Oven broken - cooking beef

[IAmKerplunk]

So my oven is not working properly (of course this close to Christmas!) Can’t afford to buy a new one this side of Christmas. One ring works to do veg. Oven heats enough to keep food warm. I have a slow cooker and 2 air fryers (1 which is 9l 1 drawer and 1 which is 8l 2 drawers) I can get my head round doing the sides - that’s not a problem. We are having turkey and beef meat wise. The beef is the one I am unsure about. Slow cooker or airfryer? What kind of joint? Any other tips? M
Many thanks 🙏🏼

Beef in the slow cooker. You don't need to add nothing to it but you can if you want, I usually use any liquid that comes out of the meat to make gravy so if you are doing that you might want to put the beef on a bed of onions.

add anything not nothing, bloody hell I can be thick.

How big is the joint? How hot does the ring on the stove get? A small piece can be cooked by searing on the stove (give it a good seal) then microwaving if people want it less pink (I like mine very rare so don’t bother with microwaving and snag the rarest bit in the middle) you could put into the airfryer at that point too but it doesn’t take that long remember, turkey takes far longer as needs to be more cooked.

Every single year of my adult life something has broken/ flooded etc in the week before Christmas. Last year was washing machine, the year before a freezer. I’ve had central heating around four times. Thought this year it’s going to be different but my kitchen sink has been blocked since last night. This is despite monthly descaling the blooming sanivite pump. So it’s a plumber job if mine will come out. I so feel for you OP. I hate slow cookers so would use air fryer

Its probably going to be the thermostat, could you get a tradesman in to fix it tomorrow or Tues?

Is it gas or electric?

It’s 1.8kg.

I only have 1 ring working on my hob 🙈 so would prefer not to add more things that need to be done on the hob if possible!

Electric.

You have my sympathies! It’s gutting isn’t it? We did our Christmas shopping yesterday and our freezers and fridge are bursting - even my dd said these better not bloody break before Christmas 😂

Hope you get your sink sorted out 🤞🏼

Could a nice neighbour/friend cook the meat for you and you have it cold the next day?

Just dropping in to ask if you’ve got a barbecue…send the men into the garden to cook the meat!

For low and slow cooking, you want beef that has lots of collagen, slowly breaking down so that the meat is meltingly soft. I cooked beef shin recently and it was gorgeous. The bone marrow adds lots of flavour to the cooking juices too.

The more expensive cuts need less cooking but higher temperatures, so you’ll save money too. Have a chat with a butcher and see what he recommends.

Send what men into the garden to do a BBQ! Poster said it was her and DD. I am interested to know what kind of leftovers, as you have a 1.8 kg piece of beef for you, plus a turkey crown.. sounds like when I was a kid in the 50s, Sunday roast, Monday meat went through the mincer, cottage or shepherds pie, Tuesday, cold cuts..

It’s me, my 4dc, ds1 girlfriend and my dad so 7 of us!

I've cooked beef in the slow cooker before and it was beautiful.

I put beef in a slow cooker once, cooked it in red wine, totally cover the beef, some herbs if you so wish, then when the beef is done, I reduced the wine on the hob, you will never taste gravy like it, it was phenomenal. I never use stock cubes for anything, always meat or veg juices and herbs and spices. It didnt need any thickner due to the gelatine from the beef

200 for 10 minutes in the air fryer and then turn down to 170 for 60, then wrap it up well and rest it for an hour.

Offering solidarity as my oven is broken too 😂. I'm doing beef in the air fryer as the gammon is going in the slow cooker. I have no idea on the actual method yet!

Thank you so much for all your suggestions. I’m going with airfryer 🤞🏼

Aww it’s rubbish isn’t it! Let me know what method you choose

Why not do a steak if it's just for you? Much easier than a joint.

I did think that after shopping - but I want leftovers. A couple of the dc and my dad will have a slice too though

On the 19th,you said ",it only needs to feed 2 of us", I thought that was a lot of food for just 2 people.

Ah sorry - then my dd said she would have some beef too and then ds said he would too if I was cooking it anyway. Dad has already ordered the turkey (which I’m not a fan of hence why the beef) We always have lots of meat left over for the couple days after Christmas and I freeze a lot for meals in January. Nothing goes to waste 🙈

Poultry, gammon, pork all better in air fryer than oven beef definitely not so slow cooker. If one of the air fryer’s is the 9 in 1 pressure cooker and air fryer one pressure cook first then finish off by air frying and the beef will be lovely. (Oven broke in summer and can’t afford to fix it so I feel your pain!)