Last night, I headed over to the grocery store about 11:00 pm to find something to make for dinner tonight. You read that right. I had no recipe, no list, I just started down the aisles and hoped something would strike my fancy.
I hit the jackpot. As I was rounding the meat case, I saw a lady picking up a large piece of red meat. I could only assume she was going to use it to make a roast. I've never done a roast in my life.
I asked the lady if she made the thing in a crock pot (my only criteria) and she did! She told me to put some water in the bottom and sprinkle some instant beef bouillon granules on top and 6-7 hours later I would be in business.
I was skeptical but I bought it. This morning, I cut the fat off the meat (I'm a Warner--it's in my blood, I have to cut every piece of fat off every piece of meat before I cook it) and threw it in the crock pot. I also sprinkled garlic salt on it for good measure. Seven hours later, the whole house smelled delicious.
I dug out some frozen Ore Ida steam n' mash potatoes from the freezer--threw them in the microwave and then whipped them myself with some margarine and milk, added a frozen veggie and some crescent bread sticks from the tube and it was the best meal I ever made. It would have been even better with gravy (The picture at the top is obviously not my roast!)
The best part? No mess. Everything was done in the crock pot and microwave. Where has the roast been all my life? I will never make real mashed potatoes again! What a score. Are you all cooking roasts every Sunday? How come no one has told me about this!
27 comments:
Sooooo much better than what we ate for dinner tonight. I'm making this for dinner soon. I say your carrot cake would be the perfect way to end this meal.
I make roast a ton because it's so stinkin' easy! I'm in on those mashed potatos!
Leave on some fat, it flavors the meat and you can cut it off later, I promise.
You make me laugh! Can't believe you've never made a roast. They are a bit scary at first. I love roasts on Sunday, but only in the fall/winter. They are so easy. I need to try your microwaved mashed potatoes. Yum!
Why are my roasts always gnarly? I will follow your lady's recipe next time. Dinner pains me.
True story, they really are the best. Smith's has a whole section of crock-pot packets especially made for crock pot enthusiasts like yourself. Happy cooking!
This made me so unbelievably hungry for red meat and potatoes.
It's 9:00 am.
I can't wait to get home to my crock pot, it pains me not to have one here. I have to actually cook.
I have the BEST roast recipe ever! It is one of my main go-to recipes. It is cooked in a crockpot and comes with a whole pot of gravy. And the prep time is like 5 min. Delicious. It's our most favorite Sunday meals around here.
So here you go: Buy a 2-3 pound tri-tip roast (I get a double from Costco and put one in the freezer... it is by far cheaper there than buying in the grocery store). Put in crockpot, add 2 cans cream of mushroom soup, one packet of Dry Onion soup mix, and 1 1/4 cup water. Cook on high for 8 - 9 hours. Add cut up potatoes and baby carrots about 1/2 way through.
You are in business. There is oodles of gravy once it's all done, plus the meat is so tender it falls apart. No need to make anything else. This is plenty to fill everyone up and we always have leftovers.
So crock-pot roast is my "every-other-Sunday" recipe. I use a McCormick Crock Pot Savory Roast packet, mix it with water and let that bad boy sit for 8 hours. Throw in some Rhodes Rolls and you're in business.
I always have enough leftovers to do Beef Stroganoff on Monday. It's a two-fer. Perfect!
Crock pots are an abomination. First, its name is only one alveolar fricative away from "crotch." Second, it stinks up the whole place. Third, it induces a lethargic approach to meal preparation--just stick anything in here for 7 hours and then serve.
I have written a letter to the First Presidency, requesting that the crock pot be held to be in contradiction with the Word of Wisdom.
Sam,
You didn't seem to mind the crock pot yesterday when you were wolfing down the meat and potatoes and going back for seconds...and thirds.
I haven't made a roast in a while. Yes, they are quite simple, but everyone thinks you went to a ton of work for it. :)
I probably should look for some small roasts and try it again.
Ya gotta give it to him, that Sam is pretty funny.
Crock pots rock! Its not lazy cooking as you have to be very organised to do it. But do you really go to the shops as 11pm? and do you really find other people also shopping for roasts at 11pm? You must be a night owl.
