Classic American Main Entrees

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If you set about preparing a full, All American multi-course meal for dinner, you will find lots of great Classic All American Main Entrees here on this page, to then select which side dishes to prepare to best accompany them.

So help your self to an ethnic food adventure, a trip into the kitchen’s of North America, and try out these very scrumptious …

Classic American Main Entrees

Please note: For your convenience, you can click on the recipes listed below and be taken directly to a page with just that one recipe on it, in printer-friendly format.

You are certainly welcomed to read through this whole page, all the recipes are here as well, and there are some videos and pertinent information on background, history, customs, special notes, etc., so it is well worth the read.

Here is the list, in alphabetical order:

Bacon Wrapped Onion Bombs

Balsamic Glazed Steak Rolls

Barbequed Pork Spare Ribs

Beef Steak Grilled to Perfection

Cedar Plank Salmon with Mustard Sauce

Chicken Fried Steak with Gravy

Grandma’s Meatloaf

Grilled Beer Can Chicken

Grilled Wild Alaskan Salmon

Herb Rubbed Roasted Leg of Lamb

Jack Daniels Grilled Steak and Shrimp

Marinated Grilled Pork Chops

Mom’s Sunday-After-Dinner Beef Pot Roast and Vegetables

New England Clam Bake

Old Fashioned Holiday Glazed Virginia Smithfield Country Ham

Salt Plank Grilled Steaks

Seared Citrus Tarragon Sauced Chicken

Smothered Cowboy Salisbury Steak

Steamed Stuffed Bell Peppers

Balsamic Glazed Steak Rolls

steak rolls

While there is a growing number of vegetarians and vegans in North America, the majority of us still love our meats, and beef is by far the most popular. Beef is also the most expensive meat, and doctors warn that a diet that is heavy on beef is not very healthy for you.

But hey – once in a while treat yourself to an exquisite meat-eating experience. American beef comes in many different grades, and you want the good stuff: Omaha beef, Rocky Mountain, Organic, Grass-Fed, Aged Angus, yum! A well marbled aged steak will practically melt in your mouth and burst with flavor. Cooked properly, fine quality steaks, roasts and prime ribs can be cut with a butter knife.

This recipe makes economic use of a pricey cut of beef, sliced thin and rolled around tasty veggies. Have fun, and enjoy!

Ingredients:
For the Steak-
For the Rosemary Balsamic Glaze-
Directions:
  1. Rub each side of the steak slices with a little extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle freshly ground black pepper and sea salt, and some chopped fresh rosemary. Dried rosemary is okay to use, but get fresh if you can.
  2. Heat one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the vegetables until crisp-tender, seasoning with salt and pepper.
  3. Place a few of the vegetable strips vertically on one end of each steak cutlet so that once rolled up the end of the vegetables are sticking out of each end of the steak roll. Roll it up, and secure it with a toothpick. Repeat for each steak roll.
  4. For the rosemary balsamic glaze: Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for one minute, until fragrant. Add the balsamic vinegar, red wine, brown sugar and the rosemary sprigs and bring to a rapid boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Add the broth, return to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for another 15 minutes. Discard the rosemary sprigs.
  5. Prepare the grill and grill on each side for about 2 minutes or according to desired doneness. Do the same if cooking them in a skillet, frying over medium-high heat until done. Serve immediately drizzled with the rosemary balsamic glaze. Baked potatoes make a great accompaniment.

Note: If you don’t yet have a grinder for fresh pepper and salt, we highly recommend this 2 in 1 model, a first class grinder that is sleek looking and a pleasure to use.

Beef Steak Grilled to Perfection

grilled steak

Grilled steak is so popular in the States, in the northern regions we are even known to grill outside in the winter cold, just so we can enjoy the unmistakeable and wonderful flavor that can only be achieved on the charcoal or propane grill. This method is the best way to achieve perfection in a grilled steak dinner entree.

