# Making Pot Roast, question about food safety



## jase8 (Mar 4, 2006)

Hi, glad I found this site.

I am making a Pot roast in a slow cooker for tommarow night. I want to put all the ingedients into the crock tonight (including the raw beef), put it in the fridge overnight, and start it in the morning when I leave. I have to be up early tommarow, and will be gone until the afternoon. 

Is it safe to leave the veggies and other ingredients with the raw meat like that? I am a vegetarian and never really cook meat, so I have no clue. Thanks.


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## jase8 (Mar 4, 2006)

Oh, one more thing, the meat I got says "Beef Shoulder, Boneless English Roast". Is that what I should be using?
Thanks.


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## jkath (Mar 4, 2006)

jase, pretty much any and all cuts of beef are really good in a slow cooker, so you picked well.

As for the prep, here's what I'd do:
I'd cut all the veggies (carrots, celery, potatoes) into proper sizes, and put them all into a large ziploc baggie and keep them that way overnight. I'd keep the meat in it's wrapping from the store. In the morning, I'd cut open the wrapping and let the meat slide into the crock pot (so I wouldn't have to touch it) and then follow by pouring the veggies on top. Then, I'd add a sprinkling of Lipton's dry onion soup mix, topped with a can of Campbell's double strength beef broth. I'd turn on the crock pot onto low and let it go for 8 hours.

The morning work should only take you about 3-4 minutes.

(*If you have a chance, buy a package of reynold's brand crock pot liners. They're found near the ziploc bags at the store. This way, you can cook meat in your crock pot and then throw away the bag, keeping your crock clean)

Hope this helps!


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## jase8 (Mar 4, 2006)

sounds like a perfect plan. thanks for the help. i will be back here.


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## Corey123 (Jun 24, 2006)

There shouldn't be a concern for safety or cross-contamination since everytrhing is being cooked together.

Any bacteria is destroyed once the temp reaches 140 degrees and up. The real danger would come if you had the roast and veggies standing at a temp of about 41 to 139 degrees for more than two hours without checking to see if the safe temp zone is in effect.

It's considered to be time and temp abuse if you let the food go too long in the danger zone. If you plan to have it at a holding temp of 141 up, be sure to check the temp in at least two hours. After four hours, you should refrigerate it to keep bacteria from setting in.


~Corey123.


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## Constance (Jun 29, 2006)

Some alternatives to the canned beef broth are condensed beefy mushroom soup, cream of mushroom soup, or golden mushroom soup. Don't add water...the juice from the meat and vegies will be enough to make a nice gravy.


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## Toots (Jun 29, 2006)

I make pot roast in the crock all the time (especially in the winter). The night before, I cut up my carrots, potatoes, onions and a clove of garlic.   I put the cut veggies into a big ziploc.  
Then the next a.m., I put the veggies in the crock first, then my meat (I usually buy a chuck roast for this), then pour in a can of Campbells Double Strength Beef Broth, sprinkle with pepper and a bay leaf and let it go for 10 hours.

Before serving, I remove the veggies and meat and I strain the broth into a saucepan and make a little gravy by boiling the broth, adding some milk and corn starch to the broth until it thickens.


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## Sephora (Aug 28, 2006)

I combine my veggies and meat the night before all the time.  I just don't have time in the morning and if I'm working with something like onions and tomatoes, I like the flavor they get sitting together overnight.  I've never had a problem because I'm cooking the dish for 10 hours minimum when I'm working.  

Be careful of those crock pot liners.  You still have to thoroughly wash your crock after even if you think nothing touched the ceramic.  Those liners give a false sense of security to people.


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## Corey123 (Aug 28, 2006)

Sephora said:
			
		

> Those liners give a false sense of security to people.


 


That's kind of like TSA at the airports, ain't it? Haha!!

But as long as you have the roast and veggies under refrigeration and ready to go the next morning, it should be fine.


~Corey123.


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