# Crockpot Beef thing



## Alix (Oct 21, 2004)

OK, someone told me to toss a cheap roast into my crockpot and leave it for the day and then shred it and throw in some BBQ sauce and serve on buns. I have never done this before. I threw the roast in with some red wine, garlic and a tablespoon of cider vinegar. Do I need to do anything else while it is cooking? I am feeling a bit out of my depth here. Any suggestions will be gratefully received.


----------



## mudbug (Oct 21, 2004)

Sounds just fine to me, Alix.  You may want to monitor the liquid level a little to make sure it doesn't get too dry.  Otherwise, just rock on.


----------



## crewsk (Oct 21, 2004)

Yep, what mudbug said! I have never cooked a roast in the oven  , I always just use my crock pot. I'm afraid I will let it cook too long in the oven & it will dry out.


----------



## Alix (Oct 21, 2004)

How high should the liquid be to start with?


----------



## crewsk (Oct 21, 2004)

I usually use enough liquid to cover the roast.


----------



## mudbug (Oct 21, 2004)

I normally don't completely cover with liquid - maybe half to three-quarters full.  The steam generated from the closed lid will help keep it moist.  

However, if your roast is already submerged it shouldn't be a big deal.  When you are ready to shred, you'll just have extra juice in the long run.


----------



## Alix (Oct 21, 2004)

Hmmm. I guess I'd better go add some then. Um...what do I do with the liquid later? Do I shred the beef into it or just discard it? I thought I was supposed to toss it and then put the sauce on...yes? or no? I am such a newbie at all this.


----------



## mudbug (Oct 21, 2004)

You know me, I hate to waste stuff.  Why don't you try shredding your meat and combining a little of the juice first to see if you like the taste? You may not even want the BBQ sauce.

If you're set on BBQ flavor, take the roast out of the crockpot, strain (or not) the juice, and save it for soup base, gravy fixins, or some other use.  You could even freeze it until inspiration strikes.  

For BBQ, I'd put the shredded meat in a pan and HEAT it up some BBQ sauce before serving.  You don't want cold sauce on your sammich.


----------



## Alix (Oct 21, 2004)

Hmmm...good call. I think it might be too winey for my hubbys taste buds. I think I may use about 1/3 of the liquid and toss in the BBQ too. I will toss it all back in the crockpot to stay toasty til we are ready to eat. Now I have to decide if I am inspired to BAKE buns...or if Safeway beckons.


----------



## mudbug (Oct 21, 2004)

"Bake" buns??!! 
This girl can do everything!


----------



## Alix (Oct 21, 2004)

LOL!


----------



## kitchenelf (Oct 21, 2004)

If you're going to have true BBQ I wouldn't have done the red wine but HEY - I've never tried it and red wine never hurt anything that I ever cooked!!!!

I would not use the juice - if you are going to add bbq sauce.  When did you put the meat on?


----------



## jkath (Oct 21, 2004)

I make a really easy BBQ beef - 
I just put the roast in the crockpot with 1 bottle of BBQ sauce, and 1 can of Campbells Double Strength Beef Broth.
That's it!

Just like an easy French Dip is:
1 roast
1/4 c. mustard
1 envelope onion soup mix
2 cans Campbells double Strength Beef Broth
Low for 8+ hours

BTW - I use Campbells rather than Swansons, because the flavor is really yummy


----------



## Alix (Oct 21, 2004)

I put the beef in at 9. OK, I won't use the liquid...and as I have never had BBQ before it will not be a taste revolt for me. This is strictly an experiment and I usually marinate with red wine so thought it would be OK. Any suggestions? Should I dump the wine and substitute something else?


----------



## kitchenelf (Oct 21, 2004)

Well, in our "neck of the woods" bbq is cooked pork butt (or similar) then when done it should be tender enough to be pulled.  Then you add your bbq sauce then - here it's more of a vinegar based sauce but tomato based is fine too.  OR since you already have the red wine thing going on you could just do carrots and potatoes - or carrots and mashed potatoes.  

I'm also cooking a pork butt today but not for bbq - cooking in oven wrapped for about 9 hours.  Guaranteed to pull - if you can let your pork cook until about 5:00 you will be giving it enough time for the meat to break down and become pullable.  I always cook my pork to at least 205 - it's done way before yes, but it's not pullable or nearly as tender.

Sounds like you have a good base for a good winter-type meal like I'm having.  Acorn squash with brown sugar and butter, different veggies cooked together in chicken broth (mushrooms, broccoli, carrots, zucchini, celery), mashed potatoes, biscuits with strawberry butter - geez, I have a lot to do!!!!


----------



## mudbug (Oct 21, 2004)

Alix said:
			
		

> I have never had BBQ



HOW CAN THIS BE????


