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To be honest lately I've been using the oven instead of the crockpot. Throw everything in an enameled cast iron pot and set it in the over for 3-3.5 hours. Much faster and I can put ingredients in it based on how long they need to cook. I'm always afraid to unlid the crockpot. Remember according the NACU that's a NONO!
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Last edited by Beretta; 04-22-2017 at 06:32 AM..
Reason: quoted post deleted
Bottom line is, if you and your family enjoyed it was a hit! Each has his own way of doing things. When family is happy, tummies full and smiling, there is no better meal!
I've tried it both ways -- browning first and not -- and *if* there was a difference in taste it was negligible.
For me, the reason for the browning is the look of the meat when it's done. (I have to say that that's why I don't do pot roast in the crock pot--and I love crock pot cooking.)
Location: Montreal -> CT -> MA -> Montreal -> Ottawa
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CA4Now
For me, the reason for the browning is the look of the meat when it's done. (I have to say that that's why I don't do pot roast in the crock pot--and I love crock pot cooking.)
Good point! Mine was so covered with cream of mushroom soup AND with fresh mushrooms that I guess it didn't look as grey as it should have.
PS. I know that pot roast doesn't call for cream of mushroom soup. I did the London broil recipe that Karen had posted, so that's what I was referring to. But I totally get your point. Whenever I bake chicken breasts in the oven and it doesn't have a sauce, it just looks...dead.
Last night I tried the "new" method, i.e. NOT using the Stouffer's mix. I used 1.20 lbs. of London broil shoulder steak (instead of 2 pounds -- I had way more meat than I needed last time), 4 red potatoes cut up (I left the skin on), 1 onion cut up (could have used 2-3, but then, I love cooked onion!), and half a large bag of baby-cut carrots (I love cooked carrots too). Added 1 can of the "healthier" version of Campbell's cream of mushroom soup plus 1 packet of the Lipton's savory herb & garlic dry soup mix that I'd bought (for other recipes) on amazon.
Here it is in the crock pot about halfway done ...
(Yes, I know you're not supposed to take the lid off while it's cooking as you'll then have to add more time, but I wanted to make sure there was enough liquid so that the meat wasn't sticking to the bottom -- and it was indeed fine! )
Here it is in my lovely Fiesta bowl after being in the crock pot for about 6-1/2 hours (my house smelled FANTASTIC!! ) ...
It tasted amazing, so at least I know that the cream of mushroom soup & dry soup mix work great. However, I was thinking that this way would save me a bit of money over using the Stouffer's mix, but by the time I added the soups, it didn't. Oh well, what matters was that it was a great dinner ... and even after having seconds last night, I have enough for at least 3 more bowls! (In fact I think I will go have some now for an early lunch! )
Location: Montreal -> CT -> MA -> Montreal -> Ottawa
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Quote:
Originally Posted by karen_in_nh_2012
Last night I tried the "new" method, i.e. NOT using the Stouffer's mix. I used 1.20 lbs. of London broil shoulder steak (instead of 2 pounds -- I had way more meat than I needed last time), 4 red potatoes cut up (I left the skin on), 1 onion cut up (could have used 2-3, but then, I love cooked onion!), and half a large bag of baby-cut carrots (I love cooked carrots too). Added 1 can of the "healthier" version of Campbell's cream of mushroom soup plus 1 packet of the Lipton's savory herb & garlic dry soup mix that I'd bought (for other recipes) on amazon.
Here it is in the crock pot about halfway done ...
(Yes, I know you're not supposed to take the lid off while it's cooking as you'll then have to add more time, but I wanted to make sure there was enough liquid so that the meat wasn't sticking to the bottom -- and it was indeed fine! )
Here it is in my lovely Fiesta bowl after being in the crock pot for about 6-1/2 hours (my house smelled FANTASTIC!! ) ...
It tasted amazing, so at least I know that the cream of mushroom soup & dry soup mix work great. However, I was thinking that this way would save me a bit of money over using the Stouffer's mix, but by the time I added the soups, it didn't. Oh well, what matters was that it was a great dinner ... and even after having seconds last night, I have enough for at least 3 more bowls! (In fact I think I will go have some now for an early lunch! )
Omg, that looks soooooooooooooooo good, Karen!!!!!
I think I'm going to make some this weekend -- you got me in da mood.
Let me ask you this: At what point did you put in the onion(s), potatoes, and carrots? Right at the start?
Omg, that looks soooooooooooooooo good, Karen!!!!!
