Is it just me, or doesn't pot roast taste as good as it use to? I
haven't bothered to prepare one for a long time, because the last couple
were "stringy" and not as tender or tasty as I like them to be. I have
done them in the Crock Pot, in my large electric skillet and in the
oven, but don't think it makes any difference.

It was one of the first cuts of meat I learned to cook when we were
married. It was an economical cut of meat (no meat is anymore - not even
hamburger is reasonable!) and it would last hubby and I several meals. I
would prepare it for company, as everyone seemed to enjoy it, and was
like a "one-dish" meal, as cooked veggies in with it and would make
gravy from the juices. Maybe I just grew tired of it, or else my taste
buds have gotten more refined over the years.

Do you have a good way of preparing it where it comes out fork-tender
and delicious? If so, please share your secrets.

Judy

On Fri, 25 Jan 2013 12:58:01 -0900, (Judy Haffner)
wrote:

>
>Is it just me, or doesn't pot roast taste as good as it use to? I
>haven't bothered to prepare one for a long time, because the last couple
>were "stringy" and not as tender or tasty as I like them to be. I have
>done them in the Crock Pot, in my large electric skillet and in the
>oven, but don't think it makes any difference.
>
>It was one of the first cuts of meat I learned to cook when we were
>married. It was an economical cut of meat (no meat is anymore - not even
>hamburger is reasonable!) and it would last hubby and I several meals. I
>would prepare it for company, as everyone seemed to enjoy it, and was
>like a "one-dish" meal, as cooked veggies in with it and would make
>gravy from the juices. Maybe I just grew tired of it, or else my taste
>buds have gotten more refined over the years.
>
>Do you have a good way of preparing it where it comes out fork-tender
>and delicious? If so, please share your secrets.


Pot roast is best cooked in a pot on a cooktop. Choose a large (~5lb)
top round (chuck becomes stringy). Tie the roast and check often with
a fork so it's not over cooked... should be thinly sliceable without
falling apart. For me pot roast is an excuse for making a large pot
of vegetable soup.

Judy Haffner wrote:
> Is it just me, or doesn't pot roast taste as good as it use to? I
> haven't bothered to prepare one for a long time, because the last
> couple were "stringy" and not as tender or tasty as I like them to
> be. I have done them in the Crock Pot, in my large electric skillet
> and in the oven, but don't think it makes any difference.
>
> It was one of the first cuts of meat I learned to cook when we were
> married. It was an economical cut of meat (no meat is anymore - not
> even hamburger is reasonable!) and it would last hubby and I several
> meals. I would prepare it for company, as everyone seemed to enjoy
> it, and was like a "one-dish" meal, as cooked veggies in with it and
> would make gravy from the juices. Maybe I just grew tired of it, or
> else my taste buds have gotten more refined over the years.
>
> Do you have a good way of preparing it where it comes out fork-tender
> and delicious? If so, please share your secrets.

You have to cook the hell out of it. Once I discovered the Crockpot, I will
cook it no other way. I have to use two pots for one. One for the meat,
the other for the veggies.

I do have a rack for the meat for the pot. That keeps the meat from getting
too greasy but... The juices that drip off will still be too fatty. So I
don't use that. I merely trim as much fat as I can to start with. Then I
put the meat in the pot with plenty of sliced onion, salt, pepper, parsley
and a little water. Cook on high for an hour or two, then on low for at
least 6 hours.

In the other pot, I put potatoes, carrots and onions. Seasonings the same
as for the meat but instead of water, I add a little beef broth. Cook the
same as the meat.

The reason I have to do two pots is that someone who lives here is a meat
pig. If I did just the one pot, it would all be gone in one meal. So I
usually buy two large pieces of meat and do them in my largest pot.

Brooklyn1 wrote:
> On Fri, 25 Jan 2013 12:58:01 -0900, (Judy Haffner)
> wrote:
>
>>
>> Is it just me, or doesn't pot roast taste as good as it use to? I
>> haven't bothered to prepare one for a long time, because the last
>> couple were "stringy" and not as tender or tasty as I like them to
>> be. I have done them in the Crock Pot, in my large electric skillet
>> and in the oven, but don't think it makes any difference.
>>
>> It was one of the first cuts of meat I learned to cook when we were
>> married. It was an economical cut of meat (no meat is anymore - not
>> even hamburger is reasonable!) and it would last hubby and I several
>> meals. I would prepare it for company, as everyone seemed to enjoy
>> it, and was like a "one-dish" meal, as cooked veggies in with it and
>> would make gravy from the juices. Maybe I just grew tired of it, or
>> else my taste buds have gotten more refined over the years.
>>
>> Do you have a good way of preparing it where it comes out fork-tender
>> and delicious? If so, please share your secrets.
>
>
> Pot roast is best cooked in a pot on a cooktop. Choose a large (~5lb)
> top round (chuck becomes stringy). Tie the roast and check often with
> a fork so it's not over cooked... should be thinly sliceable without
> falling apart. For me pot roast is an excuse for making a large pot
> of vegetable soup.