Ingredients: (serves 4)
Directions:
  1. About 30 minutes before grilling, remove the steaks from the refrigerator and let sit, covered, at room temperature.
  2. Heat your grill to highest temperature. Brush the steaks on both sides with oil and season liberally with salt and pepper. Place the steaks on the grill and cook until golden brown and slightly charred on the bottom, 4 to 5 minutes. (If you want really rare steak, that is, browned and charred on the outside, but still cool and bloody in the center, grill only 3 to 4 minutes)
  3. Turn the steaks over and spoon one tablespoon of butter on each steak, spreading it evenly over the surface. Continue to grill 3 to 5 minutes for medium-rare (an internal temperature of 135 degrees F), 5 to 7 minutes for medium (140 degrees F) or 8 to 10 minutes for medium-well (150 degrees F). For really rare steak, grill for no more than 3 minutes on this side.
  4. Transfer the steaks to a cutting board or platter, tent loosely with foil and let rest 5 minutes before serving your Beef Steak Grilled to Perfection.

Mom’s Sunday-After-Church Beef Pot Roast and Vegetables Dinner

sunday dinner

I was a preacher’s kid and, as a boy, almost every Sunday Mom would make this fabulous meal. She would time it so the roast went into the oven just before church – our home/parsonage was right next to the sanctuary – and after the service was over she’d go back to the house and finish preparing the meal.

I will never forget the incredible, enticing aroma I was met with when coming through our front door after church, smelling the rich roast cooking, and being in anticipation of a wonderful repast with my parents and siblings.

Try this one out, I am sure you will be as delighted as I was, and still am whenever I revisit my youth with this, one of Mom’s original and totally marvelous dishes.

Ingredients: (serves up to 8)
For the Main Dish-
For the Gravy-
  • 2-3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 – 1/2 cup Heavy cream
Directions:
For the Main Dish-
  1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Heat a large frying pan to high, add some extra virgin olive oil into the pan. Season the roast with plenty of salt and pepper, then place it in the pan and fry until browned well on both sides. Remove the roast from the pan (reserve the juices in the pan) and, with a small paring knife, make some incisions in the meat, spaced equally over the surface of the roast, and then insert the quartered slices of garlic into the cuts.
  3. Place the browned roast into a large lidded roasting pan, and add some water—about a half a cup—into the bottom of the pan. Put the bay leaves on top of the roast and put the sliced onion in, about half on top of the roast, and the rest in the bottom of the pan. Cover, and place in the oven. Allow it to cook for 1-1/2 hours.
  4. While the roast is cooking, peel the potatoes and carrots, chop the carrots, skin the onions and chop the celery stalks. If you do this right away (or even ahead of time), keep the peeled and chopped vegetable ingredients in a bowl of cold water, to prevent them from tarnishing in color and staling.
  5. After an hour and a half, take the roast out of the oven and reduce the heat to 325 F. Insert the vegetables into the pan all around the roast, and return the entire ensemble back to the oven. Cook for another 1-1/2 hours.
  6. Remove pan from the oven, and carefully spoon/ladle the potatoes, carrots, and whole onions from the pan. Keep them warm in a covered bowl. Remove the bay leaves and discard. Remove the roast from the pan and place it on a platter covered with tin foil while you make the gravy.
To Make the Gravy-
  1. Take the juices from the bottom of the roasting pan (the sliced onions and celery should be mush by now) and place them in a blender.
  2. Add in the flour and heavy cream (adjust amounts depending on how much juice you are working with), and blend well.
  3. Put the blended mixture in a medium heated sauce pan and cook until thickened.
  4. To Serve: Cut the roast into thick slices and place them on a large serving platter; adorn the sides with the veggies, and have the gravy in a pouring dish on the table to pour over the (forked into a mash) potatoes. Some like to have gravy on their slices of roast, also.

Smothered Cowboy Salisbury Steaks

salstks

Ingredients: (serves 4 -6)
For the Salisbury Steaks:
For the Sauce and Toppings:
Directions:
  1. In a medium bowl, combine ground beef, soup mix, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Add milk, bread crumbs, egg and 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce and mix with your hands until combined (try not to over-mix, as this can make the patties tough). Divide into 6 equal portions and shape into patties.
  2. In a large sauté pan, heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil and 1 Tbsp. butter over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the patties on both sides and place in a 9×13″ baking dish. Set aside and reduce heat to medium. Add mushrooms to the pan and cook 4-5 minutes or until browned and tender. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle over the patties.
  3. Return pan to medium heat and add onions. Add a little more olive oil if necessary to keep the onions from sticking. Cook onions until golden and tender, about 5-6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle over the patties.
  4. Add remaining butter, olive oil, and the flour to the pan. Stir over medium heat 1-2 minutes. Pour in beef broth and remaining ½ Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce and stir to dissolve flour mixture. Cook 3-4 minutes over medium heat or until thickened to desired consistency. Pour gravy over patties, mushrooms, and onions.
  5. Cover baking dish with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Chicken Fried Steak with Gravy

 Chicken Fried Steak with Gravy

The name of this dish is misleading, because the meat used is actually tenderized beef round steaks, not chicken. It got this name because the meat is prepared much the same as Southern Fried Chicken, and let me tell you … it is flat out heavenly!

