Mississippi Pot Roast

This recipe is all over the net but I found it here specifically. I followed exactly except I did not have pepperoncini on hand & used banana peppers instead. It was absolutely outstanding. Since I didn't have 8 hours to spare before dinner, I started out on high for a few hours then reduced to low for the last couple. But next time, I will go low and slow all the way. There was no way to improve on this recipe and was the most flavorful roast I ever had. Served with mashed taters.

1 (3-4 pounds) chuck roast
1 packet ranch dressing mix
1 packet au jus gravy mix
1/4 cup butter
4-5 pepperoncini peppers
 
Place roast in the slow cooker and sprinkle the top with the ranch dressing mix and the au jus mix. Place peppers on top of the mixes, and add the butter. Cook over low heat for 8 hours. Serve with noodles, rice or mashed potatoes. Enjoy!
Do not add any water or broth to this! It will make enough liquid as it cooks. This tastes delicious with potatoes and carrots! I like to add a few quartered russet potatoes and a large handful of baby carrots to the crockpot when there is about 1-2 hours left of cooking time.

Coffee Braised Pot Roast

I never loved pot roast so I don't make it much. Or ever. But when I saw the coffee braised twist I knew I had to try it. It turned out to be one of the best pot roasts I ever tried. One that has now turned me into a pot roast fan. Everyone truly enjoyed it, including Tristan.

Don't worry, it didn't have a coffee taste but I imagine the coffee magic comes from how these simple ingredients just complement & enhance one another. This went perfectly with some mashed potatoes and this To Die For Salad.

COFFEE BRAISED POT ROAST from Eating Well

1 4-pound beef chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 large onions, halved & thinly sliced (4 cups)
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
3/4 cup strong brewed coffee
2 tblsp balsamic vinegar
2 tblsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tblsp water

Preheat oven to 300°F. Season beef with salt & pepper.

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add beef & cook, turning from time to time, until well browned on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the pot. Add onions, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until softened & golden, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add garlic & thyme; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. If someone asked me what my favorite kitchen tool is, this would be it. My mini chopster.



Stir in coffee & vinegar; bring to a simmer. Return the beef to the pot & spoon some onions over it. Cover & transfer to the oven.

Braise the beef in the oven until fork-tender but not falling apart, 2 1/2 to 3 hours (I did 2 1/2). Transfer beef to a cutting board, tent with foil & let rest for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, skim fat from the braising liquid; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the cornstarch mixture & cook, whisking, until the gravy thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Add a pat or two of butter for a nice finish. Season with pepper.

Carve the beef & serve with gravy.




{Food for Thought}

Definitely go for the chuck roast. Even though it has more fat it will not dry out during the braising period. My cut didn't even have much fat & I just cut out the fatty deposits after it was done cooking.

By the time I was done making the gravy, the onions were so broken down that I may strain the liquid next time, leaving the onions aside, then adding them back in once the gravy has thickened. This is more for presentation or if you like to see the onion slices draped over the meat rather than lost in the gravy. I would also not cut my onions so thin next time.

{Slow-Cooker Variation: In Step 2, transfer the browned beef to a slow cooker. In Step 3, use just 1/2 cup coffee. Add the onion mixture to the slow cooker. In Step 4, cover & cook until beef is tender, 4 1/2 to 5 hours on High or 7 to 8 hours on Low. In Step 5, pour the liquid into a medium saucepan & continue as directed.}

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And for dessert.......

It's been too hot here to even think about apple pickin' or anything Halloween related but what are you doin' with all those extra apples? How 'bout some of these?

All American Mini Apple Pies. Click Here to Print Recipe.

Then go to Friday Food at MomTrends & Foodie Friday with Designs by Gollum

Have a great weekend everyone. Come back next week for some good stuff because things are really heating up in my kitchen!!

Foolproof Steak Cooking Chart

I rarely mess up a steak on the grill. That's because I have been using this little chart for over 5 years. I've been holding back, I know, but I just thought that if I knew then the whole world knew. I don't give myself credit sometimes. So, here it is. If you want perfect steak & not just good steak, use it, you will not be sorry!!!!!

Yes, I actually do take a ruler to my meat & then go according to the chart. The chart can also be found here.

Some of my own tips for steak grilling: 

1. Take your steaks out of the fridge about 15 - 30 minutes prior to cooking.
2. Be aware of the hot spots on your grill.
3. All you need is salt, pepper, garlic powder & a little lime juice. Salting just prior does not dry out the steak or draw out moisture. The lime juice helps to break down the fibers giving you tenderness!
4. Only flip steak once.
5. Don't keep opening your grill. Maybe check once to make sure there are no flare ups. 

And........

Always - let your steak rest for 3-4 minutes before slicing into it. You will then see the true doneness since it continues to cook, as well as let the juices run back to the middle, giving you a very juicy, moist & delicious steak. I swear by this rule.

