McCall St. Brewer

Recipes 

Has anyone else here ever tried this recipe from Alton Brown's Good Eats show?

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_15691,00.html

The reason I ask is that I am puzzled by the results I got when I tried it yesterday. Basically the recipe involves braising a pot roast in a foil pouch at low heat (190-200 F) for several hours.

I followed the recipe and am a bit puzzled by the results I got. The flavor was simply outstanding, both with the meat and the resulting sauce. What I was a bit disappointed by, though, was that the meat did not turn out as tender as I would have liked. What I don't know, though, is whether it was the recipe/process that caused this, or whether the meat was simply very tough to start with.

I've often wondered if SWMBO and our two boys actually have any teeth, because they want meat to be falling apart tender. For them, pot roast should be tender enought to be pulled apart with a fork. Mine yesterday definitely needed to be sliced with a sharp knife. Interestingly enough, the result I got yesterday was that my chuck roast actually ended up with the texture and flavor of a much more expensive roast, such as a sirloin tip or a rump roast.

rabidgerbil

Recipes 

what type of chuck did you use?
In the episode he says to use a 7 blade roast for the best results. I have tried the recipe, with a regular chuck, not a 7 blade, and had results exactly like yours. My wife and I loved the taste, but you did need to use a knife to cut it, and she is also one of those that thinks that pot roast is something that is supposed to self destruct on the plate and chew itself for you.

Here is the episode if you have not watched it

__________________
What I do on the side for brewing money
My LHBS

McCall St. Brewer

Recipes 

I suppose that could be the "problem." All the chuck roasts available in supermarkets around here nowadays are boneless and normally don't specify on the package what part of the chuck they come from. I suspect this one was probably an "arm" chuck roast. Still, this same type of roast, when browned and then cooked in my slow cooker, or even when browned and braised in a pan in the oven (but at 325 F or so) normally turns out fork tender.

Maybe next time I'll try going to a smaller butcher shop to get a roast exactly like the one he says to use.

Short Drive

Recipes 

The chuck benefits from long moist cooking (braising). The likely reason is the roast tough is it didn't cook long enough. The recipe says 3 - 31/2 hours or until a fork can be easily pushed into the meat (fork tender). If you try it again cook it another hour or so. Then try the fork test.

Good luck next time.

__________________
Al

Magic Bus Brewery

rabidgerbil

Recipes 

You also might want to get an oven thermometer and throw it in there and see how accurate your oven is. I know that mine runs almost 75 degrees hot, which will have a HUGE impact on almost anything that needs long slow cooking.

__________________
What I do on the side for brewing money
My LHBS

Spyk'd

Recipes 

If the chuck didn't fall apart, then it wasn't cooked long enough. Moisture is your friend!

I like to cook it stove stop, add some onions, galic, chilies, and tomato sauce and make shredded beef.

__________________
Primary:
Bleach
Secondary:
American Red
Keg Conditioning:
Gruit
On Tap:
ESB
Bottled:
Nada...
On Deck:
Porter, Belgian Abbey Ale

david_42

Recipes 

The folks down the road were going to toss a roast because it was too tough. Neither of my greyhounds had any trouble with it!

__________________
Remember one unassailable statistic, as explained by the late, great George Carlin: "Just think of how stupid the average person is, and then realize half of them are even stupider!"

"I would like to die on Mars, just not on impact." Elon Musk

Chris_Dog

Recipes 

We always cook our pot roast in the slow cooker (crock pot) about 12 hours... They fall apart. We will braise the meat before adding to the crock pot and add the vegetables 2-3 hours before eating... Good Stuff!!!