Cover Image: Beef It Up!

Beef It Up!

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Member Reviews

Very informative with lots of yummy recipes!

The book covers the different cuts of beef and how best to prepare & use them. The recipes cover traditional as well as something different. It's a great recipe book to keep on hand!

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*Big Thanks to Jessica Formicola, the publisher- Storey Publishing, and Netgalley for an ARC of this book. All thoughts and comments are my own.*

Being gluten-free in a small town means I am always on the lookout for more recipes that I can try to adapt for my family and me. Beef It Up! is basically a bunch of really yummy and basic beef recipes. I'm seriously excited about trying some of these out.

The book is well-written and researched taking the reading from what to look for in a good cut of beef, to which cut to use when, and ultimately how to prepare it. The information and recipes were easy to understand and there were a bunch of great photos

Honestly, this was a win for me. I am a huge carnivore and beef is one of my favorite meats to eat. I am especially looking forward to trying out the Southwest Steak Salad, Peanut-Beef Pad Thai, and the Gouda stuffed Flank steak. I'm hungry just thinking about it.

Great book, would definitely recommend grabbing this one up.

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Great cookbook about different ways to use beef and make it interesting. Great for those nights you want to do something different but don't want to go crazy.

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This was a very well written cookbook. I found the layout to flow well and the recipes were easy to understand and follow along to. I look forward to trying some of them out for my family.

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This was a very well written cookbook. I found the layout to flow well and the recipes were easy to understand and follow along to. I look forward to trying some of them out for my family.

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Beef it Up is a fantastic find! I love beef and although I eat less as I grow older I still truly enjoy it when I indulge.

This book is full of all kinds of great ideas from cut selection to cooking techniques to help keep the meat tender. It also goes over a variety of options for not only cooking but thawing, storing, and shelf life.

This book is perfect for anyone not only new to cooking but those that love and want to properly and deliciously prepare beef. I highly recommend it!

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I love one subject cookbooks, it’s so easy to pick up and find a recipe you want to cook.

I’ve tried Vietnamese-Inspired Beef & Rice Noodles, Taco Salad, and Not-So-Philly Cheesesteak and I’ll be making them again. I appreciate that I can look up the recipes on my kindle instead of having them expire! 5 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

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I love eating Beef unlike my husband. I however get bored from making the same old dishes all the time so I got this book to help me out. I love that is has so many options like an app Beefy White Queso dip was so good and I even used it on nachos. The Beef Stroganoff was so delicious and was done in less then an hour. The Shepherds Pic Mac and Cheese was a new one that I never heard of any where. My husband really enjoyed it since it was something totally different then he has ever had before. I was very happy with all the new recipes for me to try out.

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I requested an ARC of this book for the sole purpose of being a great wife because my husband is a huge 'meat-eater' and I wanted to find creative ways to bring flavor and fun into our meal prep. I jumped right in and probably bit off more than I expected to chew by trying the "Beef Wellington Tartlets" recipe first. I failed my first time but that's because I thought I could skim the book and still make it work - don't do that! The second time was successful and I realized the value in slowing down and reading carefully. They were fantastic, in case you were wondering. Additionally, I'm a sucker for quality photos in my cookbooks and this one had an array of photographs that complimented the recipes.

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This book is perfect for meat lovers everywhere!

Not only does this book contain a vast variety of beef recipes from steaks to salads, it also has a bunch of tips on how to best prepare and work with beef. It gives you tips on the cooking methods, salts, herbs, and much more. While I am not a huge meat eater, I really appreciate what this book has to offer because it does make it easy to incorporate beef recipes of any kind into your regular meal times.

Special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for an online copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Such a great recipe book to have in my kitchen. Struggle with including beef in our menus, so this added so many new ides. Easily readable recipes, great presentation. Going to try my 2nd recipe tonight.

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I’m a cookbook lover and am always interested in acquiring new cookbooks to try out some new recipes!! I’m not a big beef eater, but I found some of the recipes in this cookbook to be very scrumptious!!

50 tasty ways to serve up protein-rich beef meals without a lot of fuss.

Here’s an example of the kinds of recipes inside: Cheeseburger Soup, Shepard’s Pie Mac & Cheese Sheet Pan Steak Fajitas, 20-Minute Mongolian-style Beef, Southwest Steak Salad w/ Chipotle Ranch, Steakhouse Salad w/ Blue Cheese, Empanada Hand Pies and the always favorite burgers, steaks, and chili.

Perfect gift for the meat-lover in your life!

Easy-to-follow recipes with stunning photos throughout.

You will have most of the ingredients on hand, except maybe the type of meat for the recipe.

Includes helpful information on choosing, storing, prepping and cooking beef.

