Want to kick up a plain old pot roast

mhend

New member
I am cooking a roast tomorrow in the crock pot, but I am so tired of the same old thing...any ideas on how to kick it up a bit?
 

GotGarlic

New member
What do you usually do with it?

I made an Italian pot roast recently, with red wine, porcini mushrooms, rosemary and Parmesan cheese in it. It was great.
 

ChowderMan

Pizza Chef
Super Site Supporter
some options - not "all at the same time" [g]

stud it with garlic cloves

do a heavy sear before putting it in the slow cooker

cooking liquid variations:
beer
50-50 coke&water
sliced ginger flavoring for water

variations on the veggies:
turnips
parsnips (these lend a nice peppery flavor)
 

mhend

New member
I usually add a little broth, a drizzle or two of balsamic vinegar and a touch of worstershire (sp?). Then the standard veggies...the Italian idea sounds delicious. I love the idea of adding ginger to the water..
 

Sass Muffin

Coffee Queen ☕
Gold Site Supporter
Hi mhend,
I've followed this recipe before.
Don't let the coffee throw you off.. it's absolutely delicious.

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3-4 lb. beef roast (sirloin tip, rump, English cut)
1 tbsp. oil
1/4 c. soy sauce
1 c. coffee
2 bay leaves
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. oregano
2 onions, sliced

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Sear roast in 1 tablespoon oil on all sides in heavy Dutch oven. Pour sauce over meat. Put half of onions on meat, the other half in sauce. Cover and roast 4-5 hours at 325 degrees.
 

Keltin

New member
Gold Site Supporter
I picked this up on another site from a member name Katie. Much gratitude Katie if you ever see this! It's the only way I cook a beef roast now.

1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1 pack Onion Soup (the dry powder)
1 Beef Roast (chuck is best)

Lay out 2 large sheets of aluminum foil in a "cross" (+) pattern. Put the roast in the center. Smear the Cream of Mushroom soup onto the roast with a spatula. Don’t' dilute the soup, use it straight from the can so it is thick. Once that is done, sprinkle the Onion Soup powder all over it.

Wrap the roast up so that it is tightly sealed. Place in a baking dish. Add enough water to the dish to come up the side of the roast by about 1/2 inch. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 2 - 2.5 hours.

This makes it's own gravy (a thick gravy), the meat is super tender and juicy, and the flavor is incredible.

I like to serve with mashed potatoes, peas or steamed broccoli, and rolls.


Hmmmmm…….I think I know what's for dinner tonight! :biggrin:
 

mhend

New member
Keltin,

That sounds sooooo good!! I think this is the one! I've already got that stuff in my pantry, even better. Thanks!
 

mhend

New member
Hi mhend,
I've followed this recipe before.
Don't let the coffee throw you off.. it's absolutely delicious.

gradient-ing.jpg


3-4 lb. beef roast (sirloin tip, rump, English cut)
1 tbsp. oil
1/4 c. soy sauce
1 c. coffee
2 bay leaves
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. oregano
2 onions, sliced

gradient-dir.jpg


Sear roast in 1 tablespoon oil on all sides in heavy Dutch oven. Pour sauce over meat. Put half of onions on meat, the other half in sauce. Cover and roast 4-5 hours at 325 degrees.
Sass Muffin,

That is very interesting! Now I'm torn - do I try yours or Keltin's?
 

Keltin

New member
Gold Site Supporter
But, since it's getting hot out now, you may not want to fire up your oven. Back when I was using my Crock Pot for roasts, the best way I found to make one was to use Beef Consommé as the liquid.

There is something magical about that soup/broth.

I would first place Carrots, Potatoes, and onions in the crock pot. Then I'd brown the roast on all sides and place it on top of the veggies. Next I'd add a pack of fresh, sliced mushrooms. Then pour in 2 cans of Beef Consommé. Now let it cook for about 4 hours on high. It will be fork tender.

When using consommé, the meat is incredibly tender and moist. When I used to use regular Beef Broth, the meat would get stringy and a bit dry. But with Consommé, that never happens! The only downside is, it can be hard to find Beef Consommé. I've found it in Wal-Mart before, but it's hit or miss. The nicer chain Supermarkets like Publix usually have it.
 

Keltin

New member
Gold Site Supporter
Keltin,

That sounds sooooo good!! I think this is the one! I've already got that stuff in my pantry, even better. Thanks!

Excellent. I really hope you like it. We love it, and now that I'm talking about it, I really think I'm going to make it tonight as well! :biggrin:
 

Fisher's Mom

Mother Superior
Super Site Supporter
I didn't know that about the consomme, Keltin. I always use red wine and Worcestershire sauce as my liquid. I'll definitely try the consomme because I've noticed when I have a leaner cut of meat, it is always drier. I know that slow-cookers want fattier meats, but my husband is on a diet and I'm trying to use leaner meat when I can.
 

mhend

New member
I didn't know that about the consomme, Keltin. I always use red wine and Worcestershire sauce as my liquid. I'll definitely try the consomme because I've noticed when I have a leaner cut of meat, it is always drier. I know that slow-cookers want fattier meats, but my husband is on a diet and I'm trying to use leaner meat when I can.

