Our Top 5 Recipes For Your Leftover Christmas Roast Beef

Beef and Sweet Pepper Ajiaco

This Latin American classic might not be all that seasonally appropriate here in Australia, but it’s a wonderful, eclectic dish that’ll help dispel those post-Christmas blues. Usually served with chicken and corn, you could call this beef and sweet pepper version a dark spin-off. It merges your leftover roast beef with sweet red peppers and baby potatoes, creating an unexpected but delightful fusion of flavours.

Method

• Heat some oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in chopped shallots, red peppers and some minced garlic, then cook until shallots are softened (about 4 minutes). Sprinkle in 1½ teaspoons of chipotle powder and 2 teaspoons of cumin – cook for around 30 seconds.
• Add your leftover roast beef (about 3 cups) and about half a kilo of red potatoes, cut in half. Pour in 2 cups of water and a generous amount of beef broth.
• Bring to boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are cooked through (around 30 minutes).
• Stir in oregano, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Now you’re set! Stir in some chopped parsley before serving, and if you’re still feeling festive, garnish with some sliced hard-boiled egg. If you like what you see, check out the full recipe with ingredients here.

Beef Hash Cakes with Chipotle Yoghurt

This is the perfect kind of hefty, flavoursome breakfast dish to get you in the right headspace to tackle the week leading up to New Year’s. We seriously recommend serving this one with a poached egg on the side, an enormous orange juice and a nice cup of coffee. Perfect!

Method

• Shred your leftover roast beef and chop up some parsley, chives and gherkins. Mix this all together in a large bowl with 200g mashed potato, half a tablespoon of English mustard and a pinch each of salt and pepper.
• Roll the mixture into four balls and flatten them into patties. These are your hash cakes.
• Set out three shallow dishes. Put flour in the first, beaten eggs in the second and 75g panko breadcrumbs in the third.
• Roll each patty in each bowl, in the above order. When the patties are well-coated, cover them in clingwrap and chill them in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• Heat some oil in a large frying pan and cook the patties on each side until golden and crisp.
• To make your chipotle yoghurt, simply mix some Greek yoghurt with a bit of Tabasco. Serve this alongside the hash cakes, and dig in.

Yes, we may have ripped this straight from Jamie Oliver – but at least you know you’re getting the real deal.

Pulled Roast Beef Tacos

Image credit: barbellsandbellinis.com

This is a super inventive way to use up your leftover roast beef, and it’s simple as any taco recipe you’ll find. Plus, who doesn’t like tacos?

Method

• Simply shred the leftover beef with a fork, discarding fat, and sizzle in a saucepan with some water and generic taco seasoning mix. (Go for a blend of cumin and paprika if you’d prefer to keep it gourmet.)

We can kind of leave it to you from here. Dose your taco shell or tortilla with the seasoned beef, and top with tomato, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, coriander, guacamole and jalapenos – or whatever taco toppings you’re into.

Hoppin’ John

While the superstition that eating black eyed peas on New Year’s Day may irk you, Hoppin’ John is a tradition for a reason. It’s really simple to make, and absolutely delicious when it’s done well.

People have been using it to dispose of leftovers for a long time.

Method

• Boil approx. 500g of black eyed peas. Let them stand for an hour, then drain and rinse. Put them in a large pot with 6 cups of water and your leftover roast beef bones. Cook over medium-high heat until water reaches a boil. Lower flame and simmer with the lid tilted for 1½ hours.
• While that’s happening, heat some olive oil and saute some onion, celery, capsicum and garlic. Add in some long-grain brown rice, vegetable broth and spices.
• Cook the rice over medium-high heat until boiling. Lower flame, cover, then simmer for 45 minutes. Stir in your leftover roast beef.
• Once the peas are done cooking, drain liquid and discard bones. Combine the peas with with the rice mixture, and you’re ready to go!

Check out the complete Hoppin’ John recipe here.

We’ve saved the simplest – and let’s face it, the best – for last. Food just doesn’t get much more comforting and soulful than a hot grilled cheese sandwich with a ridiculous lathering of quality roast beef.

Roast Beef and Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Method

• Preheat a skillet on medium low heat. Throw on a couple of tablespoons of butter. Fry up some very thinly sliced onion.
• Butter some thick, fresh wholegrain bread. Lay down a slice of white cheddar, then a generous helping of leftover roast beef. Lay another slice of cheese on top of the beef, then top with the fried onions.
• Grill sandwiches till golden. Voilà.