Yes. Either that or the Crockpot. The way I learned to make it was in the
big turkey roaster with a packet of onion soup and the potatoes and carrots
added later. Although I prefer the veggies when cooked this way, the meat
won't get very tender. And you have to keep checking the liquid level. You
do still have to check the liquid level if done on the stove top but you can
get it very tender this way.

"Judy Haffner" > wrote in message
...
>
> Is it just me, or doesn't pot roast taste as good as it use to? I
> haven't bothered to prepare one for a long time, because the last couple
> were "stringy" and not as tender or tasty as I like them to be. I have
> done them in the Crock Pot, in my large electric skillet and in the
> oven, but don't think it makes any difference.
>

Beef in genral does not taste very good anymore. I've eaten at top notchj
steak houses and the flavor is just gone.

> It was one of the first cuts of meat I learned to cook when we were
> married. It was an economical cut of meat (no meat is anymore - not even
> hamburger is reasonable!) and it would last hubby and I several meals. I
> would prepare it for company, as everyone seemed to enjoy it, and was
> like a "one-dish" meal, as cooked veggies in with it and would make
> gravy from the juices. Maybe I just grew tired of it, or else my taste
> buds have gotten more refined over the years.

Same hre. I used to cook it often. Not so much anymore.

> Do you have a good way of preparing it where it comes out fork-tender
> and delicious? If so, please share your secrets.

As always, Alton Brown to the rescue. His recipe and method yields a hugely
rich and tasty dish. You roast it in the oven in a foil pouch.

"Paul M. Cook" wrote:
>"Judy Haffner" wrote:
>
>> Is it just me, or doesn't pot roast taste as good as it use to?
>
>Beef in genral does not taste very good anymore. I've eaten at top notchj
>steak houses and the flavor is just gone.

Often as folks age so do their taste buds... sometimes the elderly are
on meds that negate their ability to taste. With aging is the time to
experiment with various spices and herbs. There are many flavorings
that will elevate the flavor of ordinary beef cuts; ginger, mustard,
cranberries, horseradish, beer, etc. Sauerbraten is the ultimate pot
roast and there are infinite versions

"Judy Haffner" > wrote in message
...
>
> Is it just me, or doesn't pot roast taste as good as it use to? I
> haven't bothered to prepare one for a long time, because the last couple
> were "stringy" and not as tender or tasty as I like them to be. I have
> done them in the Crock Pot, in my large electric skillet and in the
> oven, but don't think it makes any difference.

The stringy comes from the cut of meat and length of time cooking. Most
people will use a chuck roast, 7 bone, blade cut or a boneless chuck. The
problem with these cuts (although I use them frequently) is they are cut
cross grain and when the fibers break down you are left with muscle strands.

If you want to aviod the srtingyness try a shoulder clod or even some of the
sirloin or round chunks of cow.

The cooking methodology of braising (cooking in liquid) will yield pretty
much the same results.


As far as flavor is concerned please Google "pot roast" and read what
Wikipedia has to say. IMHO the browning is absolutely critical to the
flavor. As a flavor enhancer I will often pot the roast on a bed of
Mirepoix and 99% of the time add a few dashes of a "Umami" rich liquid like
soy or Worcestershire.

Best of luck

Dimitri

"Dimitri" wrote:
>"Judy Haffner" wrote:
>>
>> Is it just me, or doesn't pot roast taste as good as it use to? I
>> haven't bothered to prepare one for a long time, because the last couple
>> were "stringy" and not as tender or tasty as I like them to be. I have
>> done them in the Crock Pot, in my large electric skillet and in the
>> oven, but don't think it makes any difference.
>
>The stringy comes from the cut of meat and length of time cooking. Most
>people will use a chuck roast, 7 bone, blade cut or a boneless chuck. The
>problem with these cuts (although I use them frequently) is they are cut
>cross grain and when the fibers break down you are left with muscle strands.
>
>If you want to aviod the srtingyness try a shoulder clod or even some of the
>sirloin or round chunks of cow.
>
>The cooking methodology of braising (cooking in liquid) will yield pretty
>much the same results.
>
>As far as flavor is concerned please Google "pot roast" and read what
>Wikipedia has to say. IMHO the browning is absolutely critical to the
>flavor. As a flavor enhancer I will often pot the roast on a bed of
>Mirepoix and 99% of the time add a few dashes of a "Umami" rich liquid like
>soy or Worcestershire.

