# Bought a Roast - Now, how do I cook it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 6, 2004, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bought-a-roast-now-how-do-i-cook-it/273379 "2004-11-06T19:42:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kel_Varnsen_Latex_Division)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bought-a-roast-now-how-do-i-cook-it/273379/1 "2004-11-06T19:42:48Z")
I just bought a beef bottom tri-tip sirloin roast. I have a crock pot, but I am not sure how to cook the roast. Do I just put the roast in the crock pot with some potatoes and carrots and put the crock pot on low and wait 8 hours? Anybody have any good ideas how to cook this roast? The roast is 2.75 lbs. if that makes a difference. ---
**Author:** ![Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kel_Varnsen_Latex_Division)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bought-a-roast-now-how-do-i-cook-it/273379/2 "2004-11-06T19:44:42Z")
Mods, please move this to Cafe Society. ---
**Author:** ![lee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lee/32/7455_2.png) [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bought-a-roast-now-how-do-i-cook-it/273379/3 "2004-11-06T20:11:51Z")
If you are going to crock pot the roast, brown the outside first, in a skillet with some butter that helps seal in flavor. I like to season beef roast with a tiny bit of garlic, some thyme, marjoram, and rosemary, but don’t overdo it. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bought-a-roast-now-how-do-i-cook-it/273379/4 "2004-11-06T20:18:28Z")
Goodness, I thought “roast” and “cook” were going to be silly political metaphors. 🙂 There’s lots of good recipes on [allrecipes.com](http://allrecipes.com) on crock pot roasts - honestly, though, you just smack your roast in the pot with some veggies, dump a little liquid in, turn it on, and go about your business. [A basic version like Mom used to do, with boullion cubes](http://beef.allrecipes.com/az/EasiestPotRoastEver.asp) [One with a cream soup and some onion soup mix as seasoning](http://beef.allrecipes.com/az/AwesomeSlowCookerPotRoast.asp) [One with beer that you could do in the crock pot instead of the oven](http://beef.allrecipes.com/az/PotRoastinBeer.asp) Even if the recipe dosen’t call for veggies, you can just dump them on in there. The only thing I’ve ever been able to screw up in a crock pot is chicken and rice soup, and that’s because the rice didn’t cook. Seven or eight hours in the crock pot or until it nearly falls apart - put your roast and veggies in with some seasonings and liquid. In addition to the examples you could use stock, wine, plain water, put some Worchestershire sauce in, even some Coke. It’s extremely forgiving and just about anything will work. ---
**Author:** ![Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kel_Varnsen_Latex_Division)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bought-a-roast-now-how-do-i-cook-it/273379/5 "2004-11-06T20:18:31Z")
The roast is pre-seasoned. The package says “ready to cook”. Whatever that means. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bought-a-roast-now-how-do-i-cook-it/273379/6 "2004-11-06T20:26:32Z")
> [@lee](#): > > If you are going to crock pot the roast, brown the outside first, in a skillet with some butter that helps seal in flavor. According to multiple Michelin-starred chef [Heston Blumenthal](http://www.fatduck.co.uk/low_temperature_cooking.html), this is a myth. > [@](#): > > …the old adage of sealing the meat to keep in the juices is incorrect. Take two pieces of steak, the same size and cut of meat and brown both of them in a pan. Now cook one piece to the rare stage and the other to well done. The piece of meat that has been well done will be smaller than the rare steak. This is because juices would have been forced out when the higher temperatures were reached. The browning of this steak certainly did not seal in the juices. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Vega](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a9adbd/32.png) [@Lord\_Vega](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Vega)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bought-a-roast-now-how-do-i-cook-it/273379/7 "2004-11-06T20:40:32Z")
My favorite way, dump roast, 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 2 cans water, 1 can whole kernel corn, 1 can peas, garlic (crushed clove or powder - whatever’s handy), sliced and diced onion, salt, pepper, and cook for the day. Overnight and all day works real good too. Before serving, make some mashed potatoes for the gravy in the crock and you have a full meal! Cheers, Vega ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bought-a-roast-now-how-do-i-cook-it/273379/8 "2004-11-06T20:43:45Z")
1. Put a layer of onion and carrots at bottom of crock-pot. 2. Place roast in pot. 3. Put potaotes, onions and carrots around roast. 4. Add a bit of garlic, a bay leaf, some pepper, maybe some mushrooms. 5. Pour a can of beer into the crock. 6. Pour a can of beer into the cook. 7. Cook. 8. Eat 9. Enjoy. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![lee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lee/32/7455_2.png) [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bought-a-roast-now-how-do-i-cook-it/273379/9 "2004-11-06T21:42:06Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > According to multiple Michelin-starred chef [Heston Blumenthal](http://www.fatduck.co.uk/low_temperature_cooking.html), this is a myth. Did I say juices? No. I said flavor. Malliard effect and all that. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bought-a-roast-now-how-do-i-cook-it/273379/10 "2004-11-06T22:17:45Z")
