Crock-Pot Meat is Rubbery and Tough

[InquiringMind]

Hi everyone. I have a Crock-pot that I've tried to cook meat in a few times, and the meat always turns out so rubbery and tough that it's inedible. I tried to cook a corned beef brisket today; I put four cups of broth in with the brisket (meat was not fully submerged) and set the Crock-pot on low. Less the three hours later the meat was brown on the outside (not the pink/red it's supposed to be) and the internal temperature was 165 degrees F. I pulled the brisket out and tried to eat it; the flavor was nice but it was so rubbery I couldn't chew it. I tried the same thing with some other cut of meat for a pot roast and had the same problem. I checked the temperature of the broth in the Crock-pot and it was about 185 degrees F.

Can someone tell me what I can do here so my slow-cooked meat is fall-apart tender rather than rubbery and tough?

 

[Kathleen]

Welcome to DC! I'm no expert, but I think you are not cooking it long enough on low. For a brisket, depending on the size, I would expect much longer than 3 hours.

 

[Andy M.]

You have to cook corned beef brisket to an internal temperature of 195ºF to 205ºF. I don't cook with a slow cooker so I can't help you with the settings.

 

[pepperhead212]

Welcome to the forum!

Did you try to make your own corned beef? I ask because usually the commercial corned beef has plenty of that "pink salt" in it, and is cured plenty long, so it should never turn brown during cooking. And that 185° is low, for a slow cooker, which should be around 190-195°. However, I did see some sous vide directions for corned beef at 185° - I used a much lower temp, but you might want to look up how long they suggest at that temp. It will be way more than 3 hours, I'm sure.

 

[Roll_Bones]

On low it would have been about 6-8 hours depending on the cooker. I don't use one either, but do remember how to use one.
You did the right thing by measuring the actual temp of the meat. But as Andy said above it needed more time and a higher internal temp.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

I disagree with everyone here. I think you need a new crock pot. If you are hitting 165F in less than 3 hours, your low setting is not functioning properly. Try borrowing a slow cooker from someone that gets consistently good results and see what happens.

 

[CharlieD]

I disagree with everyone here. I think you need a new crock pot. If you are hitting 165F in less than 3 hours, your low setting is not functioning properly. Try borrowing a slow cooker from someone that gets consistently good results and see what happens.

That might be true, however 3 hours is definitely not enough for brisket.

 

[WhateverYouWant]

I crock pot a lot… (meat, stews, and chili), and I always set it for 3-4 hrs on high or 6-8 hrs on low. I have never overcooked anything with these settings with the exception of chicken breasts, which was a recipe from my niece, and needed less time or thighs instead.

 

[jennyema]

You need to cook brisket to 205.

Cook meat on high for longer

 

[Roll_Bones]

And the OP is gone.