Another slow-cooker favourite! This recipe literally means "burgundy beef" in French, and it is simply a delicious beef stew made with red/burgundy wine. I served this when my father and brother came over after a cold day of ice fishing. I also made it for a group of my friends for a cold and rainy cottage weekend! It's great on a chilly day, it will feed a crowd, and it's so sophisticated! I adapted this recipe from the Crock Pot website.
Never forget the red wine in this recipe! It's what makes it so darn good. **April 2010: I have found a better way of making this - I have changed very little on paper, but the effects are tremendous. Please enjoy!**
6 strips bacon, diced
3 lbs. beef rump (or any tasty cut), cubed
1 very large carrot, sliced on the bias
1 onion, sweet, diced
1 tsp. each salt and pepper
1 10-oz. can condensed beef broth
2 c. red/burgundy wine
1 can tomato paste *(used to be 1 Tbsp.)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. thyme, whole
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 Tbsp. mustard powder *(used to be 1 tsp.)
1 bay leaf
1 - 2 lbs. fresh mushrooms, sliced
*Extras, if you like: diced celery, diced tomatoes, chopped sweet peppers.
3 - 4 Tbsp. flour
3 - 4 Tbsp. butter or oil
Cook bacon until crisp. Brown beef cubes with bacon, and add to your crock pot. Add remaining ingredients, except the flour and oil, into the pot as well. Mix gently. Cook on HIGH for 5 - 6 hours, or LOW 10 - 12 hours.
A few minutes before you are ready to serve, heat up the butter or oil in a small skillet over medium heat, and whisk in the flour until it has formed a uniform paste. Stir this mixture into the crock pot, and keep the heat on until the stew has thickened significantly. Use more oil and flour if you want your stew to be thicker. *(Before, I had you add the flour before the long, slow cook - this is incorrect! You get a much nicer, thicker texture by adding your roux slurry afterward. The long cook just ends up breaking down whatever flour you added in the beginning)
Serve over lots of creamy, buttery, whipped potatoes (skin-on)!
Showing posts with label slow cooker. Show all posts
Showing posts with label slow cooker. Show all posts
Apr 17, 2010
Dec 9, 2009
Peach BBQ Ribs
I like to eat something sweet with my pork. Whether it's bacon, sausages, ham, or ribs, I feel that pork just isn't complete without a sweet element. In this recipe, I use in-season peaches to sweeten the BBQ sauce. This recipe needs to be started well in advance, so consider starting this recipe the day before you plan to serve the ribs.
Sauce:
2 large peaches, chopped (I left skin on)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 c. BBQ sauce (use your favourite)
1/4 c. beer
1/4 c. ketchup
1 Tbsp. grated fresh garlic
1/8 c. maple syrup
Mix all of these in a large mason jar or other suitable closed container. Let it sit for as long as possible to let the flavours meld and mingle - overnight is ideal.
Ribs:
Rub your rack(s) of ribs in salt and pepper. Wrap your ribs, bone-side up, in a double layer of tin foil and braise at 325 F for about 1.5 hours (or until cooked through).
At this point, the ribs can be refrigerated, so you can prepare the sauce and cook the ribs the night before, and then slow-cook the ribs the next day.
Slow Cooker:
Place ribs into your slow cooker in any way they fit, and cover them with the peach BBQ sauce. Pour enough beer into the slow cooker to cover the bottom. Cook on LOW for 8 - 10 hours, and serve with more BBQ sauce.
It will fall off the bone! You will need lots of napkins. Enjoy!
Sauce:
2 large peaches, chopped (I left skin on)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 c. BBQ sauce (use your favourite)
1/4 c. beer
1/4 c. ketchup
1 Tbsp. grated fresh garlic
1/8 c. maple syrup
Mix all of these in a large mason jar or other suitable closed container. Let it sit for as long as possible to let the flavours meld and mingle - overnight is ideal.
Ribs:
Rub your rack(s) of ribs in salt and pepper. Wrap your ribs, bone-side up, in a double layer of tin foil and braise at 325 F for about 1.5 hours (or until cooked through).
At this point, the ribs can be refrigerated, so you can prepare the sauce and cook the ribs the night before, and then slow-cook the ribs the next day.
Slow Cooker:
Place ribs into your slow cooker in any way they fit, and cover them with the peach BBQ sauce. Pour enough beer into the slow cooker to cover the bottom. Cook on LOW for 8 - 10 hours, and serve with more BBQ sauce.
It will fall off the bone! You will need lots of napkins. Enjoy!
Trina's Meatballs
My version of good old Italian meatballs. This is a slow-cooker recipe. I have never been fond of Swedish meatballs, that is why I prefer these! I have a hungry family, so I make 2 lbs. worth of balls - this way I get lots of leftovers. By all means cut the recipe in half to suit your needs, and add any extra spices or herbs to suit your taste.
2 lbs. lean ground beef
4 eggs, whisked
Fresh chopped sage to taste, I use about 1/8 c. Feel free to use dried sage
Salt, pepper, Italian seasoning to taste
1/2 c. bread crumbs
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. garlic powder (fresh is, of course, OK too)
Squish all of these ingredients together. I use my hands, it is far more thorough. Squish until very well-combined. Prepare a skillet over medium heat, melt some bacon fat or butter. Form little 1-inch diameter balls and brown in the skillet. After each ball is browned, add to your slow cooker. They need not be cooked through, just very nicely crispy-brown.
