Explain this to me as though I were a total idiot...
July 3, 2013 11:00 AM Subscribe
Slow cookers - Love it, think it is great, but I think I am sort of missing something. My beef roasts in particular haven't been as tender as I think they should be. Please tell me what I'm doing wrong!
I have a roast in my slow cooker as I type and I am worried that when I get home it is going to be another "meh" not so tender roast from the slow cooker.
Here is what I usually do:
- night before I cut slits in the beef and stuff fresh garlic in the slices.
- season with pepper, a bit of olive oil, some more garlic... thats about it
- in the morning I put a bunch of halved onions and garlic cloves in the bottom of the slow cooker
- I sit the roast on top of onions
- I add a bit (maybe a cup?) of beef broth
- put it on low to cook all day while I'm at work (8ish hours)
My problem isn't flavour. It tastes awesome. It just isn't terribly tender, which doesn't make sense to me. Its a slow cooker for god's sake! Isn't that what these stupid machines are supposed to do? Aren't their whole reason for existing is to make things tender?!
Anyway..
I've tried different cuts of beef (Rib roast, inside round roast, etc). Not much change there. I've tried cooking it for less time, but that doesn't help with tenderness. Today I am trying cooking it for longer but I'm seriously second guessing whether that was the right thing to do. I am scared it is going to just dry out and be a shrivelled disaster when I get home.
I think my issue is liquid. I don't think I use enough, but maybe I do, I don't know. How much liquid should I be adding? Any? Enough to cover the roast? Half way up the roast? broth vs. wine vs. water? I read recipes online that say to put seasoning packets (italian, onion soup, ranch, etc) on top of the meat and then cook it and they rarely mention liquid.
The other issue is that I have a big slow cooker, so I'm thinking maybe the proportions aren't lining up. Some recipes say "2 cups of beef broth" and say how it should go half way up the meat... well, in my slow cooker that hardly passes the vegetables!
I just don't get it. What am I missing? I need a fool proof, guaranteed to be delicious, not full of chemicals (ie. no canned soup etc) slow cooked beef roast recipe, and I need it explained to me VERY SLOWLY and in excessive detail because apparently I am too dumb to be able to do this on my own. Seriously, I consider myself a very good cook. I make an incredible Bearnaise sauce, my curry is to die for, my pies are legendary, my lasagne is epic, my creme brule is just ridiculous. I can do the finnicky stuff (like flaky pie dough or tempering egg yolks) perfectly, so the fact that I am struggling so much with my effing slow cooker is making me feel seriously inadequate.
I have a roast in my slow cooker as I type and I am worried that when I get home it is going to be another "meh" not so tender roast from the slow cooker.
Here is what I usually do:
- night before I cut slits in the beef and stuff fresh garlic in the slices.
- season with pepper, a bit of olive oil, some more garlic... thats about it
- in the morning I put a bunch of halved onions and garlic cloves in the bottom of the slow cooker
- I sit the roast on top of onions
- I add a bit (maybe a cup?) of beef broth
- put it on low to cook all day while I'm at work (8ish hours)
My problem isn't flavour. It tastes awesome. It just isn't terribly tender, which doesn't make sense to me. Its a slow cooker for god's sake! Isn't that what these stupid machines are supposed to do? Aren't their whole reason for existing is to make things tender?!
Anyway..
I've tried different cuts of beef (Rib roast, inside round roast, etc). Not much change there. I've tried cooking it for less time, but that doesn't help with tenderness. Today I am trying cooking it for longer but I'm seriously second guessing whether that was the right thing to do. I am scared it is going to just dry out and be a shrivelled disaster when I get home.
I think my issue is liquid. I don't think I use enough, but maybe I do, I don't know. How much liquid should I be adding? Any? Enough to cover the roast? Half way up the roast? broth vs. wine vs. water? I read recipes online that say to put seasoning packets (italian, onion soup, ranch, etc) on top of the meat and then cook it and they rarely mention liquid.
The other issue is that I have a big slow cooker, so I'm thinking maybe the proportions aren't lining up. Some recipes say "2 cups of beef broth" and say how it should go half way up the meat... well, in my slow cooker that hardly passes the vegetables!
