Beef or Venison Roast

I make a version of this, either as roast or stew, at least once a month for 5 adults and one granddaughter. At the end of the meal, someone always says “Mom, where’s the containers for the leftovers?” My granddaughter, 11, likes it the next day for “roast on toast”.

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 6-8

Prep Time: 15 mins if making roast   Cook Time: 6-8 hrs. in crock pot  

Ingredients

3-4# beef or venison roast (any cut will work, but sirloin tip, or venison, works best for me, very little fat and practically no waste)
1 medium yellow or white onion, sliced
1/2 envelope Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix dry (approx. 1 T)
1/2 envelope Ranch Dressing Mix – dry (approx. 1 T)
1 envelope dry brown gravy mix
2 cans cream of mushroom soup – undiluted
1 soup can of water
2 cans beef broth (or beef cubes, beef soup base, mixed with water to make equivalent of 2 cans of broth)
1 tsp. garlic powder, or fresh chopped, or jarred garlic
1 tsp. McCormick’s Grill Mates Montreal Steak seasoning – optional – but adds great flavor
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes, optional

Do not add salt, there will be plenty with seasonings. Others can add salt later as a personal preference.

Directions

1. Thawed roast – sprinkle all sides with black pepper – brown all sides in skillet with 1 T of vegetable oil. (I usually just place a frozen roast directly into crock pot.)
2. Slice onion and place slices around the roast.
3. Mix all dry ingredients with liquids in large container and pour over roast.
4. Cover and cook for 6-8 hrs. on low or over night.
5. 1/2 hour before serving, remove meat from gravy, place on cutting board or plate, let rest 15 mins. Slice into serving pieces and return to gravy to reheat. (Use electric knife, if available, for nice even slices.)
6. Serve with mashed potatoes, buttered parsley potatoes, cooked/drained/buttered egg noodles, or cooked or baked buttered rice and vegetable.

**Option – this also works great on top of the stove. Mix ingredients as above, use lidded pan, bring to a gentle simmer and cook until tender, usually 3 hours.

**This makes excellent hot roast beef sandwiches, or I have used for great stew by cutting meat into cubes at the beginning, dredge meat in flour, brown off in frying pan with a little vegetable oil, then cook as directed. Pre-cook cubed potatoes and cut up carrots together until tender, drain, and add them 1/2 hour before serving. If using as stew, it will take a much shorter amount of time for the meat to be tender. After 3 hours, start check for tenderness.

Categories: Beef, Crock Pot, Main Dish

Submitted by: rose9112 on April 3, 2011