Roast Beef

     "It doesn't need watching...The All American Crockery Cook Pot Cook Book"! Yea! This booklet was put out in 1972 by Grandinetti Products, Inc. It is a mere 31 pages of instructions and recipes to get you started with your new appliance. These "cook-pots" were "made in America by Americans for all the World". That's nice.

    Now, while I don't have an official "All American" cook pot, I do have at my disposal a crock pot, which is essentially the same thing. 

    Crock pots are great! According to our friends at Grandinetti Products, Inc., "Cook-Pot time makes meals divine: Retains vitamins, money-saving, less work, flavorful food".

    Here is a nice little poem they have included. I suggest you put it to music and sing it while you are toiling away outside the home. It will remind you that dinner is cooking itself and will be ready and waiting for you when you return home from a grueling day at that old hell-hole you call work.

    "Does your cooking while you are away

    Morning, afternoon or the whole day." 

    Onward! To the recipe! 

    Roast Beef (which I always think of as roast beast, thank you Dr. Seuss)

3-4 lb. rib roast of beef                      Seasonings: salt, pepper, etc.

Place in Cook-Pot. Add no liquid. Cover and cook on low for 10 to 12 hours. If you wish to serve this with vegetables, add 1/2 cup beef consomme, placing vegetables on the bottom and sides of the Cook-Pot.

    That's it! Isn't it great! How simple is this? The recipe says it is "great for company dinner or sandwiches". I decided to add veggies to make it more of a meal. I added to the pot the consumme, 8 red potatoes, 4 carrots (peeled and cut in half), and 2 onions (cut in 1/4s). The cookbook warned against using too many onions because a cook pot keeps strong flavors locked in.

    The results: The meat wasn't quite as juicy as I would have liked. It needed some seasoning when it was done cooking, but those are called for in the recipe. The veggies were nice and tender- not mushy at all.

    Having a traditional meal like this is a nice change from fast food. Also it didn't leave a bunch of pots and pans, measuring spoons and utensils to be cleaned. I would absolutely make it again. If anybody has any tips about making the meat a bit juicier, I would welcome them. Should I have seared the meat on top of the stove first? That's the only thing I can think of.

    Just so you don't think I do all the cooking around here, I had for lunch today "truffled macaroni and cheese" that my aunt made. Mmmm yummy. Macaroni and cheese is my favorite comfort food! Thanks Auntie!