Re: Crockpot roast beef recipes?
I keep mine simple.
I give the roast a rub of Lowry's Seasoned salt and ground black pepper.
Brown the meat first. I use an iron skillet, high heat, and get the surface will carmelized.
Into the crock goes the roast, one or two peeled and quartered sweet yellow onions per pound of meat, two medium-large peeled carrots, cut to 1/4" thick disks per pound of roast, one stalk of celery per pound, cut small. I discard the leafy junk. Cover with water, set on high and give it at least 2 hours, maybe 3.
Don't be a fussbudget, go read a book or somethin'. When the onions are getting harder to find and the celery is quite soft, you're ready for the potatoes.
About an hour before serving, cut up two peeled potatoes per pound, sliced into 1" chunks, and put them in a large microwave safe bowl with a tablespoon of salt per potato, cover them about 1/2" deep with water, and nuke 'em on high long enough that they boil for at least 5 minutes. When done, drain and rinse, them put 'em in the crock to absorb the juices.
I like a hearty, dark, beefy gravy, so when I put in the roast and water, I add 1 tablespoon of a good beef base (if you rub it between index and thumb and can feel salt granules, it's not the best), 1 tablespoon of Gravy Master or Kitchen Bouquet, and 1 tablespoon of powdered beef/brown gravy mix.
If you like to thicken it, put 2 tablespoons of oilive oil and 1/4 cup of Wondra Flour in a fry pan and slowly stir until it begins to brown. This is your roux, Take out most of the juice from the pot, mix it thoroughly with your roux, and return it all to the pot.
For beef bourguignon, I put in a 750ML bottle of dry red wine first, then top it off with water, all at the beginning.
Just remember, you can't remove pepper, so start small, add more if needed later.
Saltiness can sometimes be reduced by adding potatoes, but it's better not to have too much to begin with. Just understand, the earlier you add the salt, the less you will need overall.
I go around to the local wineries in late spring and buy up their 'older vintages' at clearance prices by the case. Once Memorial Day is past, they like to start their busy season with only he current vintages left on the shelves.
I generally get a case of dry red and a case of dry white for cooking, they average $3-$4 a bottle; you can usually cut a deal for the last bottles of a vintage. I like sweeter wines for drinking, and I'll load up on them then too. It's all about timing, and I make a point of not being a wine snob. A case of modest 'last chance' wine for $35-$45 is not a bad deal for either the winery or the canny buyer. I can usually get a wine industry standard 30% discount, but for these deals I tell 'em I have it, then also tell 'em I'd rather not hit them with that, let's just bargain.
It makes for a nice Spring day's drive; and coming home with 4 or 5 cases of wine in the back of the Honda Wagon for roughy $200 ain't all that bad either... We're 'fixed' for another year.
Greg
