Reinventing Classic Beef Dishes

There are many traditional, beef-forward dishes that have been popular for years and will likely stay on menus for the foreseeable future. But though these recipes appear to have been perfected, adding your creative touch can bring a new level of interest to the table. Here are different ways to reinvent classic beef dishes.

Globally Inspired Beef Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff has remained a staple in the United States since the mid-20th century.¹ Commonly prepared with cuts such as beef tenderloin, flank steak or boneless rib eye, this recipe can be given new life by using influences from cuisines found around the world.

Try creating a Korean-style Beef Stroganoff using gochujang and soy sauce, and serve over steamed white rice. An Italian version by can be prepared with red wine in place of beef broth, with rosemary and thyme, and served with a side of garlic bread. You can also cook your beef with tomato paste and heavy cream and serve over rice for a Brazilian-leaning Beef Stroganoff.

Pot Roast Across Flavor Profiles

This slow-cooked dish is favored by guests for its warmth and heartiness, and by chefs for its low-effort, high-reward preparation. Along with a rich, beefy flavor, Pot Roast usually has a savory, vegetable-forward taste. But trade a few ingredients and you can shift the flavor profile to one that’s new and interesting.

Develop a bright and fruity flavor profile by adding pineapple juice, sliced apples and dried apricots to the broth. You can also craft your Pot Roast with a deep, smoky taste by roasting your tomatoes and onions with smoked paprika before slow-cooking.

Modern-Day Patty Melts

Patty Melts first made their menu debuts in the 1950s and have remained a favorite ever since.¹ While the classic handheld is usually composed of a ground beef patty (consider ground chuck flat), melted Swiss cheese and caramelized onion on slices of rye bread, there are simple ways to give it a modern, elevated twist.

Today’s diners aren’t shy about seeking out fresh ingredients, the type often found in Mediterranean cuisine.² To feed this interest, consider substituting Swiss cheese for feta and the caramelized onion for pickled red onion, and incorporate a dash of tzatziki sauce.

Breakfast has also grown in popularity in recent years.³ Satisfy this demand by building your Patty Melt with a fried egg, Gruyere cheese and chopped chives on slices of buttered, whole-grain bread.

Spicy Chicken Fried Steak

Chicken Fried Steak is an American staple, most often found on menus in the southern US where consumers aren’t unfamiliar with spicy ingredients. To pique interest, add heat in levels that your customers will be comfortable with.

Use a garam masala spice blend with ancho chilis in your flour mixture to introduce a safe amount of warmth and zestiness. Rubbing your top round steak or sirloin steak with smoked serrano chilis will bring the spiciness up another level. Or deliver an extreme amount of heat with habanero sauce mixed directly into the recipe’s gravy.

1 Get Flavor, 2021, 2 Nielsen, 2020, 3 Datassential, 2022