First crock pot roast

[Luvabigdog]

You all have been so helpful that I feel badly asking again for help. I would not ask if I was certain of the steps and ingredients. I purchased a 2.45 lb beef roast today that I am going to put into the crock pot shortly. I read some instructions and it sounds easy.....but I am not convinced.

I plan to put the meat into the crock pot fatty side up. I will cut slits into the meat and insert smashed garlic pieces. Then I will cover the meat with some black peppercorn, small red potatoes, carrots, celery, and turnips. In about 4 hours I will add sliced gala apples and prunes.

I was told that on the low setting, the roast will be done in about 6.5 to 7 hours. Should I add any liquid? Increase the temperature? Omit adding one of my ingredients or increase my ingredients? Is 6.5 hours adequate?

I am sorry for all the questions but I want this to turn out as good as my pasta last night. You all were a large part in my pasta success so I hope you do not mind that I turn to you all again for assistance.

Thanks.

 

[jennyema]

I'd brown it first. Browning meat is where the meaty flavor comes from.

Science of Meat: What Gives Meat its Flavor? | Exploratorium

 

[pacanis]

You're probably going to have as many "right ways" of doing this as posters. Here's my take.
I love onions cooked with my crock pot roasts, so I usually throw either some small or quartered onions in with mine, too. And I put the carrots and potatoes on the bottom, then the roast on top, so the roast isn't swimming in the juices. It will still come out moist. I add about 1/2c of water, the veggies will give you a lot more liquid as they cook. Beef broth would work, too, if you have it. So would sprinkling some granulated bullion (sp) on top of everything, but I don't do that all the time. It does add more flavor though, as would a couple dashes of worcestershire. I've never been big on putting garlic in meat because I don't like the way the flavor is concentrated all in one area, but I do add several cloves to the whole shebang. A very special treat for whoever is lucky enough to get one or two.
And don't peek, no matter how good it starts to smell.

 

[chopper]

You all have been so helpful that I feel badly asking again for help. I would not ask if I was certain of the steps and ingredients. I purchased a 2.45 lb beef roast today that I am going to put into the crock pot shortly. I read some instructions and it sounds easy.....but I am not convinced.

I plan to put the meat into the crock pot fatty side up. I will cut slits into the meat and insert smashed garlic pieces. Then I will cover the meat with some black peppercorn, small red potatoes, carrots, celery, and turnips. In about 4 hours I will add sliced gala apples and prunes.

I was told that on the low setting, the roast will be done in about 6.5 to 7 hours. Should I add any liquid? Increase the temperature? Omit adding one of my ingredients or increase my ingredients? Is 6.5 hours adequate?

I am sorry for all the questions but I want this to turn out as good as my pasta last night. You all were a large part in my pasta success so I hope you do not mind that I turn to you all again for assistance.

Thanks.

Since you had never heard of Gilligan's Island, I am not sure you can be in the kitchen by yourself. Do we need to wait while you go get Mom?
Actually, you don't need a lot of liquid, maybe just a splash. The rest sounds great. Let us know how it turns out.

 

[Luvabigdog]

Ok....check. I will brown it in a skillet first but just brown. I will add 1/2 cup of water and put the vegetables on the bottom and include a cut up onion. I do not have any bullion cubes but have worsteschire sauce so I will sprinkle a little on there.

Regarding my mother. She is 2500 miles away in Foggia Italy with the rest of my family. If she were to come here Chopper, she would scare the hell out of you. She scares the hell out of me. I fear 3 things in this world: The wrath of God, snakes, and my mother.....and in that exact order. I'm a former linebacker and 6'6" @ 260 so not much scares me. Picture a 5'2" 160 pound woman of 60 years old throwing me around like I'm a piece of tissue paper. She scares the daylights out of me. (my new idiom)

 

[Kayelle]

Strumming fingers and anxiously waiting for a report.

bigdog, I think I can safely say, that nothing here at DC gives us more pleasure than to help a brand new cook, and watch the first steps of success. Often, those of us who have cooked for a very long time, forget how intimidating it was at first. It seems like second nature now, and it will for you someday too. Just want to give you a big pat on the back, and stick around, you are so welcome here. It's nice to be needed.

 

[chopper]

Ok....check. I will brown it in a skillet first but just brown. I will add 1/2 cup of water and put the vegetables on the bottom and include a cut up onion. I do not have any bullion cubes but have worsteschire sauce so I will sprinkle a little on there.

Regarding my mother. She is 2500 miles away in Foggia Italy with the rest of my family. If she were to come here Chopper, she would scare the hell out of you. She scares the hell out of me. I fear 3 things in this world: The wrath of God, snakes, and my mother.....and in that exact order. I'm a former linebacker and 6'6" @ 260 so not much scares me. Picture a 5'2" 160 pound woman of 60 years old throwing me around like I'm a piece of tissue paper. She scares the daylights out of me. (my new idiom)

I hope you realize that I was just kidding about all of this. After reading your other thread where we were talking about Gilligan's Island, I thought you would understand the joke. Didn't mean to come accross wrong.

