Choose the right cut: Chuck roasts, short ribs, pork shoulders and lamb shanks (think fatty and tougher meats) become meltingly tender with the moist, low heat of a slow cooker. Leaner cuts like pork tenderloin tend to dry out. Likewise, dark meat chicken — thighs, drumsticks, etc.
sirloin tip steak
This boneless, lean cut is a superstar in the world of "low-cost cooking". The Sirloin Tip Roast makes great stir-fry strips, kabobs, stew meat or Cubed Steak.
Blade steak is an excellent cut for the slow cooker. This meat comes from the shoulder of the cow and is available as blade or cross-cut blade. Blade steak itself is versatile and can be sliced for stir-fry or slow cooked.
“Thin meats, such as flank, sirloin flap and skirt steaks all do well with a marinade, and cuts from the hip or round such as the round steak, rump roast and eye of round should all be roasted with dry heat in the oven,” Majchrowicz says. “But be sure to cook these roasts just until medium-rare and carve them thinly.”
Chuck-eye steaks are also known as “The Poor Man's Ribeye” because of their lower price. Chuck-eyes are a continuation of the Rib-eye muscle as it extends into the shoulder. Extra beefy flavor and lower price make this cut an amazing every day eating experience.
Go for the chuck
The most common beef used for stew is chuck steak, also known as gravy beef or braising steak. Beef chuck comes from the forequarter of the animal consisting of parts of the neck, shoulder blade and upper arm. It is easy to find and it's affordable, making it a great choice for your stew.
It's because you haven't let the collagen break down. Extend the cook time, make sure there's enough liquid and keep an eye on the dish.
Top Round Roast
Because it doesn't have the fat content that other roasts do, it comes out its best when it's cooked for hours in the slow cooker to tenderize it. It's less expensive than other beef roasts, which is why it might be a better option for some cooks.
The Benefits of Cooking 'Slow-and-Low'
There are so many benefits to this cooking method. Not only does it make the meat far juicier and more tender but it also works with all kinds of meats. No matter your preference, this cooking method works well with whole cuts of pork, beef, lamb, and even veal.
Chuck Roast Substitutes:Sometimes, chuck roast is labeled as blade roast, 7-bone roast or arm roast. If you can't find any of options, try another uniformly-shaped, lean cut of beef like tri-tip roast, top round roast or bottom round roast (sometimes called rump roast).
BEEF FROM YOUR BUTCHER
The most suitable cuts for slow cooking are blade / chuck, brisket, clod and neck, silverside and skirt / flank. One other cut which can be used for slow cooking is leg and shin which is normally served on the bone. A coarse cut which requires extra long cooking, something of an acquired taste.
A serving size is about 3 ounces, which is about the size of a deck of playing cards. A 3-pound roast will make about eight servings.
Roast uncovered at exactly 250 F (keep your eye on it and adjust oven temperature dial as needed to achieve exactly 250 F—do not depend on the oven's built-in temperature setting) until the internal temperature of the roast reaches exactly 115 F for rare, 130 F for medium (approximately 2 to 2 1/4 hours for 3 to 4.5 ...
While slow cooker recipes are designed to cook for extended periods of time, they can still become overcooked if left on the wrong setting for too long. In general, it's best to stick to the indicated cook time on the recipe you're following.
Can you overcook something in a slow cooker? Slow cookers are specially designed to cook food for long periods of time, but yes, you can still overcook in a slow cooker if something is left on the wrong setting for longer than it's supposed to be.
"Browning, or caramelizing, meat before putting it into a slow cooker isn't 100 percent necessary, but it is well worth the effort for the most flavorful and full-bodied end result," he says. "The caramelized surface of the meat will lend rich flavor and color to the finished dish."
Lean cuts of game such as venison and bison are ideal for replacing beef stew meat in recipes. The game meat requires the same cooking process to tenderize it as tough cuts of beef for stewing. Look for stew cuts of bison or venison from specialty meat markets or a friendly neighborhood hunter.
Tougher Cuts are Cheaper Cuts
Less expensive meat comes from locomotive muscles (legs, shoulder, and haunches) that have developed a lot of tough connective tissue thanks to all the exercise they get. Cuts from the bottom sirloin, round, and chuck fall into this category.
One of the more affordable cuts of steak, flank steak works really well for slow-cooked dishes. Put it in a slow cooker for steak soups, fajitas, or tacos, and the meat will tenderize beautifully over time. It's also a good option for marinades to boost its flavor and make it more tender before cooking.
Lentils are part of the legume family. Most of world's lentil production comes from India and Canada. Lentils can lower cholesterol, and protect against diabetes and colon cancer. They are known as “Poor Man's Meat”, since they are rich in nutrients and low in price.
Shank. Shank is arguably the toughest, cheapest cut of beef. Located in front of the brisket at the cow's forearm, this beef cut is notable for its sinewy dryness. Due to its lack of popularity, shank is not typically found in retail stores.