I didn't know that about the consomme either. I am definately going to try that next time instead of the broth.
 

buckytom

Grill Master
i found my notes on chinese style pot roast. i'll have to write it up as a proper recipe someday.

rub the roast with s&p and 5 spice powder, and let stand on counter to come to room temp.

brown on all sides in peanut oil in a deep, heavy bottomed pot.

remove roast, add several cloves of sliced garlic to toast a bit. add more oil if necessary.

deglaze pan with a little beef broth (maybe i should change that to consomme, lol).

add 3 or 4 star anise, a small knob of fresh ginger - peeled and sliced, a good pinch of crushed red pepper, a few tbsps of soy sauce, a few tbsps of sherry vinegar. bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.

return the roast to the pot, and add enough beef broth to bring the level of the liquid no more than half way up the side of the roast.

cover and simmer on low for 3 hours until roast is tender. remove roast and set aside covered in foil. reduce remaining liquid by half, adding a corn starch slurry to thicken into a gravy when reduced enough.

in a seperate deep saute pan, saute some carrots, baby bok choy, scallions, and sliced shiitakes in butter and peanut oil.

slice roast, and serve with veggie mix, all topped by the gravy.
 

Keltin

New member
Gold Site Supporter
I picked this up on another site from a member name Katie. Much gratitude Katie if you ever see this! It's the only way I cook a beef roast now.

1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1 pack Onion Soup (the dry powder)
1 Beef Roast (chuck is best)

Lay out 2 large sheets of aluminum foil in a "cross" (+) pattern. Put the roast in the center. Smear the Cream of Mushroom soup onto the roast with a spatula. Don’t' dilute the soup, use it straight from the can so it is thick. Once that is done, sprinkle the Onion Soup powder all over it.

Wrap the roast up so that it is tightly sealed. Place in a baking dish. Add enough water to the dish to come up the side of the roast by about 1/2 inch. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 2 - 2.5 hours.

This makes it's own gravy (a thick gravy), the meat is super tender and juicy, and the flavor is incredible.

I like to serve with mashed potatoes, peas or steamed broccoli, and rolls.


Hmmmmm…….I think I know what's for dinner tonight! :biggrin:


One thing about this roast is you don't have to worry about it. I typically let it run for about 3 hours or so as I do other things, and it's always perfect.
 

Fisher's Mom

Mother Superior
Super Site Supporter
Pot roast in the slow cooker is my favorite meal to make. It's sooo easy, I never screw it up, and it makes the house smell fantastic all day long.
 
This is a slow cooker version of The Chicago Italian Beef Sandwich:
http://www.amazingribs.com/recipes/beef/italian_beef.html

1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon onion salt
3 cups water
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 bay leaf
1 package Italian salad dressing mix -- (0.70 ounce)
5 lbs rump roast, trimmed
shredded Mozzarella or Provolone cheese
*Giardiniere
Italian bread loaves

In a saucepan over medium high heat, combine the water, salt, ground black pepper, oregano, basil, onion salt, parsley, garlic powder, bay leaf and salad dressing mix. Stir well and bring just to a boil. Place roast in a slow cooker and pour mixture over the roast.

Cover and cook on low for 10 to 12 hours OR high for 4 to 5 hours. Remove bay leaf and slice meat thinly with a chef's knife. Return meat to slow cooker and cook for another 1-2 hours.

Serve on Italian rolls, topped with shredded mozzarella or provolone and giardiniera.

*Giardiniera is an Italian or Italian-American relish of pickled vegetables in vinegar or oil. Giardiniera is available as either mild or hot.
 

mhend

New member
Pot roast in the slow cooker is my favorite meal to make. It's sooo easy, I never screw it up, and it makes the house smell fantastic all day long.


Mine too! We are in the middle of baseball season and this coach takes little league VERY seriously! We have a practice or two a week plus a game or two...then there's homework and housecleaning and we have our house on the market...so, crockpot cooking has been a life saver the past couple of weeks.
 

Lefty

Yank
One day I was tired of pot roast with the regular potatoes, celery and carrots. I decided to try onions, mushrooms & peppers and garlic. Kinda like a pepper steak. It was awesome and went great over rice. I used as many different peppers as I could find. Red, green, yellow bell peppers and a variety of anything else I found that day in the store.
 
Here's another I like:

Beef Bourguignon

6 slices bacon -- cut into 1-2" pieces
3 pounds rump roast, trimmed -- cut into cubes
carrots -- peeled and sliced
onion -- sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons flour
10 ounces beef broth -- 1 can, condensed
2 cups burgundy -- or red wine
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cloves garlic -- minced
1/2 teaspoon thyme -- whole
1 whole bay leaf
1/2 pound small white onions -- peeled
1 pound fresh mushrooms -- sliced

Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp. Remove and drain. Add beef cubes and brown well. Place browned beef cubes in slow cooker. Brown carrot and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in flour. Add broth, mix well and add to slow cooker. Add cooked bacon, wine, tomato paste, garlic, bay leaf, onions and mushrooms. Cover cook on Low 10 to 12 hours or on High for 5 to 6 hours.
 
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