I didn't make roasts for several years. Infact, I was just talking to Stan about that today. Here is the real secret. Brown that baby in a VERY HOT pan before you cook it. Then, if Sam hates the crock... :) put it in a pan in the oven on low temp. (300 or 325) I take my FROZEN meat, Brown on my griddle with montreal steak seasoning...heavy!, throw it in the oven while at church and wah lah! (I bought a cheap roaster that is dark. works great) Oh, and take water and rinse all that brown stuff off your pan and add to your roast. You will have yummy broth and not even need to make gravy for the roast. Pre cooked mashed potatoes? REALLY? I worked at a potato factory in Idaho. I don't think you could force feed them to me. All the bad parts go to dry potatoes and fake potatoes. They get bleached and sold to unsuspecting soles. |Just boil the potatoes and dont worry about taking off the skin. More vitamins. ...Sam will do dishes.
and besides that... there is a window in SLC for you!
Brooke,
Desperate times call for desperate measures. After having made the kids breakfast and lunch, I was ready to eat anything...anything. The roast was like the chubby girl at the Tri-Stake dance on the last song. She may not be the first pick, but you have to get on the dance floor no matter what the price.
Magdalena,
I have always found your comments to be intelligent and insightful.
Elisabeth,
Did you actually say that one has to be "very organised" to cook with a crock pot? All you need is an outlet, a plastic liner (optional), and some meat. At least with a microwave burrito, you have to turn it over half way through.
p.s. when buying a roast ask the butcher for the kind that you can use for shreded beef. The second day they are good for french dip sandwiches, or add a bunch of picante sauce (pace of course) and make tacos. YUMMY.
I don't eat left over roast as roast. I don't like "oven roast" that is dry. But most important is to BROWN BROWN BROWN the baby. (a little- that was LITTLE oil or shortening in the pan first)
Sam,
and you need 7 or so hours... so if you are not organised (cough like me cough) it gets to 5pm and small people ask you "Whhaaaattt foooor teaaaa Muuuum?" (try to imagine a whiny voice) and you think to yourself ... I wish I was organised like Brooke 'cos then we could have Roast..
Tyler despises the crock pot too. I don't know what gives. Everything that comes out of that thing is gold. Quit hatin!
Thanks for the back-up Elizabeth.
Sheryl, the potatoes I use are actual frozen potatoes. You steam them in their bag in the microwave. Then when they are soft, you beat them with butter and milk. Yummmm. Seriously, I will never waste time peeling and boiling potatoes again.
Sorry to intrude (I'm a blogstalker) but I had to comment. I used to hate making roast because it always turned out bad. But my friend told me about using onion soup mix and it makes the yummiest meat, potatoes, and carrots ever! Sear the roast on all sides, at a high temperature, pour the onion soup mix (diluted in water) over the roast, cook for two hours on the stove at a low temp. and then add the potatoes and carrots to the mixture of meat and liquid until they're tender. So yummy and easy and you don't have the smell all day long, just the afternoon. Make some biscuits (from the can!) and you're done.
By the way, love the blog. You're hysterical!
Sam, I couldn't agree more with regards to the crockpot comment. I don't mind the lazy nature of it. I just don't think that a mish-mash of foods stuck in a sauna for 7 hours tastes that good.
The fact that you thought about dinner with enough time to cook it for 6-7 hours makes you amazing in my book. I usually use the microwave to make dinner because I think about it about 10 minutes before it is time to eat. Nice going.
I am dying to know what Sam's deleted comment was.
Crockpot meals are great, especially on days when you have soccer practice, volleyball practice, and piano- all on the same day between the hours of 4-7pm. Without the crockpot, we'd be eating cold cereal, or Little Caesars pizza.
And Sarah's roast recipe is the same one I use, and it is delicious. Sometimes, I cook the roast with just the potatoes and carrots, and make the soup + Lipton onion packet + juice from the roast separately- then you can control how much gravy you want on your meat & vegetables.
And just because I like Sam so much, I am going to email you all of my best crock pot recipes!
Yay for Brooke and the making of her first roast!
Thanks Mr. McMurray and Sheryl and Mandee and Sarah for all great roast ideas. I am going to be a new woman from here on out. Roast every Sunday I say!
Mandee, Sam's deleted comment was just me because I left my comment and I was still logged in under his name. Nothing more exciting than that. Email me those recipes!
Um, aren't you Mormon?? Aren't we all required to make and eat roast every Sunday? Just checkin.
Crockpot cookin it where it's at! Ignore the boys, they no not what they speak of.
Who knew that roast and crock pots could be such a controversial subject?
I love seasoning my roast with stew seasoning (ah...the cheap Wal-Mart brand is pretty good...) and then broiling it on both sides first for a couple minutes, then throwing it in the crock pot. (Season one side, broil it, turn it over, season it, broil it.) Chuche's grandma makes it like that...Delicious delicious.
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