One of the best inexpensive cuts for pot roast is top round, however
it also makes for one of the best oven roasts, as in tonight's
din-din:
http://i50.tinypic.com/6fqo2p.jpg
Was wonderful with big baked spuds and broccoli... Walmart had 10 lb
bags of Green Giant "Prime Size" russets, 12 spuds to ten pounds. My
cats pigged out, and Newt will get his fill in the barn for breakfast
manana... three big slices and all the pan fond and drippings along
with his large can of Purina and a bowl of dried, his buddies get fed
too.

I like chuck but I think it makes lousy pot roast, gets all stringy
and falls apart... much better braised. Actually what most folks buy
are chuck steaks, excellent grilled, my favorite steak... a 2" thk
slab of chuck marinated for a couple days and grilled fast n'hot to
medium rare is superb. Most folks ruin a good piece of meat simply
because they are incapable of wielding a knife... in the 20 years I've
posted here other than myself I've yet to see anyone who has
demonstrated how to properly slice meat or anything else.

On Fri, 25 Jan 2013 12:58:01 -0900, (Judy Haffner)
wrote:

>
>Is it just me, or doesn't pot roast taste as good as it use to? I
>haven't bothered to prepare one for a long time, because the last couple
>were "stringy" and not as tender or tasty as I like them to be. I have
>done them in the Crock Pot, in my large electric skillet and in the
>oven, but don't think it makes any difference.
>
>It was one of the first cuts of meat I learned to cook when we were
>married. It was an economical cut of meat (no meat is anymore - not even
>hamburger is reasonable!) and it would last hubby and I several meals. I
>would prepare it for company, as everyone seemed to enjoy it, and was
>like a "one-dish" meal, as cooked veggies in with it and would make
>gravy from the juices. Maybe I just grew tired of it, or else my taste
>buds have gotten more refined over the years.
>
>Do you have a good way of preparing it where it comes out fork-tender
>and delicious? If so, please share your secrets.
>
>Judy

We do it the same way my grandmother and then my mother did it. We
use rump roast. Salt and pepper it. Heat some oil in a Dutch oven
and put the roast in to brown. Don't touch it until it is browned and
releases from the bottom of the pot. Turn to do all sides. Remove
the meat and saute some onions. Replace the meat, add enough water to
come up the sides about 1/3. Cook with lit on using very low heat for
about 4 hours. Make gravy from the liquid. We use cornstarch to
thicken it.

Serve with mashed potatoes and a veggie.

Chuck works well too, but you won't be able to slice it if that is how
you want to serve it.

On Fri, 25 Jan 2013 12:58:01 -0900, (Judy Haffner)
wrote:

>
> Is it just me, or doesn't pot roast taste as good as it use to? I
> haven't bothered to prepare one for a long time, because the last couple
> were "stringy" and not as tender or tasty as I like them to be. I have
> done them in the Crock Pot, in my large electric skillet and in the
> oven, but don't think it makes any difference.
>
> It was one of the first cuts of meat I learned to cook when we were
> married. It was an economical cut of meat (no meat is anymore - not even
> hamburger is reasonable!) and it would last hubby and I several meals. I
> would prepare it for company, as everyone seemed to enjoy it, and was
> like a "one-dish" meal, as cooked veggies in with it and would make
> gravy from the juices. Maybe I just grew tired of it, or else my taste
> buds have gotten more refined over the years.
>
> Do you have a good way of preparing it where it comes out fork-tender
> and delicious? If so, please share your secrets.
>
The meat you start off with these days isn't as "fatty" as it used to
be Judy. I'm in the same boat with brisket, except I have nothing to
compare it too. I can only say it's too dry and stringy when it
finishes cooking and it's not a piece of meat I want to cook again.

Have you tried making pot roast with a decent piece of chuck roast?

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

I want to say thanks to everyone that gave their suggestions for cooking
a superb pot roast. There was some very interesting and varied ideas,
and most sound quite good.

If ever I have had a question, I like posting in this group and "picking
the brains" of the posters, as I have gotten some great tips and ideas
from here, and the recipes I've tried, have all been very good.

After reading this thread, I may just have to buy another pot roast and
try it again, as maybe now I will discover that they are better than
previous times I have tried them. I know browning is a must, and most
meats benefit from that at the start of the cooking process, as just
gives more flavor, as do bones cooked in the meat. I've never thought
boneless cuts were as flavorful, though some think I'm imagining it,
but...I say not!