----------



## Alix (Oct 21, 2004)

Living in Canada. It is not as popular here. I had never even heard of it until I went to Minnesota 11 years ago.


----------



## mudbug (Oct 21, 2004)

What were you thinking of using for sauce? (this now becomes important)


----------



## mudbug (Oct 21, 2004)

Alix, quickly, here's a homemade sauce.  Not as good as the good bottled stuff we can get from many places here, but it's a start:

saute chopped onion and add
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons each brown sugar, mustard, vinegar
2 tsp Worchestershire sauce

simmer 15 to 30 minutes


----------



## kitchenelf (Oct 21, 2004)

You can also just buy any bottled bbq sauce.  Yes,I prefer a vinegar based one - you could even add some apple cider vinegar to the recipe that is posted.  

Check this out - I posted this awhile ago http://www.discusscooking.com/viewtopic.php?t=1091&highlight=barbecue+barbeque


----------



## Audeo (Oct 21, 2004)

Alix said:
			
		

> Living in Canada. It is not as popular here. I had never even heard of it until I went to Minnesota 11 years ago.



Huh!  My Quebecan neighbor always brings me packets of St. Hubert's BBQ Sauce after a trip hope.  Interesting stuff, quite different from what we in Texas qualify as BBQ, but she says it's all over the province.  Must be a regional thing...???

I know!  Tell your family that you MUST take a BBQ tour of the states and we'll all put you up for the night along your journey.  Wouldn't that be fun?


----------



## mudbug (Oct 22, 2004)

Sorry, Alix.  Just found this in my file while looking for something else.  Wasabi woman had the answer for you all the while. 

Crockpot Shredded BBQ Beef = wasabi woman

4 pounds beef chuck roast 
1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil 
2 large onions, chopped 
1 cup ketchup 
1 cup beef broth 
2/3 cup chili sauce 
1/4 cup vinegar (cider vinegar works best) 
1/4 cup packed brown sugar 
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 
2 tablespoons prepared mustard 
2 tablespoons molasses 
2 tablespoon lemon juice 
1 teaspoon salt 
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
1/8 teaspoon pepper 

Place roast in slow cooker with 1 tablespoon oil cook on low heat. Sauté onions in remaining oil until tender. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour over roast and cook on low heat for 8 hours or on high heat for 4 hours. Remove roast, shred with fork and return to sauce. Serve on rolls.


----------



## Alix (Oct 22, 2004)

Woo! Sorry folks, had a wee emergency and had to sign off for the day. Thanks for all the recipes. Mudbug, your recipe is almost exactly what I used. I tossed in some BullsEye just for flavour.

Audeo, Alberta is a long, LOOOONG way from Quebec, geographically, politically and in every other way imaginable. Quebec is like its own little country within Canada. I am not telling you I have never used BBQ sauce before, just that we tend to call grilling BBQing. I understand your shock...I have heard it lots! I also got into a silly and rather pointless debate about it on another forum. My basic statement stands, HERE (meaning my own little corner of the world) BBQ means tossing a big slab of something on the grill. Shredding beef or pork is something entirely new to me. It was tasty, but not something I would do often. I think that living in ranch country I am spoiled by the wonderful meat I get, and so don't often have a cheaper cut to use. Oh crap! That sounds soooo stuck up and that is NOT what I meant. Please forgive me and try to understand what I meant and not what I wrote.


----------



## Barbara L (Oct 22, 2004)

Someone wring that sponge out and calm her down!  LOL

I know exactly what you mean Alix.  Although we grew up pretty poor and ate a lot of cheap cuts, we got to buy a side of grain-fed 4-H beef once (after we were better off financially).  It was so wonderful, but after eating steaks that you could literally cut with a fork, we started craving hamburger!  lol  Of course, even the ground beef from that cow was better than the cheap stuff.  

 Barbara


----------



## Audeo (Oct 22, 2004)

Oh heavens, Alix!  I doubt you even know how to be stuck-up!  You seem much too warm and friendly and downright down to Earth for that!  But I'm double-dirty-dog envious of your meat supply!  I'm certain ranching is exceptionally hard work, but the pay-off for dinner at the end of the day must be a great balancer!!!

What probably happened is that I read your post after little sleep and skipped reading every other word...or something like that...and completely missed the part about grilling...(oops!)    

But, dadgummit, I stand by my suggestion to take a BBQ tour of the states anyway -- stop here FIRST!  Come on down!!!!


----------



## Alix (Oct 22, 2004)

Audeo, you doll, when I get to Texas I have a few stops to make. Yours will be near the top of the list. I would love to sit down and taste your BBQ and trade canning stories. I'm telling you, with the weather here right now...I would LOVE to be in Texas. I am freezing my behind off...HEY! Maybe I should post this under "Diet ideas that work"?


----------