Brought to you by Angie & Wordful Wednesdays from:

The Best Ever Beer Steamed Burgers

These burgers are simply awesome & you don't even have to fire up the grill. I live in FL so my grill is never covered in snow & I will still use this process more often when making burgers. The secret is steaming them in beer for the last few minutes of cooking time. Give these a try & if there is one topping you don't like, no big deal, just substitute! I'll be making mushroom Swiss burgers next time!!

 

3 tblsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, sliced (about 1 cup)
1 cup fresh mushrooms
Salt & pepper
1 4-oz can sliced, peeled green chiles, drained
1/3 cup pitted, brine-cured olives such as kalamata, sliced
1 1/2 pounds ground beef, chuck or round (I bought 4 fresh pre-made patties)
6 ounces Cheddar cheese, cut into 4 slices (fresh from the deli)
1/3 cup beer
4 hamburger buns, split & toasted if you'd like

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet until hot. Add onion & cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until softened, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high; add mushrooms & cook, stirring, until mushrooms have browned & liquid they release has evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes. Season mushroom mixture with salt & pepper to taste & transfer to a bowl; add chiles & olives. Set aside.

If you buy chopped meat, gently shape beef into four 4-inch burgers; season with salt & pepper. Heat remaining tablespoon oil in skillet over high heat until hot. Reduce heat to medium-high, add burgers & cook 3 minutes. Turn burgers & cook 2 minutes. Divide chile mixture onto them & top each with a slice of cheese. Add beer to skillet; cover & steam until cheese has melted, about 2-3 minutes. This will yield a burger with just a tad pink in the middle. If you like yours well done, I would increase the cooking time in the beginning by 2 minutes because you don't want your cheese to turn into a gloppy mess.

Transfer burgers to toasted buns & serve.

My Thoughts:

The topping can be made ahead of time which is awesome! Fresh cheddar is a must. Any beer will do, I used Blue Moon & just drank the rest naturally. These burgers are SO moist. You may also want to put them on a rack for a second before loading them onto your bun so that all the juices don't make your bun soppy. Also, the chiles are not enough to make these too spicy. More thoughts on the printable page.

Click Here for Printable Recipe

The Crockpot Chronicles - Crock Pot Roast

The rump roast I had in my freezer for 2 months, and wanted to get rid of, was the inspiration here. This was prepared Friday morning & enjoyed shortly after I came home. The great thing about this one is we used it for leftovers on Sunday evening for my husband's version of a hot shot, something he has grown up on & enjoyed immensely. We get 2 recipes in one today.














Crock Pot Roast

3-4 lb rump roast (mine was a standard size)
Small bag of potatoes (I used fingerling)
1 Vidalia Onion, sliced
Brown gravy mix (I used one jar of prepared from my pantry)
1 can of Cream of mushroom soup
Salt, pepper, garlic powder

Cut potatoes (I did not take the skin off) in small pieces & put half in the bottom of the crockpot. Season with salt, pepper & garlic powder. Pour a little of the brown gravy over the potatoes. Set pot roast on top of the potatoes. Lay the sliced onion on top & sides of the meat. Put rest of the potatoes in pot & season everything again. Pour the cream of mushroom as well as the rest of the gravy mix over all. Cook on high for 6-7 hours. I did mine for 6 hours and let it stay on warm until I came home.

Next time I would add carrots or a vegetable to it. We served it over noodles even though there were potatoes in the dish, something we normally don't do. I just wasn't prepared for a side. Too much starch of course so next time I may omit the potatoes, especially since we used them in the hot shots below which calls for mashed potatoes.

Hot Shot













Terry grew up on pot roast quite a bit so for leftovers they would always make sandwiches. This one specifically has mashed potatoes in the middle of the sandwich & lots of gravy poured over it. Since this was a last minute leftover idea, Terry had to fish out the cut up potatoes from the roast &.then make fresh mashed potatoes. I also did not have enough leftover gravy but usually there would be much more poured on top here. Just make a sandwich out of your meat. Plop some potatoes in the middle & then pour lots of your gravy all over.

Terry really enjoyed this as he is a huge sandwich guy. As for me, I just had some pot roast over the mashed potatoes.

Spaghetti Meat Sauce - My Way

When my husband challenged me to make my own meat sauce he only had a few requirements. That it is thick & meaty with peppers in it, & that the meat was ground up pretty well. Then I took it to another level & invited the parents over so if I failed then I failed big. I also had a backup by making the baked fettucine dish as well, just in case.



A few notes to share: I made the sauce the day before so that the flavors could really blend & to also give myself a chance to taste it & adjust any seasonings before hitting the table. I also decided to use ground sirloin & sausage as my meats, but to give it more flavor, I used a combination of hot & mild sausage. The hot sausage is really not very hot, just flavorful. I make a lasagna by Tyler Florence where I use beef & pork so I wanted to be a bit different here. Also, I read that the San Marzano canned tomatoes are among the best but could not find them so I went for Cento. I stayed away from any cans saying "Italian style." I wanted from Italy, not like Italy.