When you have finished browning all of the balls, prepare the tomato sauce:
1 jar of your favourite tomato pasta sauce
Chopped veggies of your choice. I use sweet peppers, mushrooms, onions
1/2 c. beer or red wine (whatever your preference, or whatever you have lying around)
1 Tbsp. sugar
Fresh basil
... anything that tastes good!
Add these items into the slow cooker with the balls and stir carefully (you don't want to mash up all the meatballs).
Cook on HIGH for 3 - 4 hours. Serve on crusty rolls with provolone and mozzarella cheese topped with parmesan, or over spaghetti.
2 lbs. lean ground beef
4 eggs, whisked
Fresh chopped sage to taste, I use about 1/8 c. Feel free to use dried sage
Salt, pepper, Italian seasoning to taste
1/2 c. bread crumbs
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. garlic powder (fresh is, of course, OK too)
Squish all of these ingredients together. I use my hands, it is far more thorough. Squish until very well-combined. Prepare a skillet over medium heat, melt some bacon fat or butter. Form little 1-inch diameter balls and brown in the skillet. After each ball is browned, add to your slow cooker. They need not be cooked through, just very nicely crispy-brown.
When you have finished browning all of the balls, prepare the tomato sauce:
1 jar of your favourite tomato pasta sauce
Chopped veggies of your choice. I use sweet peppers, mushrooms, onions
1/2 c. beer or red wine (whatever your preference, or whatever you have lying around)
1 Tbsp. sugar
Fresh basil
... anything that tastes good!
Add these items into the slow cooker with the balls and stir carefully (you don't want to mash up all the meatballs).
Cook on HIGH for 3 - 4 hours. Serve on crusty rolls with provolone and mozzarella cheese topped with parmesan, or over spaghetti.
Trina's Baked Beans
Good old cowboy beans! Tasty, and not the least bit bland. Be careful - when you're done enjoying these beans, things might get a little ... stinky ;) This takes some preparation and should be started about one day in advance of when you would like to serve.
- Soak dried white navy beans in water overnight. Drain and rinse. Put the soaked beans in a pot, cover with water, and boil for ten minutes. Turn off the heat and let the beans soak for an additional hour or two in the hot water. Drain and rinse, and add to slow cooker.
- Add: 1 small can tomato paste, and 3 c. water (Add more water if you like the sauce a little "juicier").
- Add 1/4 c. each of: BBQ sauce, prepared mustard, maple syrup, sugar.
- Add to taste: onion, garlic and bouillon powders, and salt.
- Most importantly (or this can be left out for Veg's) ... add a pound of chopped, uncooked bacon. Mmmm!
Bake on HIGH for at least 6 hours, or LOW 10 - 12 hours.
Serve warm with cornbread, or any other homemade bread. Can easily be reheated.
Sauerkraut Stew
This is a delicious slow-cooker meal, inspired by Oktoberfest. Filled with kraut, browned pork, sausage, potatoes and carrots, it is hearty and heart-warming. This is one of my own creations.
Since this is a stew, play around with ingredients. This is not a set-in-stone recipe.
Marinate your pork: I used pork chops, but you can use any tasty cut. The tough bits will break down almost completely in the slow cooker anyway. Cube the pork into bite-sized chunks and marinate in a bowl, overnight, in worcestershire, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, and garlic.
- Saute 2 - 3 pounds of marinated pork, cubed, in butter until brown on all sides. Dump in slow cooker.
- Cut up 6 Oktoberfest sausages. I used mild. I'm sure spicy would be yummy too. Add to cooker.
- Add 1 large jar or can of sauerkraut (your favourite kind, I used wine-fermented), juice and all, to pot.
- Add diced carrots, cubed potatoes (I prefer skin-on), a diced onion.
- Add generously, to taste: worcestershire sauce, salt, spices (rosemary, thyme, sage, pepper), mustard powder, onion powder, garlic powder, red wine vinegar.
- Add heaping tablespoon full of beef bouillon, dissolved in 1 c. hot water.
- I like to make this dish a little bit sweet to balance the "sauer": a few tablespoons of sugar (or maple syrup), or cut up an apple.
Stir everything up, and cook it on HIGH for 6 hours or LOW for 10 - 12 hours.
Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream, and with some nice rye bread.
Since this is a stew, play around with ingredients. This is not a set-in-stone recipe.
Marinate your pork: I used pork chops, but you can use any tasty cut. The tough bits will break down almost completely in the slow cooker anyway. Cube the pork into bite-sized chunks and marinate in a bowl, overnight, in worcestershire, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, and garlic.
- Saute 2 - 3 pounds of marinated pork, cubed, in butter until brown on all sides. Dump in slow cooker.
- Cut up 6 Oktoberfest sausages. I used mild. I'm sure spicy would be yummy too. Add to cooker.
- Add 1 large jar or can of sauerkraut (your favourite kind, I used wine-fermented), juice and all, to pot.
- Add diced carrots, cubed potatoes (I prefer skin-on), a diced onion.
- Add generously, to taste: worcestershire sauce, salt, spices (rosemary, thyme, sage, pepper), mustard powder, onion powder, garlic powder, red wine vinegar.
- Add heaping tablespoon full of beef bouillon, dissolved in 1 c. hot water.
- I like to make this dish a little bit sweet to balance the "sauer": a few tablespoons of sugar (or maple syrup), or cut up an apple.
Stir everything up, and cook it on HIGH for 6 hours or LOW for 10 - 12 hours.
Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream, and with some nice rye bread.
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