Judy

"Dimitri" > wrote in message
...
> "Judy Haffner" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> Is it just me, or doesn't pot roast taste as good as it use to? I
>> haven't bothered to prepare one for a long time, because the last couple
>> were "stringy" and not as tender or tasty as I like them to be. I have
>> done them in the Crock Pot, in my large electric skillet and in the
>> oven, but don't think it makes any difference.
>
> The stringy comes from the cut of meat and length of time cooking. Most
> people will use a chuck roast, 7 bone, blade cut or a boneless chuck. The
> problem with these cuts (although I use them frequently) is they are cut
> cross grain and when the fibers break down you are left with muscle
> strands.
>
> If you want to aviod the srtingyness try a shoulder clod or even some of
> the sirloin or round chunks of cow.
>
> The cooking methodology of braising (cooking in liquid) will yield pretty
> much the same results.
>
>
> As far as flavor is concerned please Google "pot roast" and read what
> Wikipedia has to say. IMHO the browning is absolutely critical to the
> flavor. As a flavor enhancer I will often pot the roast on a bed of
> Mirepoix and 99% of the time add a few dashes of a "Umami" rich liquid
> like soy or Worcestershire.
>

My mother always used soy sauce. I switchd to balsamic vinegar after trying
Alton Brown's recipe.

[quote=Paul M. Cook;As always, Alton Brown to the rescue. His recipe and method yields a hugely rich and tasty dish. You roast it in the oven in a foil pouch.[/QUOTE]

Haven't checked Alton's strategy yet but he always has a good plan. The Little Bride has been doing the foil pouch strategy for years. The recipe has been around for a long time so may not be any use to repeat it. Starts with a flat cut chuck roast covered with a can of cream of mushroom soup..pack of lipton Onion Soup Mix..and a Tablespoon or two of A 1 sauce smeared on top. Bundled up in the foil and cooked about 3 hrs at 350. Always comes out great with a rich brown gravy.

On Friday, January 25, 2013 3:58:01 PM UTC-6, Judy Haffner wrote:
> Is it just me, or doesn't pot roast taste as good as it use to?

It's just you.
>
> Judy

--Bryan

On Fri, 25 Jan 2013 23:30:05 -0800, "Paul M. Cook" >
wrote:

>
>"Dimitri" > wrote in message
...
>> "Judy Haffner" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>>
>>> Is it just me, or doesn't pot roast taste as good as it use to? I
>>> haven't bothered to prepare one for a long time, because the last couple
>>> were "stringy" and not as tender or tasty as I like them to be. I have
>>> done them in the Crock Pot, in my large electric skillet and in the
>>> oven, but don't think it makes any difference.
>>
>> The stringy comes from the cut of meat and length of time cooking. Most
>> people will use a chuck roast, 7 bone, blade cut or a boneless chuck. The
>> problem with these cuts (although I use them frequently) is they are cut
>> cross grain and when the fibers break down you are left with muscle
>> strands.
>>
>> If you want to aviod the srtingyness try a shoulder clod or even some of
>> the sirloin or round chunks of cow.
>>
>> The cooking methodology of braising (cooking in liquid) will yield pretty
>> much the same results.
>>
>>
>> As far as flavor is concerned please Google "pot roast" and read what
>> Wikipedia has to say. IMHO the browning is absolutely critical to the
>> flavor. As a flavor enhancer I will often pot the roast on a bed of
>> Mirepoix and 99% of the time add a few dashes of a "Umami" rich liquid
>> like soy or Worcestershire.
>>
>
>My mother always used soy sauce. I switchd to balsamic vinegar after trying
>Alton Brown's recipe.

Try ginger beer.

Beef today varies widely in flavor. That's why everyone "in the know" in
my metro area buys their beef from one of 5 grocery stores and never
from the other 4.

I remember loving sirloin steaks as a kid but today I have to buy ribeye
to experience the same pleasure-the sirloins are leaner now.

To save money but still have flavor I most often grill chuck eye steaks.

When I want indoor beef I now buy flank steak.

This thread has been educational. I have never made a roast (living
alone I would end up wasting meat) but I may experiment with a small
roast. I like that idea of slicing before finishing cooking.

I bought "shoulder" once and was disgusted with the result-but I know
now that beef requires different cooking techniques for each cut and I
didn't have any knowledge about cuts of meat then.

My first flank steak I grilled-awful result. I tried frying it open
air-so so result. The day I made it in my electric steam grill OMG it
was so good and now I always cook flank steak that way-when the timer
goes off (~8 minutes) I lift the lid and a huge cloud of steam comes
out-with perfectly cooked flank steak plus juices for remarinating if
desired.