I just don't get it. What am I missing? I need a fool proof, guaranteed to be delicious, not full of chemicals (ie. no canned soup etc) slow cooked beef roast recipe, and I need it explained to me VERY SLOWLY and in excessive detail because apparently I am too dumb to be able to do this on my own. Seriously, I consider myself a very good cook. I make an incredible Bearnaise sauce, my curry is to die for, my pies are legendary, my lasagne is epic, my creme brule is just ridiculous. I can do the finnicky stuff (like flaky pie dough or tempering egg yolks) perfectly, so the fact that I am struggling so much with my effing slow cooker is making me feel seriously inadequate.
Best answer: The best roast in the slow cooker is Brisket.
You'll waste your money on anything else. RIB ROAST! Oh My Goddess!
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 11:10 AM on July 3, 2013 [7 favorites]
You'll waste your money on anything else. RIB ROAST! Oh My Goddess!
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 11:10 AM on July 3, 2013 [7 favorites]
Don't feel inadequate. Your slow cooker is likely not cooking slowly enough. Newer slow cookers are required by the USDA to cook at temperatures that are just too high to break down connective tissue. Your best bet is to get an older model. I see them at yard sales and at thrift stores all the time.
posted by Wordwoman at 11:10 AM on July 3, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Wordwoman at 11:10 AM on July 3, 2013 [2 favorites]
Best answer: My parents would do roasts in the slow cooker all the time, and from what I can remember from my pre-vegetarian days, they would add water to 3/4 way up the roast.
posted by Fig at 11:11 AM on July 3, 2013
posted by Fig at 11:11 AM on July 3, 2013
I agree that it is probably running too hot.
Also, I've found that while pork gets more and more tender the longer I slow cook it, after a a certain point (which in my cooker is about five hours, max, and four is safer) beef gets stringy and tough. My newish cooker tends to run hot, even on the low setting, so I can't use it to cook beef all day like I did with my previous one.
posted by xeney at 11:11 AM on July 3, 2013 [3 favorites]
Also, I've found that while pork gets more and more tender the longer I slow cook it, after a a certain point (which in my cooker is about five hours, max, and four is safer) beef gets stringy and tough. My newish cooker tends to run hot, even on the low setting, so I can't use it to cook beef all day like I did with my previous one.
posted by xeney at 11:11 AM on July 3, 2013 [3 favorites]
Best answer: I think it's the cut of the meat. I also use brisket mostly, and it always comes out falling off the fork.
posted by archimago at 11:12 AM on July 3, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by archimago at 11:12 AM on July 3, 2013 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Newer slow cookers are required by the USDA to cook at temperatures that are just too high to break down connective tissue.
That was the other thing I was wondering about, whether my "low" was actually low. I also have a "warm" setting. I wonder if that would do a better job of it.
Yeah, the rib roast was my fiance's idea...
I will try brisket next time.
posted by PuppetMcSockerson at 11:13 AM on July 3, 2013
That was the other thing I was wondering about, whether my "low" was actually low. I also have a "warm" setting. I wonder if that would do a better job of it.
Yeah, the rib roast was my fiance's idea...
I will try brisket next time.
posted by PuppetMcSockerson at 11:13 AM on July 3, 2013
Best answer: Beef fibers constrict and toughen with slow cooking before they relax and tenderize. So the longer cooking might just do it. If you're worried about drying out, make sure the temperature's not too high. Also, putting some veggies on top of the beef (I like a nice toupee of butter and onion slices) can help keep the outside from getting hard.
Finally, the fattier the cut, the tenderer it will be at the end of cooking. Round roast is pretty lean, so I can't imagine you'd have much luck with that. Chuck roast is my personal favorite, although it generally comes out of the slow cooker swimming in an enormous bath of rendered fat.
posted by Bardolph at 11:13 AM on July 3, 2013 [10 favorites]
Finally, the fattier the cut, the tenderer it will be at the end of cooking. Round roast is pretty lean, so I can't imagine you'd have much luck with that. Chuck roast is my personal favorite, although it generally comes out of the slow cooker swimming in an enormous bath of rendered fat.
posted by Bardolph at 11:13 AM on July 3, 2013 [10 favorites]
Response by poster: Round roast is pretty lean, so I can't imagine you'd have much luck with that.
