Five Quick and Easy Cowboy-Approved Recipes with Beef—It’s What’s for Dinner!

Every cowboy loves their share of beef; whether it’s prime ribeye, ground chuck, or a fatty roast, they’ll rarely turn down a meal made with American-grown beef. With such a wide variety of cuts and grades, the opportunities and flavor combinations are endless. Keep these tried and true recipes on hand for hungry cowboys coming in from a long day of work!

Soft Taco Bake 

Serves 2-4 (depending on how hungry the cowboy is)

Ingredients:

• 1lb ground beef
• 6 flour tortillas
• 1 packet of your favorite taco seasoning
• 1 small white or yellow onion (optional)
• 2 fresh jalapenos (optional)
• 16 oz. your favorite store-bought yellow queso (we prefer the Culinary Cowgirls brand!)
• 4 to 8 oz. shredded Mexican blend cheese

Directions:

1. If desired, dice onions and jalapenos. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add a tablespoon of margarine or olive oil. Sauté onions and jalapenos until translucent or tender. Remove from skillet and set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit if necessary.
2. Add ground beef to the now-empty skillet over medium heat. Season to taste and brown until fully cooked. Reduce heat to simmer and add taco seasoning.
3. Combine yellow queso and sautéed onions/jalapenos with the ground beef in the skillet. Mix thoroughly and adjust queso amount to preference. Heat mixture throughout and then turn off the burner.
4. Grease an oven-safe casserole dish with cooking spray or butter.
5. Place a tortilla in the bottom of the dish and spread the ground beef mixture evenly on top. Optionally, add a thin layer of shredded cheese, then layer another tortilla on top. Repeat until all ground beef mixture is used, then top with shredded cheese if desired.
6. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 15 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted.
7. Serve topped with pico de gallo, sour cream, lettuce, or pickled jalapenos. This dish can be accompanied by Mexican rice or enjoyed as a standalone meal.

Dairy Noodle Casserole

Serves 4-6 

Ingredients:

• 1lb ground beef
• 8 oz can of tomato sauce
• 1 small can of petite diced tomatoes
• 12 oz package of egg noodles (any size)
• 8 oz block of cream cheese (softened)
• 8 oz sour cream
• 4 oz of diced green onion (optional)
• 8 oz of shredded cheese (any)
• Italian seasoning

Directions:

1. Begin by browning ground beef in a skillet on medium heat, seasoning to taste. Once the meat is browned, add tomato sauce and petite diced tomatoes, and heat the mixture on medium heat. Add Italian seasoning to taste and let simmer on low.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Boil egg noodles in a medium-sized pot until tender. Drain and pour them into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add softened cream cheese and sour cream, and mix thoroughly. Optionally, add diced green onions to the mixture according to preference.
3. In a casserole dish of your choice, place the noodle mixture evenly across the bottom of the dish. Remove the meat sauce from the skillet and layer it over the noodles, creating one layer of noodles and one layer of meat sauce. If desired, you can create multiple layers of each.
4. Optionally, top with shredded cheese of your choice.
5. Bake at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted and bubbling.
6. Serve with garlic bread and a side salad, or enjoy on its own. Garnish with green onions if desired.

Mississippi Pot Roast

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 2 to 3lb boneless beef chuck roast
• 1 can of cream of mushroom soup
• 1 packet of dry Lipton Beefy Onion Soup mix
• 1 dry ranch dressing packet
• 4-5 pepperoncini peppers (optional)
• Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

1. Get the crockpot out! Set your crockpot on low and place the roast in the bottom of the pot.
2. Add the can of Cream of Mushroom on top of the roast and spread it evenly.
3. Sprinkle the Ranch packet and Soup packets on top, and add a couple of splashes of Worcestershire Sauce for taste. (Don’t worry, no one truly knows the correct way to pronounce it, so we won't judge you!)
4. Place a few Pepperoncini Peppers in with the roast (Optional) and close the lid!
5. Cook on low for about 8-10 hours or High for 4-6 Hours depending on the size of your roast.
6. Serve over creamy mashed potatoes or white rice for the ultimate comfort food and a guaranteed 5-star rating from the Cowboy Critics.

