Sliced eye of round roast makes delicious sandwiches.
The beef eye of round is a cut from the rump of a cow. This means it is a section of one of the largest muscles of the cow and therefore a more economical piece of meat to buy. Since it is not nearly as tender as the tenderloin, it lends itself nicely to the low and steady heat of a slow cooker. Stores sell it under different titles like Beef Round, Eye of Round or Beef Eye Round. The eye of round is part of the round, often served at carving stations very thinly sliced. Does this Spark an idea?
Preparation
The eye of round often has a layer of fat encircling the roast. Do not trim this off. The browning process will caramelize the fat with delicious flavor. Use a hot, large, flat cast iron pan with a little olive oil to sear the surface of the roast. By the time the searing is finished, the whole house will smell delicious with the aroma of roasted meat.
Moisture
Since the slow cooker works with moisture to slowly cook the meat at a temperature around 212 degrees Fahrenheit, you need to add ingredients like wine or broth or beer to start the steaming in the cooker. Water is a last resort since you want everything you put in the cooker to add to the flavor of the finished dish. A typical eye of round is 3 to 4 pounds and a couple of cups of liquid should be sufficient.
Flavorings
When you cook slowly for a long time, flavors intensify. Be careful about adding lots of pepper or other spices and herbs since you want to be able to use the meat gravy after the meat is finished cooking. Vegetables like garlic, onions, carrots will almost melt in the slow heat, taking on the flavor of the meat. A short burst in the blender will liquefy them into flavorful gravy with the meat juices.
Convenience
The slow cooker allows you to leave the kitchen while your roast cooks safely. You can serve up the finished roast as is, slicing it thinly and serving it with the classic side dish of mashed potatoes. Another idea for the braised eye of round is chilling it down and serving it sliced in sandwiches with horseradish and aioli. The amount of time involved is no more than what it takes you to sear the meat and add the extras, but it will taste like you spent hours preparing it.
Tags: slow cooker, Beef Round, round often, since want