:( That is what is in the slow cooker right now. Boo-urns. :(
I like the butter and onion toupee idea, though. I will also try that.
posted by PuppetMcSockerson at 11:15 AM on July 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
:( That is what is in the slow cooker right now. Boo-urns. :(
I like the butter and onion toupee idea, though. I will also try that.
posted by PuppetMcSockerson at 11:15 AM on July 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I think you are using the wrong cuts of meat. You want cheap cartilage filled or fatty meats. Shanks, chucks, briskets short ribs that sort of thing. If your crockpot is running too hot I'd try putting the meat in still partly frozen (don't do that with chicken though) or adding more fluid. I cook chuck roasts the same way you do all the time and they come up super tender because they self baste with the fat, you can skim the fat off before pulling the meat out if you are worried about it.
posted by wwax at 11:16 AM on July 3, 2013 [8 favorites]
posted by wwax at 11:16 AM on July 3, 2013 [8 favorites]
I have a larger slowcooker too. When I do roasts, I cook them on Low and I do use more liquid - I usually go to halfway up the roast. Could it be more tender? Yeah, but they turn out tender enough, in my opinion. (We buy what's on sale, so if it's a roast, then that's what I'm making!) But if the texture is still unacceptable to you I would stay away from the round roasts in the slowcooker from now on.
posted by DrGirlfriend at 11:24 AM on July 3, 2013
posted by DrGirlfriend at 11:24 AM on July 3, 2013
Best answer: If your cut is too lean, you should lard it, not (only) with garlic, but with pencil-thick strips of fresh bacon fat: right through the entire piece; along the fiber is easiest. Lean meat+long cooking=dry meat most of the time (Long-cooking, stews like goulash etc. etc. were invented for taking care of the tasty but otherwise lesser cuts. Yum.)
Try also adding some acidic component to the sauce; tomatoes, wine, a dash of red-wine vinegar...in general it is totally better to have a lot of sauce during roasting: you can reduce it in a skillet on the stove at the end (take out the meat, obviously). Be careful with salt in that case, better to add later than putting in too much at the start.
Otherwise, I agree with others that longer cooking times and lower temps will give you what you want.
[Consider adding a bay leaf or two, maybe some juniper berries, and more herbs of some sort or another, and/or dried porcini or mushroom powder.]
Seeing your last answer, just stretch the cooking time, even for this guy. Make sure there's enough liquid and fat.
posted by Namlit at 11:28 AM on July 3, 2013 [3 favorites]
Try also adding some acidic component to the sauce; tomatoes, wine, a dash of red-wine vinegar...in general it is totally better to have a lot of sauce during roasting: you can reduce it in a skillet on the stove at the end (take out the meat, obviously). Be careful with salt in that case, better to add later than putting in too much at the start.
Otherwise, I agree with others that longer cooking times and lower temps will give you what you want.
[Consider adding a bay leaf or two, maybe some juniper berries, and more herbs of some sort or another, and/or dried porcini or mushroom powder.]
Seeing your last answer, just stretch the cooking time, even for this guy. Make sure there's enough liquid and fat.
posted by Namlit at 11:28 AM on July 3, 2013 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Add some vinegar to your broth. I use a tablespoon or two of red wine vinegar and it breaks down the connective tissue and creates tender beef and pork.
http://www.edinformatics.com/math_science/science_of_cooking/slow_cooking.htm
posted by zepheria at 11:28 AM on July 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
http://www.edinformatics.com/math_science/science_of_cooking/slow_cooking.htm
posted by zepheria at 11:28 AM on July 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
on ours, 'keep warm' the lowest setting, is what we use for 8 hour cookings of pork n such. not low or high :) it works... usually...
posted by Jacen at 11:28 AM on July 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Jacen at 11:28 AM on July 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Regarding liquid, you want some liquid present to transmit heat to all the solids you're cooking, but you don't want to cover the main protein. The liquid should be around half the height of your meat. Too much less is a steam, too much more is a poach. Steaming and poaching have their place, but this is not their place. Are you losing liquid at all? Use (and re-use) foil to seal the top if your lid isn't doing the job. However, a plastic lid usually is all it takes to contain enough liquid.
Do you have to cut the meat after it comes out, or is it falling apart at all? If you are cutting, are you cutting against the grain (i.e across the muscle fibers)?
I second that you need to get cheaper cuts of beef. Anything that you could throw on a grill is not the right cut for a braise.
posted by Sunburnt at 11:29 AM on July 3, 2013 [2 favorites]
Do you have to cut the meat after it comes out, or is it falling apart at all? If you are cutting, are you cutting against the grain (i.e across the muscle fibers)?
