Pot Roast sooo tough!

[FrankZ]

I made the italian beef recipe again on Monday. I used piece of bottom round (just under 5 pounds) for it and it cooked in the crockpot for about 9 hours before I shredded it. Another couple after shredding and it was not tough or dry.

 

[TATTRAT]

I made the italian beef recipe again on Monday. I used piece of bottom round (just under 5 pounds) for it and it cooked in the crockpot for about 9 hours before I shredded it. Another couple after shredding and it was not tough or dry.

Isn't Italian Beef stored/served out of a big vat of drippings?

 

[FrankZ]

Proper italian beef likely is. This is a crockpot version I found on allrecipes.com.

My point is it cooks for a long time and isn't tough or dry. Mind you the recipe calls for 3 cups of water when making.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Agaibn, I submit that the cookign temperature is important. If the meat is boiled, even a low boil, for an extended period of time, it will become tough, dry, and bland. A proper braise is almost like poaching. Think of soux-fide cooking. The temperature is carefully controlled to avoid overcooking the meat in liquid that is too hot.

I have put a pot roast into a pan, turned my oven to 200', and left it for 12 hours or more, and had great roast.

I have boiled meat for 2 hours and had dry, flavorless meat. Final temperature of the meat is everything. That is my belief, and the results of many experiments have proven it to me.

Use a meat thermometer and remove the roast when the internal temp reaches about 190' F. It will be tender and juicy.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[Constance]

Ok, so I make the chuck roast, and I've cooked it on Low for 10 or so hours, tough. Cooked on High for 10 or so hours. Tough. Am I adding too much water? Is that possible?? They used to be so good, and I don't know what's wrong anymore! Thank you!

It shouldn't be tough. In fact, it should be mush after all that. Sometimes you just get a tough piece of meat. Grind it up and make meat spread out of it.

 

[bikergal34]

Ok, Put the crockpot on LOW for that amount of time...even if you don't have one with a warm feature....at the temp the crockpot on low keeps it at...10 hrs will be fine...why it was dry?....you had it on high too long....try the low feature when you are going to be braising that long. Good Luck! p.s. I don't know how much liquid you had in the crockpot...But I think it was cooking it at too high a temp for too long.

 

[Hammster]

So, I was seeing a bit of contrasting information regarding braise vs roast so I did a bit of research. I know...right?
Anyway, it seems the real difference is whether the meat is in the liquid or not. A lid can be used for braising or roasting and liquid can be used for braising or roasting. It's just if the meat is in the liquid or out of it.
If I interpreted correctly, in OP's case the veggies were under the roast so that would act as the rack to keep the meat out of the small amount of liquid I recommended (1/2 cup, I think?).
Another thing to remember about modern slow cookers is they do cook at a higher temperature than when they were first invented. Food safety police made the manufacturers raise the minimum temperature.
Anyway, I'm done flogging this dead horse. I just really wanted to find the fine line between roast and braise. Sorry for the hijack.

 

[Soma]

Well if it's any consolation to you, my pot roast of yesterday is not edible! I paid $20 for 4 pounds of beef brisket (not corned), put it into slow cooker with wine and spices and herbs, cooked for 5 hours on low, then let it sit overnight. Next morning: tough as shoe-leather (not that I've ever eaten shoe leather, just imagining....)
So, I dumpbed all the wine out, and replaced it with some stewed tomatoes I had in freezer. Cooked it another 6 hours today. It's still not chewable!!! I can't believe it.

So if misery likes company, let's commiserate.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Well if it's any consolation to you, my pot roast of yesterday is not edible! I paid $20 for 4 pounds of beef brisket (not corned), put it into slow cooker with wine and spices and herbs, cooked for 5 hours on low, then let it sit overnight. Next morning: tough as shoe-leather (not that I've ever eaten shoe leather, just imagining....)
So, I dumpbed all the wine out, and replaced it with some stewed tomatoes I had in freezer. Cooked it another 6 hours today. It's still not chewable!!! I can't believe it.

So if misery likes company, let's commiserate.

You have passed the test. You are now qualified to cook in the forward Mess Hall on a U.S. Navy Aircraft Carrier. I once had corned beef on a Reuben, while eating in the forward mess hall of a carrier that was so tough, I couldn't cut it with my knife. And I'm not kidding. I was able to rip it with my teeth, and a bunch of arm muscle. Chewing was almost painful.

