Pot Roast

This is my first pot roast, however, pot roast as I found out, is basically braising meat over low heat over a long period of time. I've mostly braised brisket or short ribs, but this time I used a cut of meat that was foreign to me – eye round roast. I've always seen it at the grocery store but never cooked with it. It's a somewhat tougher piece of meat and that's why it must be cooked long and low. Long and low –yummm. The meat was tender and falling apart at some parts, especially the bottom. I love the fallen apart saucy mess at the bottom of the crock pot, I usually eat that first while slurping up the sauce.

This recipe has very minimal ingredients: water, red wine, soy sauce, sliced onions and brown sugar.  Oh and garlic, can't forget that. Mine came out a tiny bit salty because I salted the meat and added soy sauce, which already constitutes enough salt. So, don't salt your meat beforehand. All you do is dump the water, red wine, soy sauce, onions and brown sugar in the crock pot with the meat, set on low and 10 hours later you will have a saucy roast beef. It is best eaten the next day, but the day of is fine as well.

Pot Roast

2.5 - 3 lbs eye, top or bottom round roast

1 cup red wine

1 cup soy sauce

1 cup water

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 onion, sliced

2 garlic cloves

1 Slice onion into half moon slices and throw it in the bottom of the crock pot. Take one of the garlic cloves and slice very thin, put aside. Mince the other clove and throw in with the onions. 

2  Pour in the wine, water, soy sauce and brown sugar over the onions and garlic.

3 Pierce a few slits around the meat and insert the garlic slices in each one.

4 Drop the meat in and cover. Set on low for 8- 10 hours.

Beef & Bean Stew

I know its still hot outside, but even in the scorching summer I still crave beef stew. I love the fall-apart beef and hot flavorful vegetables. This time I added a can of soft cannellini beans that just melt in your mouth. I threw everything in the crock pot (the best invention ever!), went about my day and forgot about it. When I got home, dinner was ready and delicious!

Beef & Bean Stew

1.5 lb boneless beef chuck or round cut into 1 inch cubes (I bought mine already cut)

olive oil

Salt 'n' peppa

1 leek, sliced

3 cups stock

1/2 cup red wine

3 medium potatoes, cut into quarters (I left the skin on, but you can peel them if you want)

1 carrot, cut into 1 inch chunks

1 can cannellini beans, washed and drained

1 sprig fresh thyme

1 Heat a saute pan over medium heat with olive oil and let get very hot. Season beef cubes with salt and pepper and brown on the hot pan. Work in batches as to not overcrowd the pan. Cook on both sides until brown.

2 Throw browned beef into the crock pot. In the same pan, cook leeks and carrots until softened. Season with salt and pepper and throw into the crock pot with the beef.

3 Pour stock, red wine, potatoes, and beans on top and give a good stir in the crock pot. Set on low for about 8 hours or 4 hours on the high setting.

Braised beef short ribs

You see that bone in the center of the pot? You know, the one thats cleaned to the bone? (no pun intended) Ohhhhh yeaaaa...this meat came out so tender and soft that it literally fell off the bone! I was so happy when I came home to a crock pot full of tender beef...mmm.... the potatoes and carrots are under there somewhere. Don't think I forgot about the veggies!

I just bought this crock pot this weekend and wanted to do something Adam would absolutely love! He likes his ribs extra saucy so I searched for the perfect recipe. I found these short ribs at a local farmers market — I like to buy meat there because it is fresh and they clean them up really nice, so it's less work for me! Enjoy!

Braised Beef Short Ribs

3.5 lbs short ribs in-bone

1 cup ketchup

1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce

1 cup baby carrots

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 large onion sliced thin, rings separated

4-6 red-skinned potatoes, quartered

Put the potatoes and carrots in a large slow cooker; top with the onion rings then the beef. Combine the ketchup, 1/4 cup water, vinegar, paprika, chili powder, mustard, garlic powder, worcestershire sauce, and salt. Pour over the beef. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours.

Transfer the juices to a saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes. The sauce turned out thick enough for me, but if you want the sauce thicker, combine cornstarch with 1/4 cup water, stirring until the mixture is smooth. Pour into the simmering juices and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 1 minute. Serve the beef and vegetables with the thickened sauce. If the sauce comes out to fatty, you could put it in the fridge overnight and skim off the fat before serving.

Be sure to check out this recipe at Trade you Tuesdays!