13 April 2009

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

We're supposed to call them slow cookers now, but I own an actual Crock Pot and can't seem to call it anything else. But Crock Pot Pot Roast sounded ridiculous. :) I have a real love affair with my pot and try to use it at least once a week. It is all the more special to me because after 14 years my old pot died and when I complained about how much I missed it, a very dear friend got tired of my whining and sent me a new one. ;) Such a surprise and so very, very sweet!! I think about her every time I use it. (Thank you again!!)
This recipe is easy, as low fat as you're going to get with pot roast, and can be adapted to your tastes.
(First an apology...I forgot to take pictures of the meat in the Crock Pot.)
For this recipe you will need:
a bottom rump roast (any big loaf of meat will work--I just find that this cut, when trimmed, is leaner than an actual pot roast cut)
2 envelopes of Lipton onion soup
2 envelopes of brown gravy mix
water
carrots
potatoes
This first step is the easiest. Plug in your crock pot, trim off the fat from your rump roast, and toss it in the pot. Sprinkle both envelopes of Lipton on top and add 6-10 cups of water. You want the meat covered, but not swimming. Cover, turn on low, and leave overnight. In the morning, remove the roast and place it on a plate to cool (until you can touch it without burning your fingers). Pour the "soup" into a large pot. I use a 6 quart. When the meat is cool enough, shred it and toss it into the pot. It should just fall apart in your hands.




Chop up as many carrots as you would like. I use about three big handfuls of baby carrots. My youngest daughter loves carrots, so I always add extra. (Once I added too many and the post roast turned out orange.)




Now toss those babies into the pot with your meat.





Potatoes turn now. I use golden potatoes, but you could use Russet or even reds and leave on the skin. I have found that white potatoes, while cheap, turn to glue when cooked for a long time. Making mashed potatoes out of them is a nightmare.




You are going to have to salt the masses now. I know, salt. I blame the potatoes, but it has to be done. I use a teaspoon of Kosher salt. Table salt has an annoying habit of not tasting salty until it is oversalted. Feel free to add more, but you risk a bland pot roast if you try to add much less.




Time for the gravy. I pour two envelopes of gravy mix into a mixing cup and add just enough water to make a soupy paste. Don't follow the envelope directions, although do take a peek at the label and make sure you bought a brand with little or no fat. I buy generic and it has .5 grams of fat in each 1/4 serving. But we are diluting it massively, so you won't get that much in your serving.





Pour the gravy into the pot with everything else, mix well, and then turn your burner on high enough to get a boil. After it boils, turn it down and simmer until the potatoes are tender. I usually do all this in the morning and then simmer until dinner. I put the top on the pot, but not sealed--leaving one side open to prevent it from boiling all day.




You think that this looks more like beef stew, don't you? Not so! Notice we didn't add any oregano, basil, rosemary, garlic, or any of the other beef stews hangers-on. This recipe is pot roast on the stove...and Crock Pot. Best part, your house doesn't heat up from having the oven on for hours! Except for the 15 minutes it tastes to bake the buttermilk biscuits that go so well with this dish.

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