SPAGHETTI MEAT SAUCE
_____________________
1 pkg ground sirloin, 1 pkg hot Italian Sausage, 1 pkg mild Italian sausage
Meat combined = roughly 2.5 lbs.
Olive oil
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 large onion, diced
1 large or 2 small green bell pepper, diced
7 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup red wine
(4) 28 oz cans of Cento peeled tomatoes
Oregano, thyme, basil, (2) bay leaves, rosemary, garlic powder (if needed), baking soda to cut acidity, sugar to make it sweeter, salt & pepper

**This makes enough to dress 2 lbs spaghetti, plus more for freezing**

In a larger skillet over medium heat brown all the meat, breaking it up as you go. Season with salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, basil, a little garlic powder. Cook for 8-10 minutes, then set aside.

In a large stockpot heat olive oil over medium heat. Add red pepper flakes stirring for 20 seconds. Add the onion & green pepper until soft & fragrant, about 10-12 minutes. Add tomato paste & stir for 1 minute. Add red wine & let alcohol burn off for a 1/2 minute. Add tomatoes with liquid, crushing each one with your hand. If there are any big pieces you'll get them later. Let simmer covered. Go back to your meat & grind up in a processor in batches (I pulsated on/off for a few seconds to give me the consistency I needed). Add meat to sauce. Let simmer for 1 hour. Take a nap, come back & adjust seasonings. I added some baking soda (1/2 tsp)on 2 occasions to cut down on the acidity from the tomatoes. You'll find in the beginning it tastes just like, well, tomatoes. Later I added 1 tsp sugar to sweeten it up. Simmer for another hour or so. If you have this kind of time, simmer for even longer. If not, then this is fine. The longer you simmer, the richer & more complex the sauce will be.

After it simmered a couple of hours, I took it off the heat & let it sit. As it cooled I let hubby taste it. I added some parmesan cheese, about 1/2 cup, as well as some more red pepper flakes. I then patiently transferred it to this big tupperware dish so it could sit in the fridge until Sunday. This is when I took a masher to break up any larger pieces of tomatoes I didn't get earlier.

About 1 1/2 hours before dinner the next day, I put it back on the stove to warm it up slowly. I had a few honest family members taste it before it hit the table and they said nothing needed to be added.

After doing this my first time, I realize a tomato sauce is so forgiving & it's easy to make it what you want to make it. My biggest challenge was making it the way my husband wanted it. Since I don't get excited over red sauce it was difficult for me to taste it & decide for myself.

The key is tasting it & adjusting the seasonings all along the way. I really enjoyed doing this!

Homemade & Hearty Vegetable Soup

3-4 lb rump roast
Salt & Pepper
About 8oz baby carrots, diced
About 8oz celery, diced
1 large yellow onion, diced or chopped
1 can of green beans, drained
1 can of peas, drained
4-6 medium potatoes diced, skin in tact (thank goodness)
1 can of corn, drained
15 oz can tomato soup
15 oz can tomato juice
28 oz can diced tomatoes, drained, hold on to can
Water

Place rump roast in crockpot. Salt & pepper it generously. Cover a little more than half of roast with water. Cook 6 hours on high or 9 hours on low. When done, strain liquid to remove fatty bits. Although this is a pretty healthy dish to begin with, if you're concerned about removing more fat, put the liquid in the fridge for a while until the fat rises to top and gets solid enough to discard. If not, then just set the meat and strained liquid aside. The meat will be added to the soup once all veggies are almost tender.

For the soup: in a large stockpot place the carrots, celery, onion, green beans, peas, potatoes, corn, soup, juice, tomatoes and strained liquid (= to about 2 cups) from roast. Also, fill the 28 oz can from tomatoes with water twice & add to soup. Add salt & pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes & carrots are tender. When they are, shred the roast into pieces with your fingers and add to soup. Simmer 20 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

I've loved making this soup for years now. The work is only in the dicing of the veggies but it's so worth it because it makes enough for many days of feasting, enough to bring to some friends, and enough to put in the freezer in individual portions. If you don't like the veggies above substitute your own. I am not a canned veggie person at all but I stick with the recipe because that's how my husband loves it. I am sure fresh beans, peas and corn would be lovely!!

Texas Hot Steaks

For me, a steak is like french fries, needs nothing on it. No ketchup, nothing!!! Normally, I only salt, pepper and garlic my steak before grilling and that's it. But for times when I just want a slight change and a little heat, this recipe does the trick. Got it from a magazine and made it quite a few times.

(2) 12-14 oz Ribeye Steaks

(1) bottle cheap beer

(1) Small 4oz jar of sliced jalapeno peppers plus juices

(6) garlic cloves crushed

Kosher salt and coarse black pepper

_________________________________________________________ Place steaks in glass dish. Pour beer over steaks, add garlic, peppers and juice from jar. Marinate at least 6 hours, turn occasionally. Salt and pepper steaks before grilling to your liking.