Chuck Roast & Potatoes!! 10-21-2012

A few weeks ago, my Uncle Jose planted the idea of making a pot roast into my brain & I knew that I wouldn't be able to simply forego making it, so I decided not to fight the urge and just go ahead and whip up a batch! Click here to see how it did it!

I've skipped all the pics showing me hacking up the veggies and trimming the excess fat from the chuck roast.

What I've got here should be pretty self-explanatory.

4.5 lbs of C.A.B. chuck roast -- very well trimmed

6 or so medium potatoes

6 or so carrots

2 medium onions whole/peeled

You'll want to throw in one or two lumps of beef tallow (the melty-type fat)

that you've saved when you were trimming the meat.

This will help to ensure your meat comes out juicy and tender!

Separate your meat and veggies to make life easier for the moment.

Toss on your McCormick Slow Cooker Pot Roast seasoning packet

and any other spices you care to use!

I added garlic, salt, & fresh ground black pepper to this! 

Look how happy this beef is now!!

Don't forget to season up your veg! (It's pronounced "vedge", damnit! Get it right!)

Toss in a half a beer (hard to see, but shown above)!

Stir 'em up and add more seasonings as warranted!

Just look at that beef gettin' all happy in that frying pan!!

The point of doing this is not to sear in the juices,

but rather to start the Maillard reaction.

Click on that link to read more about it so that you have a clue and someone

doesn't someday suggest that you go buy one at Walmart bec they are on sale! 

Be patient and flip it only when you see some browning start happening!

Though they look nearly fully cooked, rest assured that they are not.

Whole (un-ground) muscle fibers are densely packed and require long, slow cooking

to cook them and break down the gelatin that resides in the interstices of the fibers.  

Sexy close-up!!

After you've managed to brown the outsides...

...toss them in your Le Creuset crock pot (or a slow cooker)!!

Now, pile on the veggies!

Next, have your big buddy Santana hold the whole thing so you can snap some pics for your blog!!

Lid that shit up, B!

Now, go toss it into your pre-heated 375° oven!

You did pre-heat the hotbox, no yes???

Be sure to check on it after the 45 minute mark and every 30 min thereafter!

Be carefs, damnit!  It's HOT!! 

Ta-daaaa!!  

Mind the steam inside!! It'll get ya if you aren't careful!

Give it a quick stir, then toss it back in the oven.  Repeat 5x or until done!

3 hrs later you've got yourself a mountain of delicious grub!

You may now proceed to stuff your face!

 Once you've finished gorging on meat and potatoes,

grab a to-go tray or Tupperware container and pack it full, 

then take it into work with you and make all of your co-workers jealous!

Click here to see the entire gallery!