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Once-a-Week Cooking

What am I doing wrong with crock pot roast beef?

24 years ago

Okay, nothing could be simpler than crock-pot / slow cooker cooking, so I feel like a moron! I have two crock-pot roast beef recipes that I LOVE - "Italian Beef" which is heavily seasoned and makes it's own brothy/au jus; and a traditional roast beef with carrots and 'taters that makes a thicker gravy.

Whenever I make them, they taste great, but I can't seem to slice the roast right! I get more pieces and crumbles (seems like it would be more suitable to a shredded bbq beef than a roast) and can't make any decent slices. Am I slicing it wrong, using the wrong knife, or using the wrong cut of meat?

I slice against the grain, don't have a specific meat-carving knive so I use a chef's knife, and I usually use a bottom round roast.

Any help appreciated!

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Comments (6)

Bugs
24 years ago
I have good luck cutting roast with a bread knife if My meat knife isnt sharp.
cookingrvc_hotmail_com
24 years ago
A friend of mine cools the roast overnight in the refrigerator, claiming that it slices more uniformly when cold.

She then puts it in a saucepan with the gravy, and heats before serving.

Sue
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Stew pot is actually closer, Linda. The style we currently call "Dutch oven" is a flat-bottomed kettle with a lid added. And is, of course, with its heavy, heat-holding design, ideal for stewing. Kettles originally were round bottomed (and some had legs), designed primarily to be hung over an open fire; either from a tripod or a crane. They did not have lids. There was a point, measured in gallons, where a kettle became a cauldren, but I misremember it right now. Thirteen comes to mind, but don't take that to the bank. Dutch ovens, of course, had three legs and a deeply recessed lid so you could put coals both under and on top, to provide even, dry heat. They were used on the hearth, not in the firebox. In the first quarter of the 19th century, "portable" cast iron stoves became popular. Initially kettles were still used by removing an eye and setting the pot right in the hole, over the open fire. Eventually they began modifying the pieces, flattening the bottom and adding a domed lid. A chicken fryer has a somewhat different configuration; being relatively wide for it's height (for stability), and with sidewalls that slope more sharply than those of a skillet. Chicken fryers, too, have domed lids; many of which are of the self-basting type. Now, if you really want to know about hearth trivia, ask me nicely and I'll tell you were the term "hob nobbing" comes from.
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Chili meat? The tomatoes will soften a whole chunk of roast in just a couple hours. I can buy large round roasts cheaper then ground beef and chili is a easy way to use a couple pounds at a time. I just put a whole frozen chunk into a pot of tomatoes with chili spices and boil it for a couple hours. A little work with a potato masher and the whole chunk breaks down. Then I add my beans and whatever. Very easy and very good. Made some this morning before work with cabbage, mushrooms, onions, serrenos, and chick peas for a dish that is half way between chili and a spicy garden stew. First tomatoes and peppers from the garden... so good! : ) lyra
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This is close to what I do but I cook mine in my dutch oven lo temp for 8 hours. Kahula Pork Makes 12-14 servings 5-6 pound pork butt roast 1 1/2 tablespoons Hawaiian sea salt (coarse sea salt) **I use kosher salt 1 1/2 tablespoons liquid smoke flavoring **My addition to the recipe, one unpeeled banana on top of the roast Pierce the pork roast all over with the tip of a sharp knife. Place the roast in a large slow cooker and rub the salt all over the meat. Drizzle the liquid smoke over the meat. Cover the slow cooker and cook on Low Heat for 16 to 20 hours, turning the roast over once half-way through the cooking time. Depending on how hot your low setting is on your slow cooker, you may or may not need the full 20 hours. When the meat easily shreds with a fork it is ready. Remove the meat from the slow cooker and shred with two forks, adding drippings from the slow cooker as needed to moisten the meat. **I remove the dripping, put in refrigerator, when chilled skim off the fat. Then add the heated drippings to the meat, as much as needed. *Note: DonÃ¢ÂÂt be tempted to add any additional liquidÃ¯Â¿Â½Ã¯Â¿Â½"you donÃ¢ÂÂt need it. The fat in the roast will provide more than enough liquid. For this size of roast, you will need a 6-qt. slow cooker. If you have a smaller slow cooker, use a smaller roast and reduce the amount of the other ingredients accordingly.
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dustbunni
24 years ago
Crock pots can cook meat to the point where it sort of falls apart. I doubt you're doing anything wrong. I find a decent knife helps. I own a decent chefs knife and a boning knife and steel, I paid about $30 each for it about thirty years ago in a knife store. The man who sold them to me took the time to show me how to use the steel properly. I've never regretted the investment. I'm also a fan of those thin stainless steel, serrated knives you can buy at the grocery store. They last about three years but only cost about four dollars.
mbaylus_earthlink_net
24 years ago
Yes, crockpots tend to cook meat until roasts fall apart at the grain. I've found that Round and Rump tend to stay together better than Chuck.

If you have an electric carving knife, try using it. It cuts quicky without a lot of the friction that a hand-held knife has.
belden_sr
24 years ago
Sounds like you cook it a little too long and do not let it cool before you try to slice it . And yes- some types do stay together better after cooking than othertypes. chuck roast is great for making bbq sandwiches but poor for slicing. don in vegas
wanda1101
24 years ago
My crock pot roast always falls apart also. I prefer cooking roasts in the oven, but a crumbly one sure beats a mad dash to prepare dinner on a busy night.

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