Just remember, there is a saying in the Navy; you don't mess with the cooks, the laundry dept., or the corpsman. The cook prepares your food. The laundry guy takes care of your clothes, and the corpsman takes care of your vaccination records. As a cook, you will always be safe with sailors.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[RPCookin]

10 hours is going to render ANY cut tough, and dry as a dessert. . .even if it was cooked covered in liquid. Chuck is really lean, the cooking process should stop as soon as it is tender, and the carry over cooking will help it finish to fork tender.

Agreed. The cooking process should be plenty by itself to break down any connective tissue in the meat. I find that about 4 hours on high or 6-8 on low in the Crock Pot makes a chuck roast quite toothsome. I don't add any acid - usually just a packet of onion soup mix or a can of cream of mushroom and some herbs, then water to almost cover the meat - I get plenty of flavorful liquid to make a good gravy from, and I cook any veggies or taters in some of the broth after the meat is done.

 

[Chris-Orton]

10 hours is going to render ANY cut tough, and dry as a dessert. . .even if it was cooked covered in liquid. Chuck is really lean, the cooking process should stop as soon as it is tender, and the carry over cooking will help it finish to fork tender.

I've heard coke instead of water can keep a roast moist longer than water, but not sure even that could go ten hours

 

[bikergal34]

Chuck is actually not lean at all...full of fat and connective tissue....a low braise for a 3-4 poud Chuck roast...low and slow...should take about 3-4 hrs....I like to let it get to room temp in it's braising liquid...allows the roast to re-absorb the juice....wrap the roast separate from liquids....now 10 hrs is crazy.....no going back.....once over-boiled...just a rock....no worries...next time you'll see it will be great! Good Luck!!!!

 

[Soma]

Wow, this is a LOT of helpful info - thank you everyone! I"ve been afraid to use my fairly new slow cooker now....maybe I'll keep it only for vegetarian stews, chilis etc...hehe. I suspect it does cook too hot. Roasting in the oven, or braising seems to work much better.

I did a small prime rib beef roast in one of those blue roasting pans, sitting on top of a metal rack with 1/2 cup of water underneath, for 2 hours = beautiful, soft, tender, juicy meat.

But I still have a 3 pound chunk of that fatless "brisket" meat in the freezer, so I might give it another go....but NOT in a slow cooker. I'll try braising it.

Thanks again - I am really enjoying this forum!

 

[justplainbill]

Chuck is actually not lean at all...full of fat and connective tissue....a low braise for a 3-4 poud Chuck roast...low and slow...should take about 3-4 hrs....I like to let it get to room temp in it's braising liquid...allows the roast to re-absorb the juice....wrap the roast separate from liquids....now 10 hrs is crazy.....no going back.....once over-boiled...just a rock....no worries...next time you'll see it will be great! Good Luck!!!!

+1
We recently finished eating a pot roast made from a 4 lb. bottom round cooked simmering in a covered Dutch oven for 3.5 hours, half covered in water with Minors' beef base, caramelized onions, 2 Tbs of sweet paprika, and 2 Tbs of hot paprika.
After the 3.5 hours the meat was removed to a bowl and the cooking liquid was reduced, added to some browned flour and then enriched with sour cream.
The resulting sauce was added to the bowl containing the meat.
The bowl was then cooled and placed in the refrigerator.
The following evening 1/3 of the pot roast was sliced, reheated in some of the sauce and served with noodles. It was dry and tough.
Same thing on the next day.
On the last day we sliced the remaining meat more thinly, gently reheated for nearly an hour and served as described above. It was moist, tasty and tender.

 

[Oldvine]

Make sure you slice it across the grain. If you slice with the grain, it will add to the toughness.

 

[Soma]

Wow Bill, that sounds incredible!...on the third day it turned tender, after two days of tough eating?? what do you think this can be attributed to? (not rot, I assume, ) cuz it should still be fresh after 3 days in fridge....but: what then?

 

[justplainbill]

I attribute day 3's tenderness to the sour cream sauce marination and the lengthy reheating of the thin slices.