north african spiced beef ribeye wraps
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North African Foods
North African spiced beef ribeye wraps are perfect for a gathering where you want to showcase your cooking talents. So simple and easy and full of flavors!
Disclosure:
- I was asked to be part of this beef challenge and was compensated for costs involved in creating my recipe.
- All of the information in the recipe and the opinions here are my own.
- I absolutely LOVE beef! Cooking with it. Eating it.
Beef! It’s What’s for Dinner! I had the privilege and honor of being asked by my dear friend Amee of Amee’s Savory Dish to be one of four food bloggers to compete in a recipe contest for the National Beef Council.
Our challenge? Create a quick, easy entertaining recipe that packed flavor, healthy ingredients & happiness. Yes, one that obliterated that ‘guilt’ factor of maybe having seconds and indulging at gatherings, large or small! So, I came up with North African Spiced Beef Ribeye Wraps with Crunchy Confetti Slaw & Carrot Marmalade Soy Sauce! I know, that’s a mouthful!
Beef in Lettuce Wraps
Beef in lettuce wraps is a simple way to fix a meal that you don’t even need utensils. What better way to reduce clean up time. The tastiness of the beef, whatever type you use, the spices and any sauces are perfect for a large lettuce leaf that might be somewhat neutral in its flavor.
Lettuce for Wraps
Different types of lettuce for wraps can be used. You want lettuce that is sturdy enough to hold the weight of what you’re putting into it. The lettuce needs to be flexible, so you can wrap or fold it and hold in your hands. And, the lettuce leaves need to be large enough to accommodate the filling. If you’ve never tried Napa cabbage leaves for lettuce wraps, then you’re in for a treat!
Lettuce Wrap Ideas
Lettuce wrap ideas can expand from meat to vegetables. So don’s just think of lettuce wraps with meat fillings. You can use a thick rich bean filling. Instead of a soft tortilla or crunchy taco shell, try a nice leaf of lettuce. Dice and sauteed vegetables work perfectly with lettuce wraps. And, what about tuna, chicken, shrimp, and egg salad. Yes, there are just so many ways to use lettuce as your wrap!
Recipes with Pistachios
One of the things that just makes this recipe even more fabulous is the simple addition of chopped pistachios! Oh, that nutty flavor and the salty of the pistachios, the crunch, the bite and more. It’s unexpected and perfect with the delicious rib eye beef.
Best Cuts of Beef
Whether these are the best cuts of beef or not, they’re widely used. The top most popular cuts of beef are chuck roast, beef stew, strip or top loin, rib eye and top sirloin.
What is Marbling?
More marbling. Those small flicks of fat in the meat are good. They translate into more flavor, richness and tenderness. Now don’t confuse that with the ‘trim’ fat, which butchers tend to trim away before packaging.
Grades of Beef
Be on the lookout for the ‘grades’ of beef:
- USDA Prime (only a small percentage of what you see in the grocery store, most often seen in special meat stores and restaurants~expensive)
- USDA Choice (most available~what you’ll see at your grocery store, very tasty and delicious)
- USDA Select (little under the choice level, less marbling, but great for cooking)
Freezing of Meat
Packaging of beef is usually saran with styrofoam tray. Usually the meat is bright red because of the oxygen that’s there. If you’re freezing meat, remove it from this packaging and put in freeze safe storage bags. Vacuum packed is another way to packaged meat. The meat is a darker color but once opened and oxygen hits it, it pinks up
Beef Recipes
Now there is a totally awesome ‘Confident Cook’ book that you can access on Beef! It’s What’s for Dinner website. Every time you turn the page, you hear a cool little ‘swish’ sound. It gives you SO SO MUCH information (like 52 pages) like the nutritional value of a serving (3 oz.) of beef.
Beef Nutrition Facts
Did you know that you’re getting half of your daily requirement for protein and 44% of your B12 needs (that’s huge!) and more with just 3 ounces of beef! Dying to know the difference between grain-finished, grass-finished, naturally raised, certified organic? Page 10! To marinate or rub? Page 20! You get the idea~this is the go to place for Beef 101!
Now on to what I created for the competition! xoxo ~peace & good beef~ ally
PS: Holeeeee Schmollllleee! My recipe WON! Ally’s recipe was placed in the hopper for full recipe development. This included triple testing in their test kitchen. They ran a full nutritional analysis on the recipe, revised it to make it healthier and it’s now on their website at: BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com.
north african spiced beef ribeye wraps
Ingredients
- SAUCE:
- 1 Tbl. olive oil
- 1 Tbl. garlic, minced
- ½ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1 cup carrot marmalade (can substitute orange marmalade)
- SLAW:
- 1 ½ cups purple cabbage, finely chopped
- 1 large crisp apple, skin on, diced
- ½ cup shredded carrots, roughly chopped
- 5 green onions (divided)—chiffonade sliced including tops
- 1 Tbl. freshly grated ginger
- ½ tsp. sea salt
- ½ large lemon, juice & zest
- BEEF FILLING & WRAP:
- Cooking Spray
- 1 ½ to 2 lbs. beef ribeye, cut into small bite size pieces & trimming off any excess fat from the pieces (can substitute New York Strip cut)
- 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- 3 Tbl. ras el hanout spice mixture
- 10-12 large green leaves—Romaine (small variety type) or iceberg (can substitute tender Napa cabbage outer leaves)
- ¾ cup shelled salted pistachios, roughly chopped
Instructions
Slaw Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Toss together well and refrigerate until ready to use.
Sauce In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, add the oil and garlic and sauté about a minute. Add the soy sauce and marmalade, increase heat to medium high to a simmering boil.
Watch the sauce and regulate the heat between medium high and medium low so it doesn’t boil over. Stir occasionally cooking about 8-10 minutes which will thicken it. Turn off heat, leave on blaze until ready to use.
Slaw In a large mixing bowl, combine the cabbage, apples, carrots, 3 green onions, ginger, salt and lemon juice and zest and blend and toss well. Set aside.
Beef Coat a well-seasoned large cast iron skillet (12”) with cooking spray. Turn heat to high and let it get hot. Meanwhile put the beef pieces in a large mixing bowl.
Sprinkle on the salt, pepper and ras el hanout and toss and blend well working the spice into the meat. Reduce the heat to medium high and add the meat searing (about 7-9 minutes) on all sides getting a caramelized browning on the meat.
Keep turning and regulating your heat between MH and medium as the meat browns on all sides.
Serving Each person can build his/her own wrap which would be a lettuce leaf, scoop of the slaw, scoop of meat, about a tablespoon of pistachios, a couple of tablespoons of the sauce, and green onions.
Bend the filled leaf and eat as a wrap. Serve on a small plate with a fork to get anything that could fall out!
I love this dish and have made it many time. It is the perfect dish for summer/outdoor parties.
Jeannie!! That’s sooooooooo great to hear from you! Yes, like you, it’s a favorite of ours, too! And, it’s perfect for summertime get togethers. Don’t be a stranger! xox ally