This will be the best and easiest recipe you’ll ever find. As a true “fix it and forget it,” between the savory smell it casts across the entire house and the melt-in-your-mouth taste, it will be a weekly request. This is a perfect comfort meal for the winter months as well. 

Beefy Taco Soup and Mexican Cornbread

Serves 6-8 with the likelihood of leftovers

Taco Soup

Ingredients:

• 2lb ground beef
• 1 large onion
• 3-16 oz cans of petite diced tomatoes
• 16 oz can of kidney beans
• 1 can of Mexican corn
• 2-16 oz cans of pinto beans
• 16 oz can of Rotel tomatoes
• 1 packet of taco seasoning
• 1 packet of dry ranch dressing mix

Directions:

1. Brown ground beef and diced onion on medium-high in a large pot until thoroughly cooked and the onions are translucent.
2. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot and simmer on low for 2-4 hours. DO NOT drain any canned ingredients; add all the contents of the cans to the pot.

*This soup can also be made in the crockpot by first browning the meat and onions on the stove, then adding all the ingredients to the crockpot and covering it with the lid. Set the crockpot to low and let simmer until you are ready to enjoy.

Pair with the Mexican Cornbread below, or top with sour cream, shredded cheese, and tortilla strips!

Mexican Cornbread

Ingredients:

• 1lb ground beef
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 jalapenos, chopped
• 1 cup of yellow cornmeal
• ½ to 1lb shredded Mexican blend cheese
• 1 cup of milk
• ¾ teaspoon of salt
• 1 can cream-style corn
• 2 eggs, well-beaten
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ cup of bacon grease

Directions:

1. Begin preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a bowl, combine the cornmeal, milk, salt, eggs, baking soda, and bacon grease. Mix thoroughly.
3. Brown ground beef in a skillet over medium heat until fully cooked, then drain thoroughly.
4. Mix the cooked ground beef, onions, peppers, and shredded cheese together and set aside.
5. Grease an iron skillet and pour half of the cornbread batter into the pan.
6. Add the mixture of meat, onions, peppers, and cheese on top of the batter.
7. Pour the remaining half of the cornbread batter on top of the mixture.
8. Bake until the cornbread is golden brown on top and crisp on the edges, approximately 30-45 minutes.

This could be a meal in itself, but it pairs perfectly with the taco soup recipe we provided above.

Steak and Vegetable Kabobs

Serves 2-4

Instructions:

• 1-2lbs cubed beef for kabobs (usually Sirloin cuts)
• 1 large yellow squash
• 1 large zucchini
• 1 purple onion
• 3 bell peppers (colors are based on preference)
• 2 Gringos Chupacabra Chop Haus Blend
• olive oil 
• Worcestershire sauce 
• Metal skewers are recommended!

Directions:

1. Begin by marinating your steak in your usual seasonings or try 2 Gringo’s Chupacabra Chop House Blend and a few splashes of Worcestershire sauce. Remember, it’s not seasoned if you’re not sneezing!
2. For the vegetables, cut the squash and zucchini into half-rounds and place them in a mixing bowl. Peel the onion, cut it into quarters, and add it to the bowl. Remove the stems and seeds from the bell peppers, cut them into squares, and add them to the bowl as well. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over the vegetables and season with your chosen seasoning or the same seasoning recommended above. Toss the vegetables to evenly coat them in the seasoning.
3. Assemble the kabobs in any order you prefer and ensure your grill is hot. Add the kabobs to the grill and cook to your desired steak doneness, preferably not over Medium. Rotate the kabobs every 2-4 minutes to ensure all sides cook evenly and the vegetables become tender.
4. Serve with a classic loaded baked potato and a side salad for a steakhouse night from the comfort of your own ranch!

Enjoy these 5 meals that are guaranteed to keep the Cowboys happy and full, but most importantly, don’t forget to eat more beef and support your local farmers!