On Jan 26, 7:02*am, Susan > wrote:

>
> Meat on the bone always tastes best. *You might try making your braise
> with beef short ribs instead; I use the same components for them, and
> steps. *Just like mini on the bone pot roasts.
>
> Susan

I love short ribs. Why is it that what used to be the "throw away"
cuts of meat are now so expensive.
Anyway, here's my recipe for braised short ribs. It's pretty lip
smackin' if I do say so myself.

http://hizzoners.com/recipes/lunch-s...sed-short-ribs

On Jan 25, 10:45*pm, (Judy Haffner) wrote:
> I want to say thanks to everyone that gave their suggestions for cooking
> a superb pot roast. There was some very interesting and varied ideas,
> and most sound quite good.
>
> If ever I have had a question, I like posting in this group and "picking
> the brains" of the posters, as I have gotten some great tips and ideas
> from here, and the recipes I've tried, have all been very good.
>
> After reading this thread, I may just have to buy another pot roast and
> try it again, as maybe now I will discover that they are better than
> previous times I have tried them. *I know browning is a must, and most
> meats benefit from that at the start of the cooking process, as just
> gives more flavor, as do bones cooked in the meat. I've never thought
> boneless cuts were as flavorful, though some think I'm imagining it,
> but...I say not!
>
> Judy

Judy...try using some cut marrow bones....that gives you the fat and
flavor you've probably been missing.
Here's a recipe that sounds really good to me. I plan on doing this.

http://cavegirlcooks.com/2012/02/15/pot-roast/

On Sat, 26 Jan 2013 08:06:34 -0800 (PST), ImStillMags
> wrote:

>On Jan 26, 7:02*am, Susan > wrote:
>
>>
>> Meat on the bone always tastes best. *You might try making your braise
>> with beef short ribs instead; I use the same components for them, and
>> steps. *Just like mini on the bone pot roasts.
>>
>> Susan
>
>I love short ribs. Why is it that what used to be the "throw away"
>cuts of meat are now so expensive.
>Anyway, here's my recipe for braised short ribs. It's pretty lip
>smackin' if I do say so myself.
>
>http://hizzoners.com/recipes/lunch-s...sed-short-ribs

that looks really good -- I'm glad the olives are optional, I just
can't wrap my head around that flavor and texture combo.
thanks
Janet US

On 1/26/2013 4:47 AM, bigwheel wrote:
>
>>
>> Haven't checked Alton's strategy yet but he always has a good plan. The
>> Little Bride has been doing the foil pouch strategy for years.


"The Little Bride"? I sure hope that's the name of a cooking show.

Jill

On Sat, 26 Jan 2013 12:20:07 -0500, jmcquown >
wrote:

>On 1/26/2013 4:47 AM, bigwheel wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> Haven't checked Alton's strategy yet but he always has a good plan. The
>>> Little Bride has been doing the foil pouch strategy for years.
>
>
>"The Little Bride"? I sure hope that's the name of a cooking show.
>
>Jill
I think that is Neanderthal for wife.
Janet US

"Janet Bostwick" > wrote in message
...
> On Sat, 26 Jan 2013 12:20:07 -0500, jmcquown >
> wrote:
>
>>On 1/26/2013 4:47 AM, bigwheel wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>> Haven't checked Alton's strategy yet but he always has a good plan. The
>>>> Little Bride has been doing the foil pouch strategy for years.
>>
>>
>>"The Little Bride"? I sure hope that's the name of a cooking show.
>>
>>Jill
> I think that is Neanderthal for wife.
> Janet US


She married him to get out of her parent's cave.

"Brooklyn1" <Gravesend1> wrote in message
...
> "Dimitri" wrote:

<snip>

> One of the best inexpensive cuts for pot roast is top round, however
> it also makes for one of the best oven roasts, as in tonight's
> din-din:
> http://i50.tinypic.com/6fqo2p.jpg
> Was wonderful with big baked spuds and broccoli... Walmart had 10 lb
> bags of Green Giant "Prime Size" russets, 12 spuds to ten pounds. My
> cats pigged out, and Newt will get his fill in the barn for breakfast
> manana... three big slices and all the pan fond and drippings along
> with his large can of Purina and a bowl of dried, his buddies get fed
> too.
>
> I like chuck but I think it makes lousy pot roast, gets all stringy
> and falls apart... much better braised. Actually what most folks buy
> are chuck steaks, excellent grilled, my favorite steak... a 2" thk
> slab of chuck marinated for a couple days and grilled fast n'hot to
> medium rare is superb. Most folks ruin a good piece of meat simply
> because they are incapable of wielding a knife... in the 20 years I've
> posted here other than myself I've yet to see anyone who has
> demonstrated how to properly slice meat or anything else.
>
A hundred years ago (Ok 40 or so) my brother used to use Adolph's meat
tenderizer on a blade cut chuck (cheap stuff then) then put it on the
charcoal "BBQ" and cook it till it was charred. He would then cut slices
like it were a chateaubriand. I must admit I tried it that way a few times
long ago.

