What is a good tender cut of beef that I can use to make a nice pot roast?!
What is a good tender cut of beef that I can use to make a nice pot roast?
Every time I cook london broil, it turns out tough and not tender at all. My mama's used to be tender, fall apart yummy! Please help! I thought she used london broil, but I guess I'm either wrong, or I'm just killing the meat. Thanks!
PS Hints on the actual cooking of the steak is good too! =)
Answers:
It's all about how you cook it. You can start with the most tender cut of meat and cook it wrong, and it will be tough as a shoe. You can also take junk cuts of tough meat and cook it so it melts in your mouth. The trick is low heat for a llooongg time. If you use a crock pot on low, and cook the meat in water or stock for 8 hours, it will fall apart. You can also wrap it tightly in aluminum foil or put it in a sealed roasting pan with some stock, and cook it for 8 hours in the oven at 225 degrees. I always sear the outside fist to trap the juices in, then slow cook it at very low heat until it's done. That's the only way to get a tender roast. If it's done in less than 6-8 hours, you cooked it too fast and it will be tough. The same goes for chicken and pork. Quickly burn the outside to crisp it and have it hold the juices, then slow cook at 225 for several hours until the internal temperature reaches 150-160 degrees. It's impossible to have a tough piece of meat if you do this, no matter what kind or cut it is. No good luck needed :)
Source(s):
I'm a long time amatuer chef/master of meat and seafood.
use a pot roast.
You can use any tough cut, you just need to give it plenty of time to cook on a low temperature. I use a crock pot for 6-8 hours. But in the oven, you can set your over to 275 degrees, and let it cook for about 3.5 hours. This will make it fork tender.
Pot Roast with Roasted Vegetables
Pot Roast:
1 (4-pound) BEEF CHUCK ROAST
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, sliced
2 carrots, peeled, thinly sliced
2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
5 cloves garlic, smashed
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup red wine
1 (15-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, in juice
2 cups beef broth, homemade, or low-sodium, low-fat
3 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
2 bay leaves
1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, optional
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Roasted Vegetables:
5 carrots, peeled, cut into thirds
3 medium turnips, peeled and cut into 6 wedges
2 medium red onions, peeled, cut into 6 wedges
2 medium parsnips, peeled, cut into thirds
About 5 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat a large Dutch oven, with a lid, over medium-high heat. Season the meat generously with salt and pepper. Add the oil to the pot, lay the meat in the pan and sear on both sides until brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer the meat to a plate. Pour all but about 2 tablespoons of the oil from the pan.
Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic to the pan, and cook until vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. Add the flour and with a wooden spoon scrape up any browned bits that cling to the bottom of the pot Add wine and tomatoes and cook until liquid has thickened, about 5 minutes more. Add broth, thyme, and bay leaves, bring to a boil. Return the roast to the pot, nestle it in the liquid, cover, place in the oven and cook until the roast is just tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove the lid and continue to cook, uncovered until tender about 1 hour more.
Meanwhile, put the carrots, turnips, onions, and parsnips on a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper. Roast on a shelf under the pot roast for the last hour, stirring occasionally, until tender throughout.
Transfer the roast to a plate and cover loosely with foil. Skim the fat off the surface of the liquid and discard. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook until thickened. Stir in the parsley and vinegar, salt and pepper, to taste. Keep the roast warm in the sauce until ready to slice.
Slice the pot roast across the grain and lay on a platter, surround with the vegetables. Pour some of the sauce on top and serve the remaining in a sauceboat on the side.
This is a good, old English-style London Broil recipe that has lots of flavor and will give you a tender cut of steak.
1 1/2 to 2 pounds flank steak
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup beef broth
1/4 cup dry red wine
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoons minced scallion tops
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste
Cut 1 inch diamonds about 1/8 inch deep into both sides of the flank steak. Rub with minced garlic and place in shallow baking dish. Lightly coat with oil, vinegar and salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
While that's sitting, melt butter and mix together with beef broth, wine, Worcestershire sauce, parsley and scallions. Keep warm until ready to serve. Grill steak about 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Don't over cook or it will get tough. Remove from grill and cut into thin strips. Serve with sauce.
you can use an inexpensive chuck roast....brisket and top or bottom round are also options.....as for cooking it......i season the meat with salt and cracked pepper and sear it nice and golden brown....then i put it in the crock pot....next...using the same pan...i saute off some carrots celery and onions (mirepoix)...add in some chopped garlic, and whetever dryherbs i am going to use...then that goes into the pot.....then you can fill it with water or beef stock. i usually cook it on high for maybe 3 hours and then switch to low for the rest of the time....total cooking time in the crock pot for my pot roast is about 10 hours....after that long it just falls apart
The best meat I have found to make a roast with is the kind you find at Walmart that is wrapped in cord. It turns out extremely tender and has alot of flavor! I put it in the slow cooker and had a little bit of water and beef boulion. I have so many people asking me to make that. To add a little extra look and taste, use cocktail onions cooked with it to garnish the plate you serve it on.
I think the absolute best tasting pot roast comes from a boneless chuck roast, about three inches thick, cooked in pre-seasoned oven bag. Just follow the directions on the bag's package, that can be found in any grocery store.
When cooking a Pot Roast I use a chuck roast with or without bone. I mix a can of cream of mushroom, cream of celery and beef consume together with one packet of dry onion soup mix. Mix them together and add 1 cup of water. I spray the large size Pyrex pan with Pam and put the roast in it with the soup mixture. Cook at 325 degrees for 3 hours and then add cut up veggies. Potatoes, celery, onions, mushrooms and carrots is usually what I use. Pour them over the roast and soup mixture and cook for another hour or so. The roast will fall apart the longer it cooks. A London Broil is better bar-b-qued and sliced at an angle. Good Luck. Your Mom would be proud.
I've never had luck with a london broil either, but get a shoulder cut pot roast. Lightly flour it ( shake off excess flour), brown briefly in some oil.
Place in oven pan. Surround with quartered potatoes, carrots, sliced onions, and a package of dried onion soup. Don't add extra salt. Sprinkle a little water and a few dashes of Worcestershire over roast, cover, and bake at 350 for one hour & 15 min.