Special Beef in Slow Cooker ??

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Charlotte

Senior Cook
Joined
Oct 11, 2004
Messages
322
Location
near Niagara Falls, Ontario
Hello and thanks in advance!

48 hours ago I used only half the beef pieces that I had marinated in order to make shish kebob on the BBQ.

Now I need to use the other half of this marinated beef, and would like to convert it to a slow cooker recipe that would have carrots, onions, celery, and maybe some herbs.

Presently the beef is still in a ziploc bag in the fridge, there are actually about 1.5 cups of this rub/marinade mixture with it. I can extend the marinade with water if need be and I can also thicken it after it has all cooked, again if need be.


I would cook this for most of the day tomorrow, starting at 9 a.m. while I am at work and have it ready for 6 p.m. when I get home and greet my guests.

Any suggestions?

Do any of you think this is a good idea?

What else would you serve with it?

My guests are from Japan so I will not serve rice as there is no way I can do rice as well as they do.

Even though our temperature has been qutie hot lately I was thinking of getting some sweet potatoes and serving them mashed.

Thanks for the help!
 
First of all, what kind of beef is it? From your post, it sounds as if you want to do a braised dish. The type of beef that you have will make a difference as to whether or not you should braise it.
 
I don't know exactly what type of beef it is, the butcher cut it up for me and I asked for the best beef he had that I could use to make shish kebobs... and I ended up with twice as much as I needed that night, as some people did not come - but they did let us know in time for us not to cook it all.

What does braising mean? I would just like to be able to put it in the slow cooker and let it cook all day... it is already in a very thick sauce created by the marinade...
 
The problem is that if the beef is an already tender cut, it won't benefit anything by being cooked slowly for a long period of time. A couple of questions:
  • What are the ingredients in your marinade?
  • Did you already cook the other half of the beef and if so, how long did you cook it for and what was the texture like?
Braising is slow cooking by almost submerging a food in a cooking liquid. Now if your butcher gave you a chuck roast (which I highly doubt), I would tell you to go ahead and braise/stew it in a heartbeat. If he gave you something like sirloin however, you may as well just grill it or pan sear.
 
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So sorry... the marinade is a bought one... and the beef on the BBQ was actually very tender... and it only cooked on there for about 10 minutes...

I guess you are right and I should NOT slow cook it...

So what can I do with it? What is this braising you are talking about? How long does it take to cook that way?

thanks.... ( now I am afraid.... would I have to just throw out the meat and get something else? )
 
Charlotte said:
So sorry... the marinade is a bought one... and the beef on the BBQ was actually very tender... and it only cooked on there for about 10 minutes...

I guess you are right and I should NOT slow cook it...

So what can I do with it? What is this braising you are talking about? How long does it take to cook that way?

thanks.... ( now I am afraid.... would I have to just throw out the meat and get something else? )

You don't have to throw it out. I would just do it the same way, or you can pan sear it. Serve whatever starch/vegetable with it that you would think fits.

Braising is usually for tough cuts of meat that won't be tender through quick cooking (i.e. sauteeing, broiling, grilling, etc.). You would usually cook the item anywhere between 2-12 hours. If you've every made a pot roast that's basically a braised dish.
 
Toss it into the freezer marinade and all. Take it out when you're ready for another meal of kebobs.
 
Ahhhhhh......

It really is the best shish kebob we have ever had... I never thought of the freezer... and I cannot use the BBQ by myself at all, so sorry but I am scared of it completely - long story...

So It looks like the freezer is the solution for now... and now I have to think of something else for tomorrow night and I am gone all day...

Life is SO tough...

Thanks...
 
Okay - for an "official" definition ...

Braise :
[BRAYZ] A cooking method by which food (usually meat or vegetables) is first browned in fat, then cooked, tightly covered, in a small amount of liquid at low heat for a lengthy period of time. The long, slow cooking develops flavor and tenderizes foods by gently breaking down their fibers. Braising can be done on top of the range or in the oven. A tight-fitting lid is very important to prevent the liquid from evaporating.

