The Lemon Fool

We got a new slow cooker and cooked some beef brisket in it. It came out tough and leathery. Is there anything I can do with it?

GrandOiseau wrote:We got a new slow cooker and cooked some beef brisket in it. It came out tough and leathery. Is there anything I can do with it?

How long did you cook it for?

You could always slice it very thinly and have in sandwiches.

John

Sounds as if it was overcooked, surely?

Dod

6 hours, not 6 weeks.

Dod101 wrote:Sounds as if it was overcooked, surely?

Dod

Pretty sure it was undercooked. The crockpot had two heat settings and we put it on the lower setting. It was cooked for 6 hours. I am not sure you can overcook brisket...

Mince it for cottage pie, stuffed peppers, beef patties, cook it again, cube it for chili (but don't tell us). Lot of ways, surely.

john

johnstevens77 wrote:Mince it for cottage pie, stuffed peppers, beef patties, cook it again, cube it for chili (but don't tell us). Lot of ways, surely.

john

Yeah, I guess I was wondering if that would actual make it "right". Will give a go anyhow!

how much liquid did you have in the SC ?

didds

didds wrote:how much liquid did you have in the SC ?

didds

300ml ish.

I always find any stated liquid amounts in slow cooker recipes way undersold... I'm amazed 300 ml lasted 6 hours even on low TBH. I suspect that that's probably why the brisket was so over cooked/rubbery/dry etc... it basically got roasted as the liquid barely covered the abse ...

I'd cook stuff like brisket in a lot of a liquid - in the same way I would if I was cooking it on the hob, or casseroling it in the oven.. At least half way up if not 2/3rds, allowing for some meat juices to flow into the gravy/jus/liquor.

didds

Slow cooker needs very little liquid, there's steam inside which constantly drops down from the lid. Pulled pork for instance in a slow cooker starts off with very little liquid. I sometimes cook a cabbage stew with carrots, mince and rice, starts off very dry.

Also, always start on high level to get things going and lid jumping due to the steam, then switch to lower setting. Don't lift the lid unless really necessary.

all I can say is whenever Ive cooked in a slow cooker with a minimal amount of liquid its all boiled dry in a relatively short time.

must be me, and the five slow cookers Ive owned in my time...

didds

FWIW, I have only cooked beast brisket in a smoker at around 120 degrees C for between 10 and 14 hours (depending upon the size, thickness, etc.). Brisket needs looong slow cooking with plenty of moisture to tenderize and, when cooked, needs to be sliced across the grain to be eatable. Restaurant critic & author Tom Fitzmorris recommends that it be boiled for 4 to 6 hour (See; https://nomenu.com/?p=6686 ) for making stock. You might try slicing it up and continue cooking in in the slow cooker with an acid liquid like barbecue sauce, wine, etc. for a few more hours.
C.J.V.

Wife made a goulash with chopped in to small pieces. It was nice.

voelkels, do you slay your beasts yourself lol.

I think there was enough liquid as it wasn't dry - just chewy.

Will let you know how I get on next time.

didds wrote:all I can say is whenever Ive cooked in a slow cooker with a minimal amount of liquid its all boiled dry in a relatively short time.

must be me, and the five slow cookers Ive owned in my time...

didds

I'm still on my 2nd slow cooker but then again I do make my soups in a pot and not in a slow cooker...

JMN2 wrote:I'm still on my 2nd slow cooker but then again I do make my soups in a pot and not in a slow cooker...

me too

didds (currently wading through what seems a gallon of tomato, lentil and bean soup!)

We are still using our first slow cooker, a very basic Indian model bought in Bahrain 26 years ago, no insulation so I wrap it in tea towels. But, it has never let me/us down. What do you all do with yours to get through so many of them?
As for liquid, I sometimes use too much and end up reducing the sauce on the stove afterwards. I too found that using too little liquid dries the meat, especially if it is really tough and lean.

john

johnstevens77 wrote:We are still using our first slow cooker, a very basic Indian model bought in Bahrain 26 years ago, no insulation so I wrap it in tea towels. But, it has never let me/us down. What do you all do with yours to get through so many of them?
As for liquid, I sometimes use too much and end up reducing the sauce on the stove afterwards. I too found that using too little liquid dries the meat, especially if it is really tough and lean.

john

First one was a xmas present from my mum when I started my first job. It was about 1 17 gallon size and could basically cook for an army, which was rubbish as I was on my tod! It lived in the loft for years and then the wife used it as a casserole and put it in the oven and the plastic lid lifter-handle thing melted and the lid now had a huge hole in it no matter what we tried

#2 died a death after a couple of years - just stopped working

#3 - guess what the wife did.

#4 & #5 - got two "small" ones as we had a family of five now, split veggie/carnivore. They are still going.

didds