I am pretty much only writing this post so that my friend Alix could read it and be taught how to make this super easy slow roasted beef. She specifically requested this yesterday whilst at the supermarket so here I am following through with my promise.
Roasting meats in the oven always scares me. I am afraid of those dreaded slices of dry meat that can barely be saved even with lashing and drownings of gravy.
I first tried out this recipe with a lamb roast. Awkwardly though my flatmate unplugged my slow cooker so she could use the coffee grinder (very understandable haha) but forgot to plug it back in (the caffeine had not yet been consumed, brain function was low, also very understandable). This meant that it did not succumb to the full blown effects of 15 hours of slow cooking action. The meat was tough and I was sad.
Some famous person once said to not give up if at first I don't succeed. Don't know who it was, inspirational quotes are so not my thing. Whilst at the supermarket I managed to snatch a lean looking bolar roast for just a scant $12, I knew what I had to do. Come 6pm I took out my trusty slow cooker which is actually Mum's but I stole it and because she never visits my flat she will never get it back. Right so I took it out and turned it on. Some meat and sauces went in there too. I walked up the stairs the next morning to find my living room filled with a meaty aroma. I went to go rotate the meat and it just fell apart, it was perfect.
Funnily enough I now don't know what to do with my kilo of roast beef now. I put some in a roll so I could take a photo but the remainder is still in the fridge. I feel like making bowls with quinoa and avocado could be a good idea. I kind of want to go back and get another roast for next week so I can try out maybe a Mexican flavour because that would mean tacos. TACOS FOR ALL.
Slow Cooker Balsamic Beef Bowls
Beef recipe adapted from My Underground Kitchen by Jess Daniell
Serves 6
For the beef:
1kg lean beef bolar roast (or similar cut)
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon honey
6 cloves of garlic (just leave them whole or smash them up roughly)
1 cup beef stock
1 teaspoon chili powder
Salt and pepper
For the rest of the bowl:
1 small kumara per person
1 carrot per person
Half a crown pumpkin
Splash of oil
Splash of balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
Large handfuls of baby spinach per person
Parsley to garnish
Sliced almonds to garnish
Trim any excess fat off the roast and place in the slow cooker with the garlic. Mix together the kecap manis, Worcestershire sauce, honey, chilli powder and beef stock then pour this over the beef. Turn the slow cooker onto high and leave to cook for 12-15 hours turning the meat over every few or so.
Shred the beef apart with two forks. The cooking juices should be pretty reduced by this time so pour this over the beef , it is now ready for action.
50 minutes before dinner time, preheat the oven to 180 degrees on bake and line a baing tray with baking paper. Slice the kumara into wedges, the carrot into thick sticks then remove the skin from the pumpkin and cube it. Toss the vegetables in the oil and balsamic vinegar. Spread onto the baking tray then give a generous salt and pepper. Bake for 40-45 minutes until softened. Place a handful of the baby spinach into each bowl. Divide the vegetables between the bowls and gently toss to mix in with the spinach leaves. Place a portion of beef over the top and drizzle over some of the cooking juices. Garnish with chopped parsley and sliced almonds.
Other serving suggestions:
In a hotdog bun with mayonnaise, simple yet effective.
In a taco with all the taco trimmings (soo good, this was my dinner on Tuesday night)
Serve in an actual traditional roast dinner... (so mainstream haha)
Sandwich in between brioche burger buns with a little slaw and greenery
Eat straight by itself right out of the slow cooker
