Recently, I saw a recipe for cooking a pot roast and thought I'd try it, comparing it to my favorite recipe. A few years ago I used to make pot roast very similar to this new recipe. I'd put my roast in the crock-pot, then toss some cut-up potatoes, carrots, and onions atop the roast. Let it cook, and voila! dinner in a pot. However, my roast was usually dry, and flavorless. And, forget about making a gravy ... everytime I did it was really gross!My favorite recipe I found a while ago and I've been using it for some time now. But, like with any favorite recipe, it can get old, so I thought I'd try the recipe included with the box of slow cooker liners. Here are the differences between the two recipes and which way I liked best:
Recipe #1-Slow Cooker Liner Recipe
Okay, this recipe says to put 1/4 cup water into the crock-pot, then add the cut-up veggies. I added some green pepper and garlic to my crock-pot. Then it says to sprinkle on the dry onion soup mix.
Recipe #2-My Favorite Recipe
In my favorite recipe, I only put onions in the pot. Sometimes I'll put some celery in the pot first so the roast can rest on it. Then, I'll put in the roast and place the onions around and atop the roast. I'll slice up my garlic and place all of it atop the roast. (I prepare the roast differently too, and I'll get to that.)
Recipe #1
In the new recipe, it said to sprinkle salt, pepper, and thyme on the roast and rub it in. Which I did, then I deviated from the recipe and browned my roast on all sides to seal in the moisture. Then, place the roast atop the veggies and let it cook for 5-6 hours on high.
Recipe #2
What I do differently in my favorite recipe is brown the roast on all sides, then I sprinkle the salt and pepper, and rosemary and thyme on the roast after I've placed it in the pot atop the celery. After I put the onions and garlic in the pot, I pour in 1-2 cans of beef broth, or about 2-3 cups water and a few cubes of beef bouillon. And, I pour it down the side of the pot so as not to wash the seasonings off the meat.
The verdict:
Recipe #1
I love having the entire dinner in one pot and not having to do any extra work after cutting everything up. The veggies had a lot of flavor, although the potatoes had a bitter aftertaste that I wasn't a fan of. The children really liked the potatoes though, so that was a bonus. I thought the roast would have a lot of flavor, but I was disappointed. It was dry and had a little bit of flavor, but not as much as I thought it would
Recipe #2
By far, it is still my favorite. True, I end up making mashed potatoes and candied carrots when I make my roast this way, but it tastes much better. There is so much more flavor in my roast, and the gravy is always yummy. Plus, the meat is moist and not dry at all.
So, the next time I make a roast with veggies in the pot, I'll place the roast on the bottom of the pot with the veggies atop it. Then, I'll add some beef broth to the pot. I think my roast was so dry because my veggies soaked up all the liquid.
Anyone have another favorite way to make pot-roast?
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