7 Simple Beef Dinners to Ease You Into Fall
We’ll spare you the “What’s for dinner?” cliché, but beef really does deliver. That’s true year-round, but especially in August and September, when back-to-school schedules hit and even for the kid-free, vacation is decidedly over. Sigh.
The freewheeling approach to dinner that worked in July suddenly does not. Whether you’re mourning lobster rolls by the shore, still thinking about that epic Labor Day cookout or simply wondering how it became 6 p.m. again, beef’s got your back. Beef takes well to just about every cooking style—from quick cooking to slow braising—and manages to feel like a "real" dinner.
Though these beefy meals won’t bring summer back, they just might make September sting a little less.
1. HexClassic Beef Chili
A great chili can improve almost any situation. And when that situation is a hangry family contending with an autumnal schedule crunch, a pot of simmering spiced beef and beans is the solution. Our chilis mingles black, pinto and kidney beans for a mix of textures and flavors, which you can top however you like: sour cream, creamy avocado, grated cheddar, pickled jalapeños, sliced scallions, corn chips, hot sauce or even tater tots. Set everything out and let everyone build their own bowl. If you’ve got our 12QT/12 L Hybrid Stock Pot, double the batch and freeze half to do your future self a favor.
2. Grilled Philly Cheesesteaks
September still has plenty of backyard-dinner weather left in it, giving you a chance to catch your breath before the chill sets in while the kids run off the last of the day’s energy. Set your HexClad Hybrid Double Burner Griddle directly on the grill grates to char the buns, then do the classic pepper-onion combo and thinly sliced ribeye. To skip slicing the raw meat yourself, pick it up at an Asian market, where it’s readily sold for Korean BBQ and hot pot.
3. Nancy Silverton’s Brisket al Forno
No, this epic braised brisket isn’t coming together on a weeknight. But make it ahead and it becomes a weeknight dinner warrior. Pair it with something green and just about any style of potato: our big-batch Potatoes Au Gratin for a Crowd, Creamiest Cream-Cheese Mashed Potatoes for maximum comfort or, if you’re really putting on the ritz, Crispy Duck Fat Roasted Potatoes. Then plan on leftovers for lunch, piled onto fresh baguette or stirred into buttered noodles with petite peas.
4. Meatball Calzone
If meatballs and pizza had a baby, it would be these crave-worthy calzones. They’re an easy dinner win, whether made in advance and baked straight from the freezer on your Hybrid Pizza Steel or assembled as a family on a Friday night. We love homemade marinara and dough, but for the time-constrained, store-bought versions of either will get dinner on the table that much faster.
5. Rosemary Beef Stew
This is not your grandmother’s watery beef stew filled with meat that could only be chewed with a warning. No, this rosemary-scented stunner has tender, fall-apart pieces of beef chuck, mini potatoes and just-tender carrots. Each bowl gets topped with sour cream and a crispy Parmesan, rosemary and chive mixture that makes the whole thing feel a little more special. For picky eaters, leave the topping on the side and let everyone adorn their own bowl.
6. Grilled Tri-Tip With Blistered Heirloom Tomato Salad
When you want to hang onto summer without putting in much work, opt for this easy steak dinner. Coat the tri-tip in a peppery fennel-and coriander-spiced rub that gives every bite decidedly grown-up flavor. Meanwhile, blistered heirloom tomatoes keep things firmly in late-summer territory. If you’re serving kiddos, double the recipe and leave one piece of steak plain. Slice or chop it thinly, then toss it with the tomatoes and buttered noodles so everyone is more or less eating the same dinner.
7. HexClassic Beef Empanadas
Sometimes dinner has to happen in transit, whether that’s in the car after a sports game or because your kids have simply declined the concept of sitting at the table. We get it. Empanadas are an ideal on-the-go food, and ours are filled with seasoned ground beef, cheese and hard-boiled egg for better texture and a little extra protein. Stash a batch in the freezer and future dinners are in hand, literally.
Phew, we’re feeling a bit better about September now.