I second that you need to get cheaper cuts of beef. Anything that you could throw on a grill is not the right cut for a braise.
posted by Sunburnt at 11:29 AM on July 3, 2013 [2 favorites]
Added: A relatively foolproof method for this type of cooking is to use a Dutch oven inside the oven and to set the temperature on around 230°F.
posted by Namlit at 11:30 AM on July 3, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by Namlit at 11:30 AM on July 3, 2013 [3 favorites]
If you get desperate, add some pineapple-- it contains enzymes that can really break down meat. Mango does as well.
posted by Sunburnt at 11:31 AM on July 3, 2013
posted by Sunburnt at 11:31 AM on July 3, 2013
If the low setting is too hot, you can go to Home Depot and get a dimmer cord which just inserts between the slow cooker's power cord and the wall outlet. You may need to experiment some with the dimmer setting to get the temperature right.
posted by Durin's Bane at 11:32 AM on July 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Durin's Bane at 11:32 AM on July 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Are you losing liquid at all?
No, I don't seem to be. When I start it in the morning there is only liquid half way up the onions, but by the time I get home the beef is usually in a liquidy pool going about half way up or so. When we cook other things in it, like chili, they never seem to cook down, the moisture level seems to stay constant.
re. the dimmer cord, my slow-cooker is electronic, not the "set the knob to low" kind. I suspect that a dimmer cord may not work in this situation.
A lot of mention of cooking times here. How long is likely long enough to slow cook a roast? At what point is it TOO long? I've been scared of overcooking things, but maybe that has resulted in my not letting things cook long enough. Can you easily overcook stuff in the slow cooker? Is there an easy way to tell if you need to cook it longer?
posted by PuppetMcSockerson at 11:41 AM on July 3, 2013
No, I don't seem to be. When I start it in the morning there is only liquid half way up the onions, but by the time I get home the beef is usually in a liquidy pool going about half way up or so. When we cook other things in it, like chili, they never seem to cook down, the moisture level seems to stay constant.
re. the dimmer cord, my slow-cooker is electronic, not the "set the knob to low" kind. I suspect that a dimmer cord may not work in this situation.
A lot of mention of cooking times here. How long is likely long enough to slow cook a roast? At what point is it TOO long? I've been scared of overcooking things, but maybe that has resulted in my not letting things cook long enough. Can you easily overcook stuff in the slow cooker? Is there an easy way to tell if you need to cook it longer?
posted by PuppetMcSockerson at 11:41 AM on July 3, 2013
This isn't the cheapest solution, but if it's not the answer to your slow-cooker woes, I'll eat my shoe. Or your round roast, whichever is more tender.
That said, I recommend two steps:
1. Read This: Slow Cooker Revolution
2. Buy This: Crock-Pot Countdown Touchscreen Slow Cooker
I like the book because they come at it from a scientific approach- they test many permutations of a recipe, and select and print the one with the best result. I like the cooker because it happens to be the one America's Test Kitchen selected as the best, and because all the recipes in Slow Cooker Revolution are calibrated for it. Yes, it's the most expensive of the Crock Pot line, but If you're near a Bed, Bath, and Beyond, you should be able to grab a 20% off a single item coupon from your local paper- BB&B seems to print them weekly. I'm not the greatest chef, but I've turned out some pretty sweet meals since setting myself up with these. Pulled pork, shredded beef, Nutella bread pudding, French toast, etc.
posted by EKStickland at 11:41 AM on July 3, 2013 [2 favorites]
That said, I recommend two steps:
1. Read This: Slow Cooker Revolution
2. Buy This: Crock-Pot Countdown Touchscreen Slow Cooker
I like the book because they come at it from a scientific approach- they test many permutations of a recipe, and select and print the one with the best result. I like the cooker because it happens to be the one America's Test Kitchen selected as the best, and because all the recipes in Slow Cooker Revolution are calibrated for it. Yes, it's the most expensive of the Crock Pot line, but If you're near a Bed, Bath, and Beyond, you should be able to grab a 20% off a single item coupon from your local paper- BB&B seems to print them weekly. I'm not the greatest chef, but I've turned out some pretty sweet meals since setting myself up with these. Pulled pork, shredded beef, Nutella bread pudding, French toast, etc.
posted by EKStickland at 11:41 AM on July 3, 2013 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Good point on the vinegar; I'll throw a half a cup in of balsamic at times and I totally forgot about that!
Warm vs Low - use a thermometer and make your own decisions about whether that is food safe enough for you. It's not for me; hence the "half day" cook (or I put it on at night, and take it off early, then fridge till dinner).
