[Kitchen Witch]

MORE TIPS ON CROCKPOT COOKING


BEEF

Slow cooked beef is fabulous and you can stretch your penny-pincher budget by buying cheaper, less tender cuts. The pot will make them super tender - and you will end up with more flavor and vitamins. And surprisingly, you will get less shrinkage than with other cooking methods.

To successfully slow cook beef:

Some veggies will take as long or longer to cook than beef. If you are planning on a beef dish with large chunks of carrots or celery, place them in the bottom or around the sides of the pot. Cover them with liquid - such as water, bouillon or tomato sauce. You may even want to cut them smaller than usual. Slow cookers will cook smaller pieces faster.

Also, the good juices of the meat don't evaporate resulting in a liquid with rich and meaty flavor which will give you a great sauce or gravy. In most cases you can stir in cornstarch or dissolve flour after the meat is done. Then cook on HIGH for a few minutes the thicken the gravy.

It is not necessary to brown the meat before placing in the crockpot. But if the meat is fatty, browning first and pouring off the excess fat is helpful. Although the meat can be placed directly on the bottom of the crockpot with the vegetables, if the cut is fatty you may want to place the roast on a rack in the bottom of the pot.

You will notice a broad range of cooking times for beef recipes. But the beef will not stick, burn or overcook. The LOW setting is so low that an hour or two makes no difference in slow-cooking recipes.

How to decide if the beef is done??? Cook for the minimum time suggested in the recipe; remove from pot and stick with a fork to see if it is as tender as your family prefers. The thickness of the cut of beef, distribution of fat and amount of bone will change the cooking time, so always check before assuming the meat is ready to serve.