Cooking Beef Successfully In a Slow Cooker

Choosing the right cuts of meat and applying the right techniques are essential for a successful slow cooker beef dish. Find out which cuts to choose, why to sear the meat and what cooking times to respect to obtain tender, melt-in-your-mouth meat.

Cuts of beef to choose

We often have the habit of selecting the best cuts of meat to make a good impression at the table. But for slow cooker meals, it’s far from necessary. Instead, firmer and fibrous cuts are preferred. These less noble pieces have the advantage of being more affordable. They contain little intramuscular fat (little marbling), but more connective tissue (a source of collagen). Thanks to slow and moist cooking, their flesh gains tenderness and becomes melting until it falls apart with a fork.

The best cuts are the so-called “braising” cuts. Here are the most interesting ones:

● Blade (roast)

Located in the shoulder, the blade contains just the right amount of fat and collagen to make for tender, flavourful meat. It’s ideal for roasts, stews and shredded meats.

Try these recipes:

● Shank

Rich in collagen, the shank becomes incredibly melting after a long cooking, while releasing flavours. The bone marrow brings a lot of creaminess to sauces, making it perfect for osso buco, soups and stews.

● Cross ribs (roast)

This firmer cut turns into chewy meat after several hours of cooking. Served sliced or shredded, it’s a great choice for a tasty and affordable meal.

● Brisket

When cooked for a long time, brisket becomes tender and juicy, bringing a deep flavour to stews and braised dishes. It is also the star cut of BBQ beef brisket, where it reveals all its aromatic richness.

Try this recipe:

● Stewing cubes

Affordable and practical for stewed dishes, stewing cubes are often made from the macreous, a tough cut that also comes from the shoulder.

Try this recipe:

● Ribs

With their beautiful balance of meat and fat, ribs become ultra-tender when simmered for a long time. They lend themselves equally well to dishes with sauce just like caramelized versions on the BBQ.

Try this recipe:

The Importance of Searing Meat

Putting meat directly into the slow cooker container without first searing it gives a “boiled” result, with less pronounced flavours and a less colourful sauce. For this reason, it is recommended to brown it in a frying pan or casserole dish with a little oil.

This step creates a crust and develops aromas through caramelization. Once this is done, deglaze with wine or broth to collect the juices and intensify the taste of the sauce, which will be even more consistent if the meat is floured before searing.

Cooking time

When it comes to cooking, the slow cooker gives the best results when you set it to low temperature and let the meat cook gently for 8 to 10 hours. This slowness allows the collagen to turn into gelatin, making the meat tender and the sauce smooth.

In high mode, you can reduce the time to about 4 to 6 hours, but the texture will be a little less tender. A good guideline: the meat is ready when it shreds easily with a fork.

Did you know that opening the lid of your slow cooker adds 20 to 30 minutes to the cooking time? For more tips on how to use this device, read this article: Slow cooker 101