Cajun Beef and Okra Stew

Cajun seasoning, okra and sausage transform plain old stewing beef into a lively gumbo. When cooked, the okra acts as a natural sauce thickener. You can make this dish even heartier by serving it over a steaming bowl of rice.

Slow Cooker Braised Beef and Rosemary Pasta Sauce

The splash of balsamic vinegar adds polish to a rich beef sauce. Look no further than your favourite short pasta to go with it.

Ground Beef Pide

A delicious alternative to traditional pizza, pide is a Turkish flatbread shaped as a boat and baked in a brick or stone oven. Here we serve up a ground beef pide, but the options are limitless!

Toppings vary widely but most often include ground meat with onion, tomato, parsley and spices, as well as cheese, eggs, mushrooms, peppers, spinach and sausage.

The Living Room Restaurant's Alberta Beef Burger

This burger from The Living Room Restaurant in Calgary makes the best-dressed burger list in Alberta, according to John Gilchrist, a restaurant critic for CBC Radio. Andrew Keen, executive chef and co-owner of the restaurant, swears by extra-lean Alberta-raised Galloway beef, but these patties are tasty with any ground beef. Unusual additions, such as miso, capers and sweet gherkins, give the burgers a complex, full flavour.

Beef and Green Bean Stew

Choose an outside or inside round oven roast or shoulder pot roast. Starting with one piece of meat rather than precut stewing beef means that all the chunks will be similar in size and texture and will require the same cooking time.

Aromatic Beef Kabobs with Cucumber Yogurt

These kabobs make great party food for a backyard gathering. If you like, substitute ground lamb for the beef for an authentic Middle-Eastern taste. Serve with pitas warmed on the grill and cucumber yogurt sauce. 

Braised Beef and Rosemary Pasta Sauce

Stewing beef gives rich flavour to this slowly cooked sauce. Small pieces braise in an hour, while larger chunks can simmer longer in a slow-cooker. Serve with penne or rigatoni, hot pepper flakes and rapini.

Spiced Beef and Spinach Rice

Everyday ground spices add oodles of flavour to simple ground beef. If spicy dishes are right up your alley, add a generous pinch of cayenne pepper along with the cumin and curry powder. Serve topped with a dollop of yogurt, if desired. Cost: $2.40/serving

Slow Cooker Beef and Stout Stew

This rich, dark beef stew, chock-full of root vegetables and peas, is comfort food at its finest and perfect for a blustery night. Serve over mashed potatoes, or with crusty rolls for dipping in the sauce.

Beef Rendang

Heat Rating: Fiery This dish is not for the hot-pepper timid: the quantity of dried hot peppers is essential for the classic taste. The well-cooked meat and the dry, concentrated sauce, with its chewy texture from lemongrass and toasted coconut, are of equal importance. Rendang must be served with plenty of white rice; a cucumber-and-onion salad makes a good accompaniment. Buying a whole roast allows you to cut the beef into large chunks, which are traditional for this celebration dish.