Additionally, I find that the electronic ones might not be flaky (some are) but might be sensitive to fluxuations in power. If you must have an electronic one (say, one that has a meat thermometer built in for smart cooking), put it on surge protector, if not a UPS.
I've heard tell, also, of people using a manual timer (lamp timer type thing) to turn the crock pot "off" an hour before they get home, allowing it to cool for serving as you walk in the door. YMMV, food safety, et cetera.
posted by tilde at 11:47 AM on July 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
Warm vs Low - use a thermometer and make your own decisions about whether that is food safe enough for you. It's not for me; hence the "half day" cook (or I put it on at night, and take it off early, then fridge till dinner).
Additionally, I find that the electronic ones might not be flaky (some are) but might be sensitive to fluxuations in power. If you must have an electronic one (say, one that has a meat thermometer built in for smart cooking), put it on surge protector, if not a UPS.
I've heard tell, also, of people using a manual timer (lamp timer type thing) to turn the crock pot "off" an hour before they get home, allowing it to cool for serving as you walk in the door. YMMV, food safety, et cetera.
posted by tilde at 11:47 AM on July 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
Liquid half-way up... I recommend combining red wine and chicken stock.
Set slow-cooker on low. Warm won't do the job.
Walk away for 8 hours. EIGHT hours, not 5.
posted by matty at 12:09 PM on July 3, 2013
Set slow-cooker on low. Warm won't do the job.
Walk away for 8 hours. EIGHT hours, not 5.
posted by matty at 12:09 PM on July 3, 2013
My big fancy slow cooker with the timer and the programs and such does this. The roast is done but tough abd chewy. When I use my old cheap slow cooker that I bought at the family dollar store, it cooks perfectly tender, can hardly get it out of the pot without it falling apart.
posted by tamitang at 12:15 PM on July 3, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by tamitang at 12:15 PM on July 3, 2013 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Try cooking it on "keep warm" rather than low, for longer. Also, your slow cooker needs to be about 3/4 full ir fuller in order to work properly. Are you filling it full enough?
posted by windykites at 12:31 PM on July 3, 2013
posted by windykites at 12:31 PM on July 3, 2013
Best answer: Also, as for how long is too long... experiment. Cook it for an hour longer than you think you should, and just check to make sure it's not burning. Every slow cooker behaves differently!
posted by windykites at 12:36 PM on July 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by windykites at 12:36 PM on July 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
Best answer: How big of a roast are you putting in? Because what you're describing is, to me, what happens when I don't cook things long enough. This is especially common, I think, if you're buying larger chunks of meat.
Like WindyKites said, try experimenting with cooking it longer. A five pound roast, in my experience, needs more like eight to ten hours, and can easily go twelve, assuming that you've got it fat side up and in a decent bit of liquid. I once managed to fit more like ten pounds of pork shoulder into a crockpot, and that cooked for thirty-six hours or so, and was amazing--like, so good that I packaged it up to give as Christmas presents.
If tonight's supper seems so-so when you test it, leave it go a while longer and see what happens--I bet it'll improve dramatically in another few hours.
posted by MeghanC at 2:00 PM on July 3, 2013 [2 favorites]
Like WindyKites said, try experimenting with cooking it longer. A five pound roast, in my experience, needs more like eight to ten hours, and can easily go twelve, assuming that you've got it fat side up and in a decent bit of liquid. I once managed to fit more like ten pounds of pork shoulder into a crockpot, and that cooked for thirty-six hours or so, and was amazing--like, so good that I packaged it up to give as Christmas presents.
If tonight's supper seems so-so when you test it, leave it go a while longer and see what happens--I bet it'll improve dramatically in another few hours.
posted by MeghanC at 2:00 PM on July 3, 2013 [2 favorites]
Best answer: You need a cut of meat that's marbled with fat - so, cheap cuts. I believe ribs are good in a slow cooker. Basically, it's the fat and connective tissue that turn to jelly. I think that's why pork slow-cooks easier than beef.
posted by glasseyes at 2:22 PM on July 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by glasseyes at 2:22 PM on July 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
My Mom cooked roasts in a Dutch oven on the stove, so I follow her example when I do a roast in the slow-cooker. I've used every kind on sale. Did Eye of Round on Sunday. Nom, nom nom.....
First coat the meat on all sides in seasoned flour. By that I mean add garlic powder, pepper, onion salt, whatever you like to the flour. Dredge real good.
Then sear all sides of the meat in a frying pan with about a tablespoon of corn/canola oil. Just that little bit of browning seems to lock in flavor.
