Roast

[puglogic]

Being married to a vegetarian, it's very seldom you'll find me going through the trouble to do a beef roast. However, my father-in-law is coming for Christmas and has requested this for Xmas dinner. Happy to oblige, but I'm worried that I have no practice with this.

Three people will be eating this roast. What cuts of meat make for a tender, successful roast? Any favorite recipes in your family, or anything I should watch out for?

[Acorn]

An inexpensive, but tasty roast is an eye round. I roast it for 5 minutes per pound at 475 and then turn off the oven and leave it there for 2-3 hours (no opening oven at all). It comes out perfectly rare and very tender. I serve it sliced up drizzled with evoo and salt and pepper. Simple, easy and delicious!

[Mrs-M]

I buy either "rib", or "loin" roasts, "prime", maybe twice a year. With the standard rib or loin cuts, I stuff with fresh garlic, season with a little salt (seasoning) and pepper, then roast till the centre runs red. Fabulous! Tender, mouthwatering goodness!!! Mrs-M tip. Cook potatoes, carrots, and a whole sliced onion in same roasting pot as beef. Nothing like it! (Not overcooking is essential to tenderness and taste).

[Simpler at Fifty]

I make a good beef roast in the crockpot. I use a frozen chuck roast or whatever roast we have at the time. Put it in the crockpot with 1envelope of onion soup mix and a can of regular coke or pepsi. Add onions, garlic, carrots, celery and potatoes. Cook on high for about 8 hours. I usually put it in the crockpot around 5:30a and get home around 3 and I can smell it when I drive into the garage. I turn it to low until we are ready to eat at 5p. If i was home all day I would probably turn it to low after about 6 hours and cook it that way until supper time. I do not use any other frozen meat in the crockpot but this works.

[dado potato]

Beef drippings can be molded and chilled into sort of a suet cake for chickadees, etc. I pour the liquid drippings over a mixture of unsalted sunflower seeds and all-purpose flour, stir, and let it chill overnight. To present it, I use a plastic mesh bag such as onions are packaged in. I close the bag with a couple staples and hang it in a tree with string.