ISO Beef Roast advice/opinions please!

[Angie]

**If this needs to go under the Slow Cooker forum, please feel free to move it!**

It's so hot that I don't wanna even think about turning the oven on, but I miss a good hot meal that isn't microwaved.

I want to make a beef roast tomorrow in my crock pot.

I'm looking for opinions on the best tasting cut of beef for a roast. I don't care about fat or tenderness, since the crock pot always has given me tender results.

Also, about how much (pounds) would work for two of us? I'm a horrible judge of size...

I'll probably just add taters, carrots and onions with it, your typical pot roast.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Katie H]

Hi, Angie. I know what you mean about heating the kitchen up when the weather is devilishly hot.

I have adapted a recipe for cooking a chuck roast that I recommended to keltin a couple of days ago. 'cept the one I told him about was cooked in the oven. The crock-pot one is just as good.

I, too, cook for only two so I would suggest you get a 3- to 4-pound chuck roast. Put it in the crock-pot, spread with a can of undiluted cream of mushroom soup on top, sprinkle can of drained mushroom stems and pieces over, and top with about 1/2 to a whole envelope of dry onion soup mix. Cover and cook on LOW about 8 hours or more. Mash some taters and you'll have a wonderful meal. If you want, you could steam some carrot rounds and butter them to go with. The gravy is delish and the smell of the cooking beef will make you crazy.

You might even have some leftovers.

 

[keltin]

I know you said you didn’t want to heat the oven, and I’m with you on that in this summer heat. But…….A 350 degree oven for 2 to 2.5 hours makes for a great roast. Use Katie’s recipe here:

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f48/iso-chuck-roast-advice-36418.html

I made this the other day, and I’ll not make another chuck roast any other way. It was incredible, and the leftovers make for GREAT BBQ sandwiches (just scrape off the gravy).

For a true crock-pot recipe, I like a sirloin or chuck roast with potatoes (4 medium), carrots (6-8), onion (1 medium), and mushrooms (1 fresh pack sliced).

I pack some onion and mushrooms on the bottom of the crock pot, then add the roast (with salt and pepper), then the rest of the veggies. I then pour on 2 cans of beef consume ( beef broth doesn't work here, there is something magic about consume….perhaps the gelatin content), and let it run on high for 6 hours or low for 8-10 hours. It shreds apart, the veggies are tender, and you can transfer the remaining liquid to a sauce pan and reduce it for a great gravy. Add a cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce/gravy it if you like.

 

[QSis]

I agree with Katie - chuck roast makes the best pot roast.

Even with shrinkage, a 3-4 pound chuck will give you leftovers. If you don't want them, you could get a 1.5 -2 pound chuck steak.

But who DOESN'T want leftover pot roast???? Among other things, they make the best pot roast and mayo (with a slice of onion) sandwiches!

Lee

 

[keltin]

Hi, Angie. I know what you mean about heating the kitchen up when the weather is devilishly hot.

I have adapted a recipe for cooking a chuck roast that I recommended to keltin a couple of days ago. 'cept the one I told him about was cooked in the oven. The crock-pot one is just as good.

I, too, cook for only two so I would suggest you get a 3- to 4-pound chuck roast. Put it in the crock-pot, spread with a can of undiluted cream of mushroom soup on top, sprinkle can of drained mushroom stems and pieces over, and top with about 1/2 to a whole envelope of dry onion soup mix. Cover and cook on LOW about 8 hours or more. Mash some taters and you'll have a wonderful meal. If you want, you could steam some carrot rounds and butter them to go with. The gravy is delish and the smell of the cooking beef will make you crazy.

You might even have some leftovers.

Oh wow, hey Katie! You replied as I was typing my post off-line!

Have you made this roast in the crock pot? I was simply blown away by the oven version. Can it really be as good in the crock-pot? Wow. And again, thanks for the recipe, you have forever changed the way I cook a chuck roast!

And you know, as much as I loved it, I “sacrificed” a few pieces to the neighbors because I wanted to brag about how good it is! They were floored and now have a copy of the recipe themselves (with credit to you of course)!

 

[Robo410]

chuck rost is the classic, your veggies are standard, mush soup or onion soup mix is a simple effect seasoning. I would spend a moment to brown the roast on top of the stove in a hot fry pan, all sides or at least the flatest two sides. It will give you more flavor.

 

[QSis]

Yeah, I can't see why Katie's recipe wouldn't be great in the crockpot.

Lee

 

[keltin]

When I made Katie’s roast recipe I sliced the roast across the grain in 1/2 inch slices, and I’m not kidding when I say it was so tender and juicy that it reminded me of steak. It was simply awesome meat. The best chuck roast I have ever had.

Without a doubt, this is the best "blind" recipe I’ve ever made – by blind I mean trying a different technique/style I’ve never done before and then open it to see “what happened”. I simply could not be more pleased. Thanks again Katie!

(I’m starting to feel like a chuck roast zealot, but this is simply that good, forgive me!)

 

[Angie]

Chuck roast it is! Seared first...thanks all..Tomorrow I'll shop!