Dimitri

On Sat, 26 Jan 2013 11:00:13 -0800, "Dimitri" >
wrote:

>"Brooklyn1" <Gravesend1> wrote in message
.. .
>> "Dimitri" wrote:
>
><snip>
>
>> One of the best inexpensive cuts for pot roast is top round, however
>> it also makes for one of the best oven roasts, as in tonight's
>> din-din:
>> http://i50.tinypic.com/6fqo2p.jpg
>> Was wonderful with big baked spuds and broccoli... Walmart had 10 lb
>> bags of Green Giant "Prime Size" russets, 12 spuds to ten pounds. My
>> cats pigged out, and Newt will get his fill in the barn for breakfast
>> manana... three big slices and all the pan fond and drippings along
>> with his large can of Purina and a bowl of dried, his buddies get fed
>> too.
>>
>> I like chuck but I think it makes lousy pot roast, gets all stringy
>> and falls apart... much better braised. Actually what most folks buy
>> are chuck steaks, excellent grilled, my favorite steak... a 2" thk
>> slab of chuck marinated for a couple days and grilled fast n'hot to
>> medium rare is superb. Most folks ruin a good piece of meat simply
>> because they are incapable of wielding a knife... in the 20 years I've
>> posted here other than myself I've yet to see anyone who has
>> demonstrated how to properly slice meat or anything else.
>>
>A hundred years ago (Ok 40 or so) my brother used to use Adolph's meat
>tenderizer on a blade cut chuck (cheap stuff then) then put it on the
>charcoal "BBQ" and cook it till it was charred. He would then cut slices
>like it were a chateaubriand. I must admit I tried it that way a few times
>long ago.
>
>Dimitri
Yes, we all did that then ;o)
Janet US

On Sat, 26 Jan 2013 11:00:13 -0800, "Dimitri" >
wrote:

>"Brooklyn1" <Gravesend1> wrote in message
.. .
>> "Dimitri" wrote:
>
><snip>
>
>> One of the best inexpensive cuts for pot roast is top round, however
>> it also makes for one of the best oven roasts, as in tonight's
>> din-din:
>> http://i50.tinypic.com/6fqo2p.jpg
>> Was wonderful with big baked spuds and broccoli... Walmart had 10 lb
>> bags of Green Giant "Prime Size" russets, 12 spuds to ten pounds. My
>> cats pigged out, and Newt will get his fill in the barn for breakfast
>> manana... three big slices and all the pan fond and drippings along
>> with his large can of Purina and a bowl of dried, his buddies get fed
>> too.
>>
>> I like chuck but I think it makes lousy pot roast, gets all stringy
>> and falls apart... much better braised. Actually what most folks buy
>> are chuck steaks, excellent grilled, my favorite steak... a 2" thk
>> slab of chuck marinated for a couple days and grilled fast n'hot to
>> medium rare is superb. Most folks ruin a good piece of meat simply
>> because they are incapable of wielding a knife... in the 20 years I've
>> posted here other than myself I've yet to see anyone who has
>> demonstrated how to properly slice meat or anything else.
>>
>A hundred years ago (Ok 40 or so) my brother used to use Adolph's meat
>tenderizer on a blade cut chuck (cheap stuff then) then put it on the
>charcoal "BBQ" and cook it till it was charred. He would then cut slices
>like it were a chateaubriand. I must admit I tried it that way a few times
>long ago.

I marinate chuck steaks the same as I do spare ribs for Chinese
style... except the ribs are grilled low and slow, the chuck fast and
furious. Chuck steaks need no tenderizer when the marinade contains
fresh lime and orange juice, garlic, ginger, white pepper, a wee bit
of sesame oil, sometimes soy sauce sometimes not. Chuck is my
favorite cut for steak so long as it's not cooked past medium rare...
makes great kabobs too.

My mother-in-law makes the most delicious pot roast with rice and gravy.
She cooks it in her pressure cooker. It is so tender and flavorful. I
don't have the recipe, but I'm pretty sure it is supermarket meat with
very basic seasonings. The secret is the pressure cooker.

Tara

"Tara" > wrote in message
...
> My mother-in-law makes the most delicious pot roast with rice and gravy.
> She cooks it in her pressure cooker. It is so tender and flavorful. I
> don't have the recipe, but I'm pretty sure it is supermarket meat with
> very basic seasonings. The secret is the pressure cooker.
>
> Tara


Yes, that's a good way too.