I think I'm going to make some this weekend -- you got me in da mood.
Let me ask you this: At what point did you put in the onion(s), potatoes, and carrots? Right at the start?
I just put in everything at once, after coating the pan with nonstick olive oil spray. Should have put the soup in first (to have a more "liquid" base), but forgot, and it didn't make much difference. I cut the meat into 5 pieces but that was partly because it wasn't 100% thawed (probably about 80-90%) so I thought smaller pieces would work better. I DO wish I had put in more onion, but that's a personal preference -- if you love cooked onion (as I do), definitely put in more than 1!
After 6-1/2 hours on low (which is setting 3 on my very old crock pot -- 1 and 2 are only for warming things up, 4 is medium, 5 is high), everything was just about perfect. The meat, in particular, was falling apart -- no knife needed, it just shredded easily with a fork. The 1.2 lbs. worked great -- I DO like to have meat in every bite, but since it falls apart so easily, you don't have to use much to STILL get meat in every bite! The potatoes and carrots were tender (could cut them easily with a fork) but not mushy at all.
Five and a half or six hours on low likely would have been fine. I am actually going to try this same recipe tomorrow with a pork roast that is currently defrosting in my refrigerator -- I expect it will taste just as yummy! I look forward to trying it and reporting back, LOL!
Location: Montreal -> CT -> MA -> Montreal -> Ottawa
17,330 posts, read 33,025,722 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by karen_in_nh_2012
I just put in everything at once, after coating the pan with nonstick olive oil spray. Should have put the soup in first (to have a more "liquid" base), but forgot, and it didn't make much difference. I cut the meat into 5 pieces but that was partly because it wasn't 100% thawed (probably about 80-90%) so I thought smaller pieces would work better. I DO wish I had put in more onion, but that's a personal preference -- if you love cooked onion (as I do), definitely put in more than 1!
After 6-1/2 hours on low (which is setting 3 on my very old crock pot -- 1 and 2 are only for warming things up, 4 is medium, 5 is high), everything was just about perfect. The meat, in particular, was falling apart -- no knife needed, it just shredded easily with a fork. The 1.2 lbs. worked great -- I DO like to have meat in every bite, but since it falls apart so easily, you don't have to use much to STILL get meat in every bite! The potatoes and carrots were tender (could cut them easily with a fork) but not mushy at all.
Five and a half or six hours on low likely would have been fine. I am actually going to try this same recipe tomorrow with a pork roast that is currently defrosting in my refrigerator -- I expect it will taste just as yummy! I look forward to trying it and reporting back, LOL!
P.S. Your house will smell FANTASTIC!
All great information that I've duly noted. Thank you!!! Making it tomorrow (after I get the ingredients) or on Sunday (if I got the ingredients too late on Saturday). Have a fabulous weekend, Karen! XOXO
I made a beef pot roast in the crock pot the other day, we've eaten on it 3 nights and will finish it tonight.
My recipe is based on something called a Mississippi Roast which is this:
- 1 Beef chuck or pot roast, 3-4 pounds. Trim fat if you wish.
- 1 envelope McCormick's Au Jus mix
- 1 envelope (one ounce size) Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix
- 6 Peppercini peppers (yes, sounds weird but it works)
- Butter is optional, but I use it to grease the bottom and sides of the crock pot
Put roast in pot, salt and pepper it, cover meat with the two envelope mixes, peppercinis, BUT see below
NOW, I add a lot of stuff to doctor this up and make a full meal out of it, as follows:
About 1.5 pounds of carrots, scrubbed and sliced on a bias. Two pounds will fit.
About 3 medium red bliss potatoes, scrubbed, not peeled, sliced into 3/4" chunks
About 1 large or medium yellow onion, sliced and diced.
One quart of Swanson's beef stock.
Two cups of water.
A couple of Bay Leaves.
Salt and pepper.
Sprinkle of Celery Salt or a couple stalks of celery.
I heat the beef stock and water in the microwave to near boiling before adding it to the crock pot, else it takes another hour for the machine to bring that much fluid up to temperature and delays the finished product that much longer. You cannot microwave the box the stock is in, you have to use something microwave safe. You could heat it on the stove top too, I've done it both ways. The juice off the finished roast would make the basis of a great gravy but we don't bother making any.
In the crock pot for 5-6 hours on high, or all day on low. Our crock pot is a 1977-vintage Hamilton Beach 6-quart. I usually have it all in the crock pot at Noon, on high, and eat at 6PM.
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tried the "new version" yesterday ... YUM!!