Great gift for the new cook/or experienced chef in your life or maybe a son/daughter that has gone off to college. It would be a perfect bundle to add a roasting pan or instant pot as a complete gift.

I’ve only made the Cheese Stuffed Jalapenos so far and they were mouth-watering delicious! Big hit at a recent Memorial Day get-together!!

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4.5 Stars

As a bookseller this cookbook is perfect for people don't know what to get that picky meat eater in their life. There are many different types of diets out there, and this cookbook has a great angle for the red meat fan.

On a personal note we eat a ton of beef in my household, and I can't wait to try some of these recipes!

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Beef It Up! by Jessica Formicola
Loved this cookbook. I found some very good recipes and new ideals to try in the future. I do recommend this book.

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BEEF IT UP! By Jessica Formicola is exactly what the subtitle promises: "50 Mouthwatering Recipes for Ground Beef, Steaks, Stews, Roasts, Ribs, and More." Formicola, a self-described TV personality, cookbook author, and small business coach, divides the text into sections like Small Bites, Hefty Soups, and Meaty Mains. She offers a nice introduction with helpful information on which cuts to purchase and even which salt to use to enhance flavor. The pictures which accompany many of the recipes are colorful, but there is no nutrition information provided. Formicola does offer ideas using a variety of techniques (e.g., slow cooker, sheet pan, oven, and/or grill) - that is a plus. However, despite multiple assurances that the recipes are less involved than they appear, I thought they were not that "easy" to prepare. One small example is that the Delish Beef Knishes have over a dozen ingredients, including already cooked mashed potatoes. If you love beef and are looking for new ideas (like Gouda Stuffed Flank Steak or Bacon Cheeseburger in a Bowl) give BEEF IT UP! a try, but be prepared to plan ahead.

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Beef It Up! by Jessica Formicola is a must read for beef lovers, busy cooks, bored cooks, and those just beginning their cooking journey. Formicola starts with the basics of all thing beef and is the perfect read for new cooks or anyone that is looking to perfect their cooking techniques. The best part of this cookbook is that several cooking methods are shared through the book. Formicola presents options for using tried and true old school methods like the oven, stovetop, and grill, but also includes some alternatives for utilizing those beloved kitchen gadgets like slow cookers, air fryers, and pressure cookers. Recipes that will definitely be tested in my personal kitchen are the Hand Pies, Beefy White Queso, Bacon Cheeseburger in a Bowl, Lemony Brussel Sprout Salad, Beef and Pea Stroganoff, and the Mac and Cheese Shepherds Pie. I found all of the recipes easy to follow, and range from practical busy weeknight recipes, to indulgent leisurely weekend recipes. In today’s world of internet recipe searching, finding new recipes can be overwhelming and narrowing it down an internet recipe search to find something truly unique can be difficult. Beef It Up! presents some incredibly unique recipes to spice up your beef game.

Thanks to NetGalley and Storey Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

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I tend to use chicken in recipes more than beef. And when I do use beef, it’s usually ground beef. This cookbook is making me rethink all that! Before diving into the recipes, Jessica Formicola introduces us to all things beef. This is important! My lack of understanding all parts of beef is exactly why I reach for ground beef when I need beef for a recipe. The reader and home cook will come away with a good base knowledge on beef after reading the sections of this cookbook.
Now, its time for everyone’s favorite part - the recipes. The photographs accompanying each recipe are pleasing and helpful. The dishes are different and exciting, yet perfectly attainable. And with something to strike every mood and every craving, the cook has plenty of options to choose from, no matter the occasion.

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This cookbook is great for the beef lover in your life. Along with a nice array of recipes you get some helpful information and handy tips on choosing, buying, storing, prepping and cooking beef. As for the included recipes there are six groups: small bites, hefty soups, stews & chili, salads, main dishes, handhelds and bovine specials. This book also includes a side sauce section of recipes. All and all, I felt this was a very good cookbook. Sadly, every recipe does not have a photo, but most do, and they are very attractive. While this Is not a cookbook that I would recommend for everyone, if you are a big fan of beef or know someone that is or are looking to increase your knowledge and skill in regard to beef it is a solid choice that will hold great appeal.

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So many good recipes in here! I am trying to involve my kids more in the kitchen and get them to eat more than a hamburger and this cookbook was perfect for that! They enjoyed helping me cook and we found new family favorites!

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This is a fantastic cook book. I tend to cook more chicken dinners but my family often wants beef and I was tired of all the same old recipes. There are some great early chapters on all the basic food handling stuff that are helpful - prepping, storing, safety, and a great explanation of the different cuts. I loved the recipes I tried and am still excited to try a few more. The instructions were easy to follow and the ingredients were easy to find. The only real downside to this book was that I didn't love the photos. I felt like they couldn't have been done better. Overall though its a great cookbook.

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