Cheri

On 1/26/2013 9:45 AM, z z wrote:
> My first flank steak I grilled-awful result. I tried frying it open
> air-so so result. The day I made it in my electric steam grill OMG it
> was so good and now I always cook flank steak that way-when the timer
> goes off (~8 minutes) I lift the lid and a huge cloud of steam comes
> out-with perfectly cooked flank steak plus juices for remarinating if
> desired.

Uh, what? Steamed flank steak. That's a new one on me. And one thing
I will never try is an "electric steam grill". What is this, a newer
version of the George Forman "grill"? No thanks to steamed beef.

Flank steak is best well marinated, then grilled or broiled. I prefer
med-rare. Let it rest a few minutes on a cutting board then slice
thinly against the grain to serve. If you have a proper meat cutting
board the juices from the steak run into a 'canal' along the edges of
the board and can easily be poured off into a pan for making a nice gravy.

Jill

Nope, I don't like the George grills because they are all designed to
drain off fat/fluid while it cooks.

The steam grill is turned on before you place the seasoned flank steak
inside-you get a really nice sizzle/sear immediately going on both sides
of the meat, with total contact, and end up with perfect, rare in the
middle, nice juicy flank steak. No fluid drains off-in fact there is a
small reservoir inside that allows you to add liquid if you wish. You
had to be there :-)

I bought two of them its such a great appliance but gave one to Mom when
she expressed an interest. She likes to buy those little fillets wrapped
in bacon-she said it cooks them perfect.

I haven't tried bacon in it ala bacon press but I might get around to
that.

On Sat, 26 Jan 2013 20:19:44 -0600, (z z) wrote:

>Nope, I don't like the George grills because they are all designed to
>drain off fat/fluid while it cooks.
>
>The steam grill is turned on before you place the seasoned flank steak
>inside-you get a really nice sizzle/sear immediately going on both sides
>of the meat, with total contact, and end up with perfect, rare in the
>middle, nice juicy flank steak. No fluid drains off-in fact there is a
>small reservoir inside that allows you to add liquid if you wish. You
>had to be there :-)

When I searched Amazon I got mostly steam grill *cleaners*.
Then some 'shabu shabu' cookers that say they steam and grill. Is
that what you have?
http://www.amazon.com/SPT-SS-301-Mul...dp/B003BQXK16/

I'm intrigued-- but I can't justify *steam* and *grill* at the same
time.

Jim

I wish it were bigger and rectangular-I think it was intended for fish.
If you look around you can find a panini press that will do the
same-provided it does not have a drip tray/channel/outlet.

Call me crazy but I am seriously tempted to put meat in my electric
waffle iron and see what results?! Has anyone tried putting bacon in
their waffle iron?? Total contact with heat is the objective.

The steam part Is no different than when you fry a burger and put a pot
lid over it to speed up cooking and/or to melt a cheese slice on
top-when you lift the pot lid away a cloud of steam escapes and you have
a very juicy burger.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...%3Disch&itbs=1

They dont sell them anymore-I bought one in a thrift store and the
second one via Ebay.

On 1/27/2013 10:41 AM, z z wrote:
> The steam part Is no different than when you fry a burger and put a pot
> lid over it to speed up cooking and/or to melt a cheese slice on
> top

I don't know anyone who does that. Then again I know how to cook a
burger without trying to "speed up cooking". I buy good quality cheese
for cheeseburgers. It melts just fine.

Jill

Whatever you say, JillyBean.

[quote='jmcquown"The Little Bride"? I sure hope that's the name of a cooking show. Jill[/QUOTE]

The Little Bride phrase has roots into when she figgered out I was calling her the Warden. I got in a heap o twoble on that one. Now from grade school on we was taught call them our Old Lady. It ran aground in high school because some kids used the affectionate term to apply to their Mamas and some made it applicable to their girlfriends. So it got confusing to say the least especially a guy starting telling a story you think is about his Mama and it was really his girfriend. I think only outlaw bikers use that one nowadays..and they aint talking about their Mamas. Or dont seem like anyway. Now bikers have Mamas and then they have "Mamas" Makes sense they have trouble fitting in with society huh?

[quote=Paul M. Cook;She married him to get out of her parent's cave.[/QUOTE]

You are eggxactly right Sir! She freely confesses that factoid today. Of course she didnt bother to mention it the first twenty years or so. What do you think was up with the long delay in getting that burden off her bosom? She has been hit in the head a few times over the years just to give all the facts. Thanks.

