batches, on all sides. add more oil if needed, set aside
Add onions to the pan, cook until just beginning to caramelize
Add tomatoes, pineapple, and tequila. cook 10 minutes
Add ribs, cover, place in oven. braise 3-4 hours or until tender
Remove from heat and cool, DO NOT REMOVE THE LID, refrigerate overnight
Day Two
Carefully defat and remove ribs (make sure you get all the meat) from the sauce, set aside
Reheat sauce until you can easily remove tomatoes and pineapple pieces from the liquid, puree tomatoes and pineapple. Remove sauce from heat, strain all of the sauce through a strainer, pushing sauce through with a ladle or large spoon. Discard any pieces of bone.
Return sauce to pan, reduce slightly, adjust seasonings if necessary
Add ribs and smoked salt to sauce, cover, and allow to come to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes
Serve over roasted yams, or sweet potatoes, and garnish with finely minced parsley
Beef Jerky
Beef jerky is a salty, chewy, delectable experience. First you slice the still slightly frozen meat as thin as possible. It’s best to use the leanest cut you can. Less lean cuts can be used, just make sure to trim them well.
Once your meat is cut, you marinate. Marinades can vary, soy sauce, garlic, pepper, and salt is a good place to start. Marinate your meat in a plastic bag (place that in a casserole dish, just in case it leaks) for about 12 hours. You can go a little less or a little more depending on how saturated you want your meat. Then season the meat with a rub made of salt, pepper, and paprika.
The next step is drying. If you don’t have enough room in your dehydrator (or don’t have one), using the oven works well. Set the dehydrator to 145 degrees Fahrenheit, the lowest temp on the oven, about 170 degrees works about the same.
Events
Calf Tours 2024
Bring your friends, family, and neighbors to see our newborn calves. We will drive you up close to the animals on the hay wagon so you can see all the baby calves. The calves are always very cute and there will be a lot of them so it is always a fun event.
Since it is Easter weekend, we will have an Easter Egg Hunt on March 30th at 11:00 for kids 9 and under. Our Easter Egg Hunt is different than most because the eggs are hidden in the woods. At the sound of the bell, kids will dash for candy and prizes hidden in the woods of our farm. Please bring your own basket or bag if your child wants to participate in the Easter Egg Hunt.
Come for the Calf Tours, the Easter Egg Hunt, or both. All events are free but we would love to have you support our farm by buying beef from us the day of the event. It is also a great opportunity to place your orders for quarters and halves for the summer/fall of 2024.
New calves
New calves!
Come see them in person. Saturdays in April – visit the farm from 10:00am – Noon.