Then I put the roast in the slow-cooker with my veggies(onions, celery, carrots) and add enough water to cover the roast 3/4. Worchestershire(sp?) sauce is good to add too.
I cook on low for about 6 hours.
posted by PJMoore at 6:24 PM on July 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
First coat the meat on all sides in seasoned flour. By that I mean add garlic powder, pepper, onion salt, whatever you like to the flour. Dredge real good.
Then sear all sides of the meat in a frying pan with about a tablespoon of corn/canola oil. Just that little bit of browning seems to lock in flavor.
Then I put the roast in the slow-cooker with my veggies(onions, celery, carrots) and add enough water to cover the roast 3/4. Worchestershire(sp?) sauce is good to add too.
I cook on low for about 6 hours.
posted by PJMoore at 6:24 PM on July 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
If food texture is the big issue, then maybe a pressure cooker might be better suited to your goals?
posted by lilboo at 9:25 PM on July 3, 2013
posted by lilboo at 9:25 PM on July 3, 2013
Seconding PJMoore in the searing department. I've always seared my meats before I toss them in the crock pot but didn't see you mention that. I've also never had a bad roast. I've had best roasts... but never bad. Curious now though about the new vs. old slow cooker thing, because the only slow cooker I've ever had is a hand me down from my grandmother. Man they built things to last back then :)
posted by one4themoment at 11:10 PM on July 3, 2013
posted by one4themoment at 11:10 PM on July 3, 2013
Response by poster: Update: Got home last night, the house smelled HEAVENLY. It had cooked 8 hours on low and ~2 hours on warm. When I looked at my slow cooker the juices and liquid were about 1/2-3/4 the way up the roast of beef. I poked at it with a fork. On the edge piece of meat just pulled right off. I flipped the roast and poked at the meat that had been submerged and it was crazy crazy tender. The gravy I made from the juices and the pureed cooked onions and garlic was INCREDIBLE. Supper was declared delicious by my fiance and step son. HURRAY! However, I think I can do better.
I told my family that I am giong to be trying this again soon, only THAT time I'm going to:
1. buy brisket
2. marinade overnight with some acidtity (red wine, vinegar, tomatoes, etc)
3. sear it on the outside for extra flavour
4. do the same with the onions and whole garlic on the bottom, possibly adding in mushrooms (dried or otherwise).
5. put meat on top of veg, fat side UP so that it self bastes
6. top meat with some extra onions and seasoning and maybe a bit of butter
6. include enough liquid (prob beef broth and red wine) to go about halfway up the roast
7. Set the cooker to LOW and leave it at that.
I'll try to come back later to report on how it went. I'm feeling much more optimistic about my future beef roast.
posted by PuppetMcSockerson at 5:07 AM on July 4, 2013 [6 favorites]
I told my family that I am giong to be trying this again soon, only THAT time I'm going to:
1. buy brisket
2. marinade overnight with some acidtity (red wine, vinegar, tomatoes, etc)
3. sear it on the outside for extra flavour
4. do the same with the onions and whole garlic on the bottom, possibly adding in mushrooms (dried or otherwise).
5. put meat on top of veg, fat side UP so that it self bastes
6. top meat with some extra onions and seasoning and maybe a bit of butter
6. include enough liquid (prob beef broth and red wine) to go about halfway up the roast
7. Set the cooker to LOW and leave it at that.
I'll try to come back later to report on how it went. I'm feeling much more optimistic about my future beef roast.
posted by PuppetMcSockerson at 5:07 AM on July 4, 2013 [6 favorites]
Good to hear. I had a dinner party panic and used my 4qt cook pot on a "High" 6qt setting over the weekend to go from frozen chicken fillets to zesty salsa chicken in about 3 hours. Rice took another 20 min and we were done. I simply upended a bottle of zesty Italian dressing and a cup of salsa over the frozen fillets (individually frozen, so they weren't a block of 5 pounds of chicken), turned it to 6qts and high and let it go while I power dusted the house.
posted by tilde at 8:21 AM on July 8, 2013
posted by tilde at 8:21 AM on July 8, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
Could your slow cooker be not humid enough? The lid not sealing, allowing liquid to steam off? I generally use a wine or drippings saved from a previous meal, broth as a last resort, just a little bit. But I've given up on roasts, mostly there - I use an unfired clay cooker.
I've not yet ventured back into roasts, still just soups and beans and pasta meals.
posted by tilde at 11:08 AM on July 3, 2013