Too high in carbohydrates and calories to make it a regular menu item for the health-conscious, but when you feel like indulging yourself a little, this one’s a sure bet to be worth it.

Ingredients:
Chicken Fried Steak-
Gravy-
Directions:
For the steak-
  1. Begin with setting up an assembly line of dishes. Mix the milk with the eggs in one; the flour mixed with the seasoned salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, paprika and cayenne in another; and the meat in a third. Then have one clean plate at the end to receive the breaded meat.
  2. Work with one piece of meat at a time. Sprinkle both sides with kosher salt and black pepper, then place it in the flour mixture. Turn to coat. Place the meat into the milk/egg mixture, turning to coat. Finally, place it back in the flour and turn to coat (dry mixture/wet mixture/dry mixture). Place the breaded meat on the clean plate, then repeat with the remaining meat.
  3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter. Drop in a few sprinkles of flour to make sure it’s sufficiently hot. When the butter sizzles immediately, you know it’s ready. (It should not brown right away, if it does, the fire is too hot.) Cook the meat, 3 pieces at a time, until the edges start to look golden brown, about 2 minutes each side. Remove the meat to a paper towel-lined plate and keep them warm by covering lightly with another plate or a sheet of foil. Repeat until all the meat is cooked.
  4. After all the meat is fried, pour off the grease into a heatproof bowl. Without cleaning the skillet, return it to the stove over medium-low heat. Add 1/4 cup of the grease back to the skillet and allow it to heat up.
For the gravy-
  1. When the grease is hot, sprinkle the flour evenly over the grease. Using a whisk, mix the flour with the grease, creating a golden-brown paste. Add more flour if it looks overly greasy; add a little more grease if it becomes too pasty/clumpy. Keep cooking until the roux reaches a deep golden brown color.
  2. Pour in the milk, whisking constantly. Add the seasoned salt and black pepper to taste and cook, whisking, until the gravy is smooth and thick, 5 to 10 minutes. Be prepared to add more milk if it becomes overly thick. Be sure to taste to make sure gravy is sufficiently seasoned.
  3. Serve the meat next to a big side of mashed potatoes, and pour gravy over the whole shebang!

Grandma’s Meatloaf

 meatloaf

The idea to combine a bunch of tasty ingredients with ground meat and then bake it like a loaf of bread is definitely unique to, and originally from, North America. It first showed up in the early 20th century, and by now nearly every Mom and Grandmother has her own special way of making it.

This is my favorite, the way my Grandma Wilson used to. But there are no set rules when it comes to making North American meatloaf. Try this version, and then use your imagination … what would you add or subtract from the ingredients to customize it to your tastes?

Some people combine meats – mixing ground beef, pork, lamb, venison, etc., some like it hot peppered spicy, some like gravy over it, and even vegetarians make versions of this dish substituting lentils and/or garbanzo beans and/or soybeans for the meat. Get the picture? Anything goes!

Ingredients:
Directions:
  1. In a bowl combine ground beef with oats, onion, half the ketchup, ½ tbsp. horseradish, milk, eggs, salt and pepper. Shape into loaf. Place on a lightly greased rack in a roasting pan; bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
  2. Combine remaining ketchup and horseradish with brown sugar and mustard. Spoon mixture over meatloaf; bake another 15 minutes or until thermometer registers 160 degrees. Remove from oven; let rest a few minutes before slicing.
  3. Traditionally, meatloaf is served with mashed potatoes and gravy (get recipe on this page, click here) and steamed green beans.

Old Fashioned Holiday Glazed Virginia Smithfield Country Ham

smthfldham

Originally,  American style “country ham” was dry cured for preservation. It was hard and salty, but it would keep in cold cellars for long periods of time, and it made a wonderful winter meal after being re-hydrated in water to remove the salt and reconstitute prior to cooking.

A favorite dish of one of the USA’s founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson, this marvelous and authentically American, Virginia country ham, is now a favorite meal to serve on holidays, Sunday dinners, and other very special occasions.

