Slow Cooker Question

ExpatPumpkin

I'm making a pot roast for dinner tonight and I know that cooking meat in a slow cooker is supposed to make it softer...  The recipe calls for 4 hours on high and it's been cooking for about 1 1/2 hours.  I just checked and the meat is hard.  Will it start to soften as it cooks longer?  Or should I do something else to rescue dinner?

ExpatPumpkin

I'm not 100% certain what kind of meat it is...  Just the big pieces they sell for roasts.  So it's been 1 hour and 45 minutes out of 4 hours...  Does it soften towards the end?  I don't have any tenderizer - would salt work?

thesuninherhead

It will soften as it cooks.

thesuninherhead

(and if it doesn't, I'm sure you could find something to medicate it with to make it do so... !). 

 

;P

 

But seriously, on a high heat it should be very soft after 4 hours. Check it in another couple and see how it's going. 

JK10910

It should soften more as it cooks.  You really shouldn't open the slow cooker while it's cooking though because it lets a lot of heat out.  So just trust that it's doing it's job and leave it be!

TurtlesAllTheWayDown

Every time you open it you have to cook it for about another half hour, Expat! Try to leave it be. It will be awesome.

ExpatPumpkin

Okay, thanks everyone.  I'm not going to open it anymore!  This means I have to go on faith because I can't open it until it's time to eat.  I just hope it works, because my in-laws are coming over  

And, yes maybe it needs meds.  I'm thinking Valium because it's obviously tense and possibly stressed out...

thesuninherhead

Because you've opened it, you'll want to keep an eye on it (presuming it has a clear lid?) to ensure that it doesn't boil down and end up dry- but as the others have said, it will cook much better if you leave it be and just trust it will be ok. 

 

 

sarabellam

This advice won't help you for this pot roast, but make sure you include some sort of acid when you cook a pot roast by slow cooker. That can take the form of wine, vinegar, lemon or lime juice, or even pineapple juice. I have even heard of some roasts being cooked with Coca Cola. Sounds bizarre, and I've never tried it, but the theory is the same. The acid will help break down the muscle fibers. Just be VERY careful if you use papaya. Too much can make it too tender and leave you with a mushy rather than tender roast.

squirrly

Sara, Beer can work too for roasts.

For pork, any of the fruity acids are great - I LOVE OJ or pineapple juice.  For beef I tend to stick to wine, vinegar, or beer. 

Expat, salt draws out water but doesn't really tenderize.  Acid is the best tenderizer, or fresh grated ginger (soy sauce, ginger, OJ, and brown sugar make an awesome general purpose marinade - more OJ for pork, less for beef).  Tomato has a fair amount of acid, too - did your recipe call for any? 

skippylouwho

This has NEVER failed me in 30 years of cooking.

Use a crock pot or slow cooker, spray with cooking spray. Add beef roast. Many people will tell you to brown it on all 4 sides in a skillet on the stove first but I don't.  So, add your roast to the cooker. Cover it with WATER. Then either add a couple tablespoons of beef bouillion (not cubes) or beef paste. I prefer the paste, available at grocery stores, Sam's etc.  Refrigerate paste after opening.  Paste comes in beef, chicken , and possibly pork flavors.  Do not mess with it until ready to serve, as was mentioned every time you remove the lid you lower the temperature and you need to add to the cooking time.

If you want to have the roast ready after work, start it on low before you leave for the day. I start mine about 6:15 AM and at 5:30 they are fabulous.  If you want to cook it for half a day, set it on high - and leave it alone.

You can add carrots and onions, if you like.

They keys to slow cooking are, leave the lid on once it starts and keep the food moist. By covering the roast with water it keeps it moist, it becomes broth and is very flavorful.  Use this broth to make gravy, to cook noodles in (bring to boil on stove and add frozen noodles seams as Ream's), or make vegetable soup. You can freeze leftover broth, either in containers or pour in to ice cube tray and freeze.

It is so simple it's amazing but I highly recommend adding beef paste (or boullion if you don't have paste) to boost the beef flavor.

I never add an acid to my roasts - for one thing I can't stand the way the gravy states if I add wine, etc.