slow cooker essentials: yummy 2-day rump roast

How To Make slow cooker essentials: yummy 2-day rump roast

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  1

  PREP/PREPARE
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  2

  Gather your Ingredients (mise en place).
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  THE SPICE MIX
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  Combine all the ingredients together, and store in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.
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  Chef’s Note: This spice mix will make more mix than you will need for this one recipe; however, it has many uses beyond this recipe.
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  THE ROAST
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  Chef’s Note: Why choose a bottom round roast? The bottom round (sometimes called a rump roast), is a tough cut of beef, and that makes it a perfect candidate for a flavorful pot roast. The roast is a triangular cut from the hindquarters. Like other well-exercised muscles, the beef is lean and flavorful, but because it can be quite tough, the rump roast should be cooked slowly at lower temperatures, which allows time for the connective tissue to soften and melt.  Its cousin, the top round, is similar; however, it has less marbling than the bottom round. Bottom line: I wanted a cut of beef that would stand up to the long cooking time, produce great flavor, not fall apart, and yet still be nice and tender… The bottom round fits that bill.
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  Add the oil to a large skillet or heavy-bottom pot (like cast iron), over medium-high heat.
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  Pat the roast dry with a paper towel, and sprinkle all over with some salt, and pepper.
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  When the oil begins to shimmer, add the roast… it should sizzle, when it hits the pan.
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  Sear until browned on all sides, about 2 – 3 minutes per side.
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  Add the roast to the bowl of your slow cooker.
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  Reduce the heat on your skillet or pot to medium, and add the butter.
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  When the foaming subsides, add the sliced onions.
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  Cook until they begin to soften, but not brown, about 4 - 5 minutes.
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  Chef’s Note: While the onions, are cooking, and releasing moisture, use a wooden spoon to scrap up the fonds that developed on the bottom of the pan.
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  Add the garlic, and cook for an addition 1 – 2 minutes.
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  Add the water to the pan, and scrape up any remaining fonds on the bottom of the pot.
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  Place two tablespoons of the prepared spice mix into the liquid, and reserve the rest for another recipe.
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  Allow the ingredients to simmer, for 3 – 4 minutes.
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  Add the liquid to the slow cooker insert, along with the roast.
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  Set your slower cooker for 8 hours, and kick back.
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  Wrap the roast in a parchment-lined piece of foil, and place in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours, or overnight.
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  Chef’s Note, do the same for the sauce. Place it in a sealed container, and place in the fridge.
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  Set a rack in the middle position, and preheat the oven to 250f (120c).
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  Carefully unwrap the roast, and while cold, cut into serving pieces. The thickness is up to you. Then tightly rewrap the roast and place into the preheated oven, until the internal temp reaches 125f (50c), about 1 – 1.5 hours.
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  Chef’s Note: Remember, it is already cooked, you just want to get it up to serving temperature.
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  You can serve it with the sauce, just as it; however, it you want to thicken it up a bit, first separate the onions from the sauce, by passing it though a fine-mesh strainer… Reserve the onions. Remove about 1/2 – 3/4 cup of the liquid and place it into a bowl, and take the remaining liquid to a saucepan, and bring to the boil. Whisk about 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour into the reserved liquid, and then add to the saucepan.
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  When the sauce thickens, do a tasting for proper seasoning, and add the reserved onions back to the pan. You just made a quick gravy.
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  PLATE/PRESENT
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  Serve them with your favorite sides. In my case I served the roast with simple pan sautéed carrots, and smashed potatoes. All drizzled with some yummy onion gravy. Enjoy.
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  Keep the faith, and keep cooking.
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