How to slow cook beef in a slow cooker (2024)

FAQs

How do I make sure my beef is tender in a slow cooker? ›

Simply add the meat to your slow cooker with aromatics, stock and sauces and cook either on High for 4-5 hours or on Low for 5-8 hours. How do you make meat tender in a slow cooker? Choosing a cut of beef best suited for low and slow cooking is the ideal way to get extra tender meat.

Avoid overcrowding: For the best results, fill a slow cooker between one-half and two-thirds full. Go ahead and cook big roasts and whole chickens; just make sure you use a large crock and that the lid fits snugly on top. Trim fat: For silky sauces and gravies, take a minute or two and cut the excess fat from the meat.

Yes, you most certainly can cook raw meat in the slow cooker! You put it in “cold”, with whatever liquid your recipe calls for, turn it on either “low” or “high” depending on your recipe (I usually start it on “high” for a couple hours, then turn it to “low”), and in 6–7–8 hours, it's now COOKED meat!

To keep a pot roast from drying out, your slow cooker needs liquid to create a moist environment, and that can include meat or vegetable stock, wine or water. This doesn't mean the meat should be submerged; a cup or two of liquid will be enough, since the cooker is covered and liquids stay trapped inside.

“Beef may be tough in the slow cooker if you haven't added enough liquid, or haven't cooked it for long enough,” Kristen Carli, M.S., R.D., owner of Camelback Nutrition & Wellness, tells SELF. “For cuts of meat, the fattier cuts are often the ones that get juicy and tender.

Finally, check if your slow cooker is on and hot. Though a simple step, it's crucial. If the slow cooker isn't hot enough, the meat will not cook properly, resulting in a tough texture. Make sure your slow cooker is functioning correctly and set to the right temperature for the dish you're preparing.

The difference is the time it takes to reach that temperature. Low: 7-8 hours to reach the simmer point. High: 3-4 hours to reach the simmer point.

"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."

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.

It doesn't matter if it is covered or not. The inside of the slow cooker will be warm enough to cook the meat. Braising (not submerged) and simmering (submerged) are two methods which both can lead to good results. The "very chewy" result sounds like choosing the wrong type of meat for slow cooking.

How to keep meat moist in a crockpot? ›

Meat is tender and delicious when cooked in a slow cooker or crockpot. To keep the meat moist, add a small amount of water and keep the lid shut.

Collagen makes meat tough when cooked quickly, but when slow-cooked, it breaks down into gelatin, giving you that juicy, tender mouthfeel. Fattier — and cheaper — cuts of beef can also be good for slow cooking, because the fat helps to ensure the beef won't dry out while adding extra flavour.

It's generally safe to leave a slow cooker on for 12 hours—that's what they're made for. That said, follow all safety rules.

Collagen makes meat tough when cooked quickly, but when slow-cooked, it breaks down into gelatin, giving you that juicy, tender mouthfeel. Fattier — and cheaper — cuts of beef can also be good for slow cooking, because the fat helps to ensure the beef won't dry out while adding extra flavour.

Therefore, it's normal that we have to cook longer. What happens during slow-cooking, with juice or sauce, is that the collagen that's in the meat's muscular tissues is gradually transformed into some kind of gelatin and thus allows the piece to be more tender, the more it simmers.

Cook It Slowly

This is certainly true when it comes to notoriously tough cuts of meat like beef brisket and pork shoulder. Cooking these cuts of meat slowly, either by braising, stewing or grill roasting, is the best way to get these tasty cuts of meat meltingly tender.