Thursday, May 6, 2010

Simple Crockpot Roast

can use this with either beef or pork

- one medim sized roast
- 1 pkg onion soup mix
- 1 can stale beer OR 1 can de-fizzed coca cola OR 1 cup apple Juice
- 1 cup water
-

Place in crockpot, rub onion soup over the roast, kind of a messy step I know, but you have to rub right in each side of roast, as much as you can. Sprinkle a little extra on top. If there is still some mix left , sprinkle around bottom of crock pot.

Set roast in crockpot. Gently pour beer, cola or apple juice over roast. Now pour water around the roast, not ON the roast, but on the bottom of the pot.

Don't add any salt or pepper, the onion roast gives plenty of seasoning to roast.

Put lid on crockpot. Cook 8-10 hours on low or until roast is tender.
(Some people like their roast to be "rare". I don't find that to be a safe option these days)

At this point you can usually lift the roast onto a plate then dump the drippings into a small pot to make gravy if you wish.

     Gravy:
     Place drippings in a small to medium size pot.  Put 2 T white flour and one cup COLD water into a watertight plastic container with lid. Shake well ( hold over sink just in case) Turn on the burner for the  drippings about medium, when drippings are almost boiling, slowly pour four and water mixture into drippings, stirring constantly with a whisk. If it seems to be too thick add a bit more COLD water.Let it barely bubble for a few minutes while stirring. Gravy is done.

Variation: I remember my kids didn't like it much when I did veggies this way, but I love to put carrots, onions and potatoes around the roast to let them cook with it. I like to leave the potatoes in bigger chunks or quarters because they cook faster and I don't like them mushy.

(PS I have noticed that roasts have gotten VERY expensive. I wouldn't buy one unless it's on sale at a good price, or if you have a special occasion or you just have a craving for roast. Until I can find them at a better price roasts won't be a regular item on my menu.)