Ingredients:
Directions:
  1. Preheat the oven as directed on the ham package and follow the instructions for baking the ham. Remove the ham from the oven about 30 minutes before the end of the warming time.
  2. Decoratively arrange the pineapple slices on top of the ham, securing them with whole cloves. Place a cherry in the center of each pineapple ring and secure with a clove or toothpick.
  3. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, mustard and just enough of the reserved pineapple juice to make a thick glaze. Spoon the glaze over the ham and bake for the remaining 30 minutes. Remove the ham from the oven, transfer to a cutting board, allow to cool a bit.
  4. Carve and serve while still nice and warm.

Grilled Wild Alaskan Salmon Fillet

salmon

Unlike the “Atlantic salmon” you see in most inland stores, 99.8% of which is farmed, true “Alaska salmon” is caught wild, which means the fish have lived free and fed on clean substances.

It tastes better, and is a whole lot better for you. Here’s just one of the ways we North Americans love to eat this tasty, fleshy, and fragrant-on-the-grill wild fish.

Ingredients:
Directions:
  1. Start your grille, and heat it to medium-high temperature.
  2. In a mixing bowl, combine all the spices thoroughly.
  3. Generously rub the spice mixture on the flesh side of the salmon and drizzle each fillet with a light coat of oil.
  4. Place the salmon fillets on the grill, flesh side down. Grill for 6 to 8 minutes, then flip the fillets over and grill for another 7 to 8 minutes.

Cedar Planked Wild Alaska Salmon with Mustard Dill Sauce

  Cedar-Planked-Salmon-Allergy-Free-Alaska

Perhaps the most unique and popular way to grill Alaskan Wild Salmon in North America is to do so with the fillet placed atop an aromatic plank of red cedar wood.

Folks, it just doesn’t get any better than than this!

Ingredients:
For the fish-
For the Glaze-

You will also need a red cedar plank (about 5-6″ by 12-14″), covered and soaked in water for at least 2 hours and drained.

Directions:
  1. Brush the skin side of the fish liberally with olive oil. Generously season both sides with salt and pepper.
  2. Place the salmon, skin side down, on the cedar plank.
  3. Make the glaze, in a bowl, mix the mayonnaise with the mustard, dill, sugar and lemon zest. Season with the salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Set up your grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium-high.
  5. Spread the glaze evenly over the salmon. Place the plank on the grill away from the heat. Cover the grill and indirect grill the salmon until cooked, 15 to 20 minutes.
  6. To test for doneness, use an instant-read meat thermometer inserted through the side of the fillet: the temperature should be about 135°. Or insert a metal skewer in the side of the fish—it should come out piping hot to the touch. The glaze will be a deep golden brown.
  7. Transfer to a platter and serve the salmon right off the plank.

Barbecue Pork Spare Ribs

bbq ribs

This is a huge favorite dish in North America, and there are hundreds of annual “cook-off” competitions across the USA where people come with their own “secret” recipe to compete and be judged as to whose is the best.

Usually there is a panel of chef judges, and often the large crowds who come for the taste treat feast vote for a “Peoples Choice” award, too. You can prepare BBQ Ribs on the grill or in the oven.

This version can be done in the oven, with an option of finishing the ribs off over the grill.

Ingredients:
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
  2. Peel off tough membrane that covers the bony side of the ribs.
  3. Mix together the sugar and spices to make the rub.
  4. Apply rub to ribs on all sides.
  5. Lay ribs on two layers of foil, shiny side out and meaty side down.
  6. Lay two layers of foil on top of ribs and roll and crimp edges tightly, edges facing up to seal.
  7. Place on baking sheet and bake for 2-2 1/2 hours or until meat is starting to shrink away from the ends of the bone.
  8. Remove from oven.
  9. Turn the oven up to broiler.
  10. Cut ribs into serving sized portions of 2 or 3 ribs.
  11. Arrange on broiler pan, bony side up.
  12. Brush on sauce.
  13. Broil for 1 or 2 minutes until sauce is cooked on and bubbly.
  14. Turn ribs over and repeat on the other side.
  15. Alternately, you can, skip step 9, then starting with Step 11, switch to your grill – heated to high – to cook on the sauce.

Marinated Grilled Pork Chops

grilldprkchp

Americans love to grill.

