Slow cooker beef help!

[mumof2sarah]

Hi everyone, I'm thinking of picking up a nice piece of beef for tea (dinner if you're not northern lol!) and putting it in the slow cooker.

My question is how?

Do I just put it in with a bit of water turn it on high and leave it?

I don't really do all the "rub garlic or herbs etc" on it. Im a lazy easy to follow and quick recipe sorta girl.

Any advice would be greatly accepted

Put it in with beef stock coming to halfway up the meat, and any old vegetable you have to hand, doesn't matter if they are a bit past it. Carrot, onion, celery etc all good. Not potato. How long will you cook it for? I can't tell you high medium or low without experience of your cooker but really it doesn't matter a great deal. If you're leaving it all day, probably medium, if 4-5 hours high. Adding the stock boiling helps it to get started. Use the cooking liquid to make gravy. Good luck!

(Throw out the slow cooker veg and cook fresh ones and some mash).

@GrannyHaddock thankyou, my slow cooker is just a Tesco one, I was thinking about that long too tbh, I don't like the meat to be pink. Can I ask why you add the veg if you're going to throw it out? I'm just curious lol x

The veg is just to flavour the cooking liquid. It will be mush after hours in the cooker and greasy! You only need one of each vegetable, or just onion if that is all you have. The meat certainly won't be pink; it will be dark, soft and very tender if it cooks all day and the gravy will be the best you ever tasted.

There is a number of old slow cooker threads on mumsnet where you can read more advice. If you ever try cooking something like a stew that you've made before in the oven, remember to use much less liquid in the slow cooker as it cooks at just below boiling point and hardly boils away any water.

Thank you so much @GrannyHaddock I'm really appreciative for your advice, made me more confident to try it x

You need brisket, it makes the best slow cooked beef. Chop 2 onions, place beef on top and crumble 2 Oxo over the top. No need for any water and you will get amazing gravy.

What cut of beef though? Brisket or silverside is nice. I’ve found prepped stewing beef gets dry even in slow cooker..,

I don't use much water either, just enough to coat the bottom of the slow cooker.

I know you said you don't want faff but browning the meat really well in a hot pan first adds lots of flavour. I don't usually use stock cubes but if the meat is really brown it's delicious as all the caramelised edges dissolve into the liquid and make it naturally beefy.

Put browned beef onto a bed of onions, add a wine glass of red wine, one of water and a tin of tomatoes. All day on low.

Brisket or the best in a slow cooker is short ribs. Lots of fat that tastes divine but sort of disappears when slow cooked. A bit of OXO helps but not a full cube and some balsamic vinegar. Don't put water in, stewed tea is better. Really strong stewed tea makes the best gravy. I learned that from my Granny. I learned bugger all else from her but that mind!

I've not chose the piece of beef yet, going once I've dropped the kids off at school, will look for brisket or silverside then thank you xx

Thank you everyone. I've got so many options to choose from and probably more by time I get back with the beef. This is why I love this app atm, I've been given such helpful advice x

I just grab the Tesco soup or cassarol packs...
Chuck it in. Add the beef and leave on med for six to eight hours....
Beef cuts with a fork, and is so tasty.
Add some gravy mix to thicken the stock...
You can add new potatoes as well, and you can eat the veg, we do.