Inviting Mr Slow Cooker to Dinner

What a beautiful pic! Had to share it, speaking of cuts and all,
and it kinda looks like a Chianina too!

I’m still banging on about that lovely Chianina box from F&B, but stick with me.  I pulled out a roasting piece to work some magic on it Sunday gone.  I don’t quite get ‘roasting beef’ that’s not eye fillet or a standing rib roast, I think it was topside or silverside (or some other side).  Maybe it’s just me, but they always end up tough and slightly flavourless when just roasted in the oven and the fibres are incredibly coarse, as you will see later.  I think they’re best for pot roasting or corning.  I didn’t feel like corning my haunch of meat (not sure if you can defrost then corn – feedback anyone?)

Instead I sloshed in two almost empty bottles of red wine that had been sitting on the bench for some indeterminable amount of time (only cook with what you’d drink – bah! Use what you’ve got my friends!).  I added some spices thus: cloves, pepper (black and white), mace, star anise and also a quartered onion.  I left it overnight in a bowl in the fridge then came back to it the next morning. 

It’s officially autumn, that’s the start of slow cooking weather, huzzah!  I love my slow cooker, he hasn’t been out all summer and I’ve missed him.  My BFF was telling me about some fancy Breville slow cooker/pressure cooker jobbie that she’s coveting but mine is just the standard slow cooker with the ceramic insert you can take out and put in the oven if you wish to brown the top of whatever you’ve created (and also throw in the dishwasher afterwards – heaven).

I do need to give him a bit of a polish up I think, a little touch of rust from sitting in our damp kitchen cupboards for the last six months – best get to that on the weekend…  So I removed the haunch from the marinade and browned it in a hot pan (setting off all the fire alarms in the process) I really need an industrial strength extractor fan*.  Threw it in the slow cooker and browned my onions and half a head of garlic.

Even though you can put most vegies straight into a slow cooker without browning first I’ve found onion stays really sharp tasting when you do that, so a bit of softening and caramelisation goes a long way.  I tucked mushrooms and cavolo nero around the Chianina and lots of herbs from the garden.  Once the onions were done I deglazed the pan with the leftover marinade and beef stock, brought that to the boil and poured it over the top, set the slow cooker to low and sashayed out of the house.

Nine Hours Later…

Wow! How yum does the house smell? What a beautiful thing! Walking in from a long day at work to know Mr Slow Cooker has cooked you a beautiful meal.  Happy days.  I gave the meat a poke and it was very soft and giving.  I have had problems in the past with my meat going dry and tasteless when I pull it out of a slow cook and could never quite figure out why.  Then I was watching a cooking show and some mad Irishman (chef dude) said it was because the meat steams dry and that undoes all your hard slow cooking work**.  He suggested leaving it in the pot, covered, to come back to room temperature, but who has time for that? Instead I quickly took it out and wrapped it tightly in Alfoil, making sure it was snug.

I then strained the liquid from the veg and went about thickening the sauce.  You know, I listen to all these fancy pants chefs advising to reduce until thick, but when I do that I’m usually left with about a tablespoon of liquid before I’m happy with how thick it’s become, so I am a shameless user of cornflour.  I reduce until I’m happy with the flavour then add enough cornflour mixed with water to get it to the desired thickness.  So did that, added back the veg, lots of pepper and salt then unveiled my haunch.  It was so soft I could shred it with my (asbestos) fingers.  So I did, folded that in with some lemon rind and fresh parsley to lift all the flavours.

Check out those man-fibers in the meat!

Served with the Wee Girl’s favourite sour cream mash***, a bit more lemon and parsley over the top.  Got the big thumbs up from Himself.  I had to remind him that licking the bowl after a meal was a bit gauche.

Remember to contact me about the competition to win a competition! The lovely Monday Morning Cooking Club's cookbook is up for grabs!

*There’s a thought for an anniversary gift, Himself!

**What a revelation! Of course!!

***No complaints Wee Girl! You’re in Italy having a great time, you miss out!