Some prefer the charcoal grill, and use coals from the mesquite tree, or the oak or maple trees, each with its own unique flavor added to the meat.

Others prefer the propane fueled grill, and often will use wood chips placed in a smoker inside the grille’s cavity to achieve a similar effect. With or without the added zing of wood coals or chips, the marinated and grilled Pork Loin Chop is a coast to coast favorite in North America.

Ingredients:
Meat-
  • 4 thick cut (1-1/4” to 1-1/2”) chops sliced from boneless pork loin, trimmed of excess fat
Marinade-
Directions:
  1. Whisk marinade ingredients together and pour over chops in a bowl sized to contain chops and cover with marinade.
  2. Marinate at least 1 hour, turning occasionally.
  3. Pre-heat and oil grill. (Note: if you do not have a grill, you can achieve similar results with a metal rack placed in an oven on 450 degrees Fahrenheit).
  4. Sear chops over medium-hot direct heat, rotating 1/4 turn after a couple minutes to score.
  5. Turn to seal other side.
  6. Move to indirect heat (or reduce heat on oven to 325 degrees), and turn occasionally.
  7. Cook until just cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes.
  8. Remove from heat and let rest a couple of minutes before serving.

When it comes to Classic American main entrees, it just doesn’t get any better than this next dish. Usually reserved for extra special occasions and major holidays (Easter Sunday traditions in America include this entree), a lamb roast treat you’ll not soon forget and want to revisit.

Herb Rubbed Easter Dinner Roasted Leg of Lamb

roasted lamb

Ingredients:

Directions:
  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Line a roasting pan with tin or aluminum foil and place a roasting rack on the pan.
  3. In a mixing bowl, combine salt and pepper, olive oil, mustard, lemon juice, rosemary and crushed garlic, blended together well as one seasoning rub mixture.
  4. Spread the rub mixture out on a baking pan, and roll the lamb in it to coat it thoroughly, and rub the seasonings into the meat well, then place the rubbed lamb leg on the prepared roasting pan, along with the 8 unpeeled garlic cloves.
  5. Roast your rubbed lamb leg in the oven until medium rare (135 to 140ºF on a meat thermometer inserted in the center). This should take an hour or a bit longer, depending on the size of your lamb leg.
  6. Take the lamb out of the oven and allow it to rest for 12 to 15 minutes—be mindful that it will keep cooking, its internal temperature will actually increase a few degrees while resting.
  7. To serve, carve half of the lamb leg into desired thickness slices, and place the slices together with the rest of the leg and the 8 unpeeled and roasted garlic cloves (they taste great, you just squeeze the soft, gooey garlic out of the peel and into your mouth) on a large, attractive serving platter, garnished with a few sprigs of fresh rosemary.

 

A favorite meat choice for Americans who are budget-minded is chicken. Compared to most other meats, it is a bargain. But a chicken meat entree does not, by any means, have to take a back seat to other meat entrees when it comes to flavor and enjoyment.

Try out this, one of the many Classic American Main Entrees that feature chicken, prepared in a way that will surely score some major points with your family and/or guests.

Sear-Roasted Chicken with Orange, Lemon and Tarragon Sauce

seared chicken

Ingredients:

(serves 4)

Directions:
  1. Preheat your oven to 450° Fahrenheit.
  2. Wash and clean the chicken, pat dry, and season with 1 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper.
  3. In a large, oven-proof skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat, until the oil is sizzling hot.
  4. Sauté the chicken thighs until well browned on the bottom sides, about 5 or 6 minutes, then turn them over and place the skillet into the oven.
  5. Roast the chicken for about 15 minutes, or until well cooked through—the juices coming out are running clear.
  6. Remove the chicken from the oven, place on a platter, and cover the platter with tin or aluminum foil, and set aside.
  7. Place the skillet back on the burner over medium heat, then add in the shallots along with ½ tsp. salt, and sauté, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the scallions are soft, translucent, and fragrant—2 to 3 minutes.
  8. Now make you sauce: add into the skillet the broth, orange and lemon juices, honey, tarragon, and zests. Cook until the liquid amount has been reduced by 50%, which should take 5 or 6 minutes.
  9. To serve, place the sear-roasted thighs on serving plates; any juices left on the platter you had the thighs resting on get poured and mixed into the sauce, and then put the sauce into a spouted serving bowl to set on the table for each person to drizzle over their chicken as desired.

 

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