 

[Rocklobster]

Regarding my mother. She is 2500 miles away in Foggia Italy with the rest of my family.
)

Where does your family live? I was in Frosinone for three years. My ex in-laws live there.

 

[Luvabigdog]

Goodness Chopper.....I know you were joking!!! All is good!! The problem with writing is that we can not see smiling and laughter through the computer screen. I was joking back. Please, please, please do not take offense at my remarks. I appreciate your humor and your wit....please don't take offense because I did not at your comments. If you know Italians, we joke about our mothers frequently. It's a sign of adoration.

And Kayelle, what a very kind thing for you to say. Yes, it is intimidating but very rewarding. Also somewhat self serving. I love to eat and I'm active so I burn a lot of calories. I would eat a full meal before going to dinner with my wife on a date so she wouldn't see how much I really ate. I know when I hit 30 years old that I will have to slow down on my consumption and caloric intake.

We board 21 horses that belong to others.....mostly women. When my wife travels for work and I am alone here, the women bring me dinners that are absolutely wonderful. I get such an abundance that I cannot possibly finish it all. It is difficult for me to remember what tupperware belongs to whom. I want to learn how to cook as well as they do. And all of you are helping me get there. I am very very grateful.

Honestly Chopper. I enjoy your wit and hurmor. Thanks for making me fell so very welcome here.

 

[Luvabigdog]

Oh sorry. My family lives in the Puligia region outside of Foggia. We have a vineyard and small winery.

 

[Luvabigdog]

And if I can ever figure out how to post messages, maybe I will learn how to cook. Stupid me.

 

[chopper]

Luvabigdog, I thought that was the case, but I needed to make sure. I really like having fun with people, especially young ones like my own sons! My dogs didn't want me to mess up with another dog lover!!!

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Your roast sounds perfect and the ideaof the veggies on the bottom with some onion is the best idea!

Cooking should be fun, soon you will be playing with your food like a pro!

 

[Luvabigdog]

Thanks Chopper. I'm feeling all squishy inside. Must be a guy thing!! Just for clarification, that is my attempt at a joke!! I always go for the laugh and sometimes humor does not translate well. I spoke Italian and Russian before speaking English. My wife is Russian and speaks Russian and Italian then English. When we are together with other couples, we speak English to one another so everyone understands. Since it is not native to either of us, we usually say things that are misunderstood and don't make good sense.

I learned to write and read English all through school but didn't really start to speak English until I was about 15. "Lost in translation" is a common phrase around here.

Ok....the roast is in the crock pot, lightly seared first in a pan, vegetables on the bottom, fatty side up, sprinkled with worstischire and 1/2 cup of water on the bottom. Slits in the roast with smashed garlic. The instructions with the crock pot said that if I open the lid that it will take 20 minutes to regain the temperature.....so it will stay closed. We plan to eat around 7 p.m. this evening or around 7 hours after the meat started cooking. Wish me luck.

 

[DaveSoMD]

It sounds like you have everything under control.

 

[Luvabigdog]

Thank you PrincessFiona and what a beautiful child you have!!! We love children and they are around here a lot because of the horses and it is a safe haven after school lets out and until their parents can pick them up after work. My wife will make a wonderful mother some day.

Playing with my food? Of course!!! I played professional sports and during team sponsored meals, we would always conclude with a food fight when it was only players and coaches and not wives or girlfriends. Some men never grow up. Me included. I realize that it probably a cardinal sin here and I grew up with humble beginnings so we never wasted anything. If my mother saw that she would beat the crap out of all the guys without hesitation.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Thank you PrincessFiona and what a beautiful child you have!!! We love children and they are around here a lot because of the horses and it is a safe haven after school lets out and until their parents can pick them up after work. My wife will make a wonderful mother some day.

Playing with my food? Of course!!! I played professional sports and during team sponsored meals, we would always conclude with a food fight when it was only players and coaches and not wives or girlfriends. Some men never grow up. Me included. I realize that it probably a cardinal sin here and I grew up with humble beginnings so we never wasted anything. If my mother saw that she would beat the crap out of all the guys without hesitation.

That is actually a picture of me...a very long time ago. I still look like that when I eat. And by "playing with your food," I did mean you would be inventive on your own...not a food fight, although a food fight could be fun.

 

[pacanis]

I can almost smell it cooking. I just made a crock pot roast a couple nights ago, maybe I actually can still smell it, lol.

 

[Luvabigdog]

I went to give a riding lesson and when arrived back in the house can smell the roast and it is wonderful!!! What an awesome felling of accomplishment!!

PrincessFiona. It is my opinion that beautiful children grow up to be beautiful adults. Using my keen sense of deductive reasoning, and my romantic Italian gene, I will deduce that you are a beautiful woman. And yes, playing with food can be fun. But it depends on how you define the word "play". And that is all I will say on that topic.....before I get kicked out of here. If you are thinking dirty thoughts then get your mind out of the gutter and back into the kitchen!!!

Time for another lesson.

 

[jennyema]

I'm sure it will taste fantastic!

Just to clarify, get a good dark brown crust on your meat before it goes in the crockpot.