ginger fig balsamic beef

Since it's turning to fall I figured I'd share one of my favorite recipes and ask a question I didn't really think deserved it's own thread.
First my question:
I was reading this article on how Whole foods sets up displays and what not. One line made me "Believe it or not, my research found that while it may look fresh, the average apple you see in the supermarket is actually 14 months old."
I was thinking it was a typo, then I thought maybe they mean from when they first formed as flowers on the apple tree. So my question is if you really can get apples to stay firm and delicious for 14 months, how do you do it?

Now onto the recipe:

The original recipe that was from a beef it's what's for dinner thing from a magazine but I've modified it for easy crock potting and personal taste. This is a sweet recipe thanks to the sugar in the fig/ginger-fig jelly so no additional sweetening is needed. If you want it less sweet......I guess you could use mashed figs with slices of ginger and then maybe red wine vinegar but I've never tried it so I can't say how a non-sweet version would be.

My version:

2 lbs beef cubed 1'
2 large sweet onions cut into similar sized chunks as the beef
2 red pepper, cut into similar sized chunks as the beef
1-2 containers of cherry tomatoes
3/4 cup fig preserves (ginger fig works really well in this too) If you can't find the fig preserves near the normal jelly check in the specialty cheese sections near the deli/salad bar. Fresh and Easy has it with the cheeses, as does whole foods, and smiths/krogers. I've only found it with the normal jellys at albertsons and walmart.
1/4-1/2 C balsamic vinegar (you want to make sure it will be thin enough to marinade all the meat and veggies. If you have really good and thick aged balsamic use 1/4 or less
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Mix the jelly, vinegar olive oil, garlic,s&p. If you're making this kabob style save about 1/4 c of the mixture in a separate container and then pour the rest in a container with the beef and onions and refrigerate for at least an hour. I personally throw them together overnight.

9/10 times I make this crockpot style so in the morning throw the mixture in the crockpot on low, add 1/2-1 c of water (you could use beef broth or veggie broth but I'd go for low sodium) and let cook during the day (about 6 hrs) although you could bump it up to high and it will take a lot less time to cook. If I'm home I throw in the tomatoes with about 1 hr left since they don't take long to cook and the jelly vinegar mixture is a glaze consistency by then otherwise you can add them when you serve.
If making kabobs alternate between beef, onion, tomatoes and peppers on kabobs and grill covered like you would a normal kabob about 10 min turning and basting every few minutes.

are the apples really 14 months old? MAYBE.....


your recipe sounds great...do you ever visit...FOODGAWKER Maybe you could post it there with some pics...

reply to post by kittendaydreamer


Explanation: S&F!

Waxing the apples just after they have been picked and binned and sorted into 1st and 2nd grades of produce for sale is what helps keep the apples from spoiling for long periods of time!

For apples & oranges there is also gassing process, but I am unfamiliar with it!

Personal Disclosure: I bagged and sold fruit and veg door to door and on the side of the road as a salesman on a comission basis for several years. I often was required to try sell apples of the 2nd grade [which were hail marked scarred] and the selling point was that the were unwaxed and ungassed!

reply to post by kittendaydreamer


I'm going to have try this recipe, though I will switch the beef with Bison. Maybe Venison.

But the name just sounds.....lewd coming off my tongue.

reply to post by OmegaLogos


Good to know, I googled gassing apples because I hadn't heard of them being gassed before and found a link to USDA agricultural research service and it said they use
1-MCP which helps the apples stay fresh/firm for 3-6 months longer than untreated apples.

I'd buy the 2nd grade apples off you it doesn't matter if they're pretty when making apple juice, pie, cinnamon apple slicers or apple cake.