You’re going to put a **sirloin** joint in a crockpot??!?! Egads, what a waste! This should go into the oven to be properly roasted. Get a small roasting dish. Dice a large onion and put the diced onion in the roasting dish. Rub the beef with olive oil. Put in a preheated oven at gas mark 4 for 20 mins + 20 mins per lb if you want the joint rare or 30 mins + 30 mins per lb if you want it well done. Call it 75-90 minutes in your case. While the joint is cooking, prepare and cook the rest of the vegetables. After cooking remove the joint and put it on a clean plate in a warm place for 5-10 mins to let it rest. During this time, make your gravy from the onion and juices. Enjoy! ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bought-a-roast-now-how-do-i-cook-it/273379/11 "2004-11-07T08:30:11Z")
> [@lee](#): > > Did I say juices? No. I said flavor. Malliard effect and all that. Ah, fair point, though AFAIK the Maillard Reaction merely adds flavour to the surface of the meat, rather than locking anything in. YMMV! ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bought-a-roast-now-how-do-i-cook-it/273379/12 "2004-11-07T08:39:13Z")
1. Cover in tempura batter. 2. Deep-fry in 350-degree peanut oil for 3-4 minutes. 3. Voila! ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bought-a-roast-now-how-do-i-cook-it/273379/13 "2004-11-07T08:59:57Z")
And don’t let it get lost in all the other discussion here that you should put at least a little liquid in the crockpot before you start cooking. Most recipes call for around a half cup of liquid (in this case, probably beef broth or some such) to be added before you start cooking, probably to protect the veggies until the meats juices start to accumulate. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bought-a-roast-now-how-do-i-cook-it/273379/14 "2004-11-07T10:17:42Z")
For readers outside North America, a Crock-Pot® is a brand of slow cooker. ---
**Author:** ![Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kel_Varnsen_Latex_Division)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bought-a-roast-now-how-do-i-cook-it/273379/15 "2004-11-07T15:34:40Z")
If this roast shouldn’t be put in crock pot, can I cook it on the grill? ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bought-a-roast-now-how-do-i-cook-it/273379/16 "2004-11-07T15:48:56Z")
My gut feeling is that if you’re planning to grill it, cut it into steaks for grilling. Doesn’t everyone have a knife set that can handle cutting a measly 2 and 1/2 pound sirloin roast? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bought-a-roast-now-how-do-i-cook-it/273379/17 "2004-11-07T17:27:39Z")
Tri tips are EXCELLENT on the grill. I would do a simple rub of salt pepper garlic and paprika with a tiny bit of oil on the roast first so the rub will stick. Then just cook the roast indirectly till the interior temp is what you want. I cant stress enough how importatnt knowing the temperature is especially for a larger cut of meat like a roast. Cooking for an arbitrary amount of time is basically a shot in the dark. You can pick up an electronic temperature probe with a lead for about 20 bucks at pretty much any grocery store / SheetsN’Shit type place. set the temp about 10 degrees under where you want it, then when the alarm goes off, remove from the heat, cover with foil and let it coast to its final temp which will take about 10 minutes and allow all the yummy juices to reabsorb back into the meat. You don’t want to see a gush of juice when you cut the meat, that’s flavour messing up your cutting board! If you have a gas grill you can prob turn the gas on one side only, then put the roast on the other side. If you have charcoal, you want to load up on one side and place the roast on the other side. The thing to avoid is fat dripping on the coals/flame and flaring up which will burn the meat. If you are using the oven, the way I do is set the temp to 500 (regulo 8-9 to the British) and get it nice and hot. I put the roast in and let it sear in the high heat for 10-15 minutes, then turn the heat waaay down to 250/275 (reg 1) and let the meat slowly come to temperature. I find this gives the best results. Again, the keys are slow cooking, indirect heat, and letting the meat rest for ten minutes before cutting. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kel_Varnsen_Latex_Division)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bought-a-roast-now-how-do-i-cook-it/273379/18 "2004-11-07T17:50:44Z")
What would be a good temp. to shoot for? ---
**Author:** ![Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kel_Varnsen_Latex_Division)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bought-a-roast-now-how-do-i-cook-it/273379/19 "2004-11-07T17:53:49Z")
Sorry. I meant a good temp. for the meat to reach on the grill. Also, should I wrap the meat in foil on the grill? It is a gas grill so I will try the one side thing. How long do you thing it should take to cook the roast? ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bought-a-roast-now-how-do-i-cook-it/273379/20 "2004-11-07T18:03:55Z")
Beef temps (approx) measured with a probe fron the middle of the roast, with the probe stuck in at an angle facing up. Rare 130-135 med 140 well 150 anything above that will be hideous and suitable for footwear. You shouldn’t wrap it, you want air flow around the meat. With slow cooking over indirect heat not more than a couple hours. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bought-a-roast-now-how-do-i-cook-it/273379.md?page=2)