Thicken this

[George K]

I had a taste for pot roast today - after all, it is January.

I have a simple recipe for the slow cooker, but I really didn't feel like pulling the slow cooker off the top shelf of the closet, so I thought I'd use the Instant Pot which has a slow-cooker option.

The difference is that the IP heats ONLY from below, rather than heating the walls. SHouldnt' matter too much, and it didn't.

But...

The recipe says to add veggies (if desired) 2-3 hours before serving time. So I cut up some red spuds, some carrots and onion and threw them in 3 hours ahead of time.

At 2 ½ hours, the spuds were still, ahem, "firm."

So, being the resourceful person I am, I thought, "Hey, this is an Instant Pot - a PRESSURE COOKER! So put the lid on and cooked it for 15 minutes.

Perfect!

But...

The liquid was a bit too watery.

I recalled a trick to thicken that's a lot easier than flour/cornstarch slurries - some instant mashed potatoes.

I sprinkled in about 3 tablespoons of some instant mashed...whisked it until thickened.

PERFECT!

[Renauda]

What cut is a pot roast? How does it differ from a rolled chuck or any other similar butcher’s cut?

[George K]

@Renauda said in Thicken this:

What cut is a pot roast?

I used chuck. I've used leaner cuts in the past, but they've been not nearly as flavorful. The fat contributes to my earlier demise the flavor - a lot.

[Mik]

I don’t think it’s possible to make a bad pot roast. Good trick on the spuds.

[George K]

@Mik said in Thicken this:

I don’t think it’s possible to make a bad pot roast.

Tell that to Mrs. George.

Not a fan.

But, if I'm cooking (which I always am) it's my goddamn choice, amirite?

I wish I had some celery on hand...

[Renauda]

I find searing on the bbq grill before the slow cooker makes a big difference no matter the cut. I also boil a beef Bovril broth with a cup of uber cheap red wine and put it into to the slow cooker an hour before I throw in the seared roast. I slow cook the roast for may two hours on low after that. Voila, Viennese a la Beethoven roast. Serve with strong horseradish and mashed potatoes.

[George K]

Oh yeah. I seared the roast before putting it in the Instant Pot.

But, only 2 hours?

The Management refuses to eat any meat that has "pink" in it.

(I know, I know...)

But the idea of some horseradish sounds wonderful.

[Mik]

I tried something new tonight, roasting a steak - no sear. Turned out great, tender and juicy, but I dry-brined it for 24 hours first.

Did the same with some thick lamb loin chops the other day. The texture was more like prime rib than grilled lamb. Really liked it.

[George K]

@Mik said in Thicken this:

I tried something new tonight, roasting a steak - no sear.

Details?

What cut of steak? What temperature? What do I do when the spousal unit wants hers like a hockey puck? Do I need a thermometer?

[Mik]

I used a grill thermometer stuck in the middle. Once it gets to 120 or so it goes up really fast.

400f, strip steak about 1.25”. Cooked it on a rack set in a pan so the heat could circulate.

[Mik]

Oh, the hockey puck part? Pull yours about 125-130 to rest and continue mutilating cooking hers to maybe 150.

[kluurs]

Lipton Onion Soup mix was always a part of the pot roast prep experience. I haven't had a pot roast in a many moons.

[Renauda]

@kluurs

When I used to do moose roasts in the slow cooker, I always used a can mix of Campbell’s French Onion soup as my broth. Turned out well.

[George K]

@kluurs said in Thicken this:

Lipton Onion Soup mix was always a part of the pot roast prep experience. I haven't had a pot roast in a many moons.

Yes.

Three packets

• Lipton onion soup mix.
• Brown gravy mix
• Italian dressing mix

(or substitute ranch dressing for the onion).