"Sqwertz" > wrote in message
...
> On Sat, 26 Jan 2013 11:00:13 -0800, Dimitri wrote:
>
>> "Brooklyn1" <Gravesend1> wrote in message
>> ...
>>> "Dimitri" wrote:
>>
>> <snip>
>>
>>> One of the best inexpensive cuts for pot roast is top round, however
>>> it also makes for one of the best oven roasts, as in tonight's
>>> din-din:
>>> http://i50.tinypic.com/6fqo2p.jpg
>>> Was wonderful with big baked spuds and broccoli... Walmart had 10 lb
>>> bags of Green Giant "Prime Size" russets, 12 spuds to ten pounds. My
>>> cats pigged out, and Newt will get his fill in the barn for breakfast
>>> manana... three big slices and all the pan fond and drippings along
>>> with his large can of Purina and a bowl of dried, his buddies get fed
>>> too.
>>>
>>> I like chuck but I think it makes lousy pot roast, gets all stringy
>>> and falls apart... much better braised. Actually what most folks buy
>>> are chuck steaks, excellent grilled, my favorite steak... a 2" thk
>>> slab of chuck marinated for a couple days and grilled fast n'hot to
>>> medium rare is superb. Most folks ruin a good piece of meat simply
>>> because they are incapable of wielding a knife... in the 20 years I've
>>> posted here other than myself I've yet to see anyone who has
>>> demonstrated how to properly slice meat or anything else.
>>>
>> A hundred years ago (Ok 40 or so) my brother used to use Adolph's meat
>> tenderizer on a blade cut chuck (cheap stuff then) then put it on the
>> charcoal "BBQ" and cook it till it was charred. He would then cut slices
>> like it were a chateaubriand. I must admit I tried it that way a few
>> times
>> long ago.
>>
>> Dimitri
>
> Has the whole World gone crazy?

Of course!


> How do you cut a Chateaubriand - with your pinkie sticking up in the
> air and your tongue peeking out of the corner of your mouth?

Nope just 1/2 inch slices cut with the grain.

Dimitri

On 1/25/2013 7:06 PM, Paul M. Cook wrote:

> Beef in genral does not taste very good anymore. I've eaten at top notchj
> steak houses and the flavor is just gone.
>

I kind of tend to agree with you. I was thinking I couldn't cook beef
properly anymore, but maybe it is the beef and not me? As a result I
don't eat it much anymore.

On 1/26/2013 4:47 AM, bigwheel wrote:
>
> Paul M. Cook;As always, Alton Brown to the rescue. His recipe and method yields a hugely rich and tasty dish. You roast it in the oven in a foil pouch.[/QUOTE Wrote:
>>
>>
>> Haven't checked Alton's strategy yet but he always has a good plan. The
>> Little Bride has been doing the foil pouch strategy for years. The
>> recipe has been around for a long time so may not be any use to repeat
>> it. Starts with a flat cut chuck roast covered with a can of cream of
>> mushroom soup..pack of lipton Onion Soup Mix..and a Tablespoon or two of
>> A 1 sauce smeared on top. Bundled up in the foil and cooked about 3 hrs
>> at 350. Always comes out great with a rich brown gravy.
>
>
>
>
Just curious but why do you post ass backwards? Your posts look like
quoted text and what you quote looks like original text and it doesn't
wrap. You should dump foodbanter. Seriously.

On 1/25/2013 9:15 PM, Brooklyn1 wrote:

> One of the best inexpensive cuts for pot roast is top round, however
> it also makes for one of the best oven roasts, as in tonight's
> din-din:
> http://i50.tinypic.com/6fqo2p.jpg
> Was wonderful with big baked spuds and broccoli... Walmart had 10 lb
> bags of Green Giant "Prime Size" russets, 12 spuds to ten pounds. My
> cats pigged out, and Newt will get his fill in the barn for breakfast
> manana... three big slices and all the pan fond and drippings along
> with his large can of Purina and a bowl of dried, his buddies get fed
> too.

I bought a top round today with the plan of roasting the beast tonight
but I got home too late to start it as I was already starving. I didn't
eat anything today until around 5pm because I started my day late and
had too much to do. So I settled for a turkey sandwich and will roast
the beast tomorrow if I work at home again. I'm not doing a pot roast
with it and while I've said I give up on beef, I wanted to give it
another try. It was on sale, and this roast will make two of them when I
cut it in half.

On Sun, 27 Jan 2013 18:42:02 -0800 (PST), projectile vomit chick
> wrote:

>On Jan 25, 3:58*pm, (Judy Haffner) wrote:
>> Is it just me, or doesn't pot roast taste as good as it use to? I
>> haven't bothered to prepare one for a long time, because the last couple
>> were "stringy" and not as tender or tasty as I like them to be. I have
>> done them in the Crock Pot, in my large electric skillet and in the
>> oven, but don't think it makes any difference.
>
>They aren't as good anymore because there is no fat on them anymore.

I agree. The marbling is no longer there.
Janet US