--Copyright (c) 1995 by Barron's Educational Series, from The New Food Lover's Companion, Second Edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst

Three problems I can see ... and reading between the lines I can see Ironchef was working towards this, too ....

If the cut of beef was tender after 10-minutes on the grill, it will turn to mush when cooked in a slow cooker (braised) for 6-8 hours.

The second part of the problem (the final texture of the beef) would be how long it's been soaking in the marinade, and what the marinade is composed of. If the marinade is very low or zero acid - it might not break down the proteins too much .... ie. no citrus, vinegar, wine, etc. - just herbs, spices, soy, oil, etc.

Third part of the problem - again, the flavors in the marinade. What you can make from the beef will depend on the flavors in the marinade.

You didn't say "which" bottled marinade - so none of us have a clue as to the flavors it contains - which really limits our ability to give you a better answer on what to do with it.

As for the rice thing: so what if your friends are from Japan? Rice really isn't that hard ... for 2 cups long grain white rice - 4 tablespoons of butter in a 4-qt pot, add the rice and saute for 3-4 minutes over medium heat - add 4 cups water, bring to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to LOW ... after 20 minutes removed from the heat .... wait 10 minutes more before removing the lid - fluff with a FORK. It might not be "perfect" rice (probably closer than you think) but they will be impressed that you tried to do it "in their honor".
 
Michael, you say: "Okay - for an "official" definition ...

Braise : [thank you for that definition, I understand it a lot better now!]

If the cut of beef was tender after 10-minutes on the grill, it will turn to mush when cooked in a slow cooker (braised) for 6-8 hours. [so true I am afraid...]

The second part of the problem (the final texture of the beef) would be how long it's been soaking in the marinade,
[way too long]

and what the marinade is composed of. If the marinade is very low or zero acid - it might not break down the proteins too much .... ie. no citrus, vinegar, wine, etc. - just herbs, spices, soy, oil, etc.

[It's Club House La Grille Montreal Steak Rub Marinade - Burgundy Wine, Tomato Paste, Salt, Sugar/Glucose-fructose, Vinegar, Canola and Soybean Oil, Garlic, Spice (including red pepper), Water, Dehydrated Garlic and Onion, Roasted Red Bell Pepper, Modified Cornstarch, Disodium Inosinate and Guanylate, Potassium SoOrbate, Citric and Ascorbic Acid, BHA, BHT, Sulphite -- WOW Now that I have read those ingredients a bit further, I wonder if I should even be feeding this stuff to anyone!]

Third part of the problem - again, the flavors in the marinade. What you can make from the beef will depend on the flavors in the marinade.

You didn't say "which" bottled marinade - so none of us have a clue as to the flavors it contains - which really limits our ability to give you a better answer on what to do with it.

As for the rice thing: so what if your friends are from Japan? Rice really isn't that hard ... for 2 cups long grain white rice - 4 tablespoons of butter in a 4-qt pot, add the rice and saute for 3-4 minutes over medium heat - add 4 cups water, bring to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to LOW ... after 20 minutes removed from the heat .... wait 10 minutes more before removing the lid - fluff with a FORK. It might not be "perfect" rice (probably closer than you think) but they will be impressed that you tried to do it "in their honor."

Thanks for writing what you did about the rice, you are right! I do believe I will make the rice... still not sure at all what I can do for the rest...
 
Charlotte,

I think the other guys gave you good advice. I agree that you would have ended up with brownish mush in a slow cooker.

Freezing will work out great for you. I would, however, probably take the meat out of the marinade once thawed because 4 days would be a little long, esp. with the wine and the vinegar in the marinade. Keep in fridge after draining.

What to do for your guests?? Do you want to eat right when you come home (ie, everything has to be cooked and ready?)

Can you cook tonight and serve tomorrow?

Lots of last-minute cooks are here to help!
 
Michael, when I lived in Louisiana, my ex's aunt told me to wash the rice before I cooked it. Do you do that?

I'm ashamed to say I use a lot of minute rice. :ermm:
It's fine if you're going to eat it that night, but gets sticky when re-heated and falls apart in soups.
 

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