Roast was a flop. Any suggestions for next time?

[sandellie4]

What a frustrating attempt to cook a roast -- I stink at cooking! I roasted a round rump roast, but it was a bit dry and the vegetables, since drippings were minimal, dehydrated and became chewy. The carrots shriveled up and were inedible. The potatoes weren't cooked all the way through and the onions, which I added last, burnt. Should I add a broth, or an envelop of soup or something?

 

Sandy

[Avila]

I do mine in the crockpot. I pour some Worchestershire sauce, soy sauce and garlic powder on it. I cut up an onion or two and throw it in. Then I put in about two cups of beef broth at the bottom. Perfect every time! In fact, it is what is cooking for dinner right now.

[3littlekeets]

A few thoughts....

 

Did you let it come to room temp before cooking it?

 

Did you coat it in flour or oil -- or anything? You can even put them in a bag.

 

Did you sear the meat at 450 or higher before you turned it down (to at least 325)?

 

And, did you cover it?

 

I'm a big believer in coating and searing. I don't like "soup" added to meats...though I now some people RAVE about that method. So, for me, it's all in the small preps, like above. And, I never cook my veggies without a good coating of olive oil and seasonings or a little added beef broth to keep them moist.

 

Good luck!

[Impish]

A round rump roast is something that I only do in a crock pot, as it tends to be a tougher cut of meat. In a crock pot, I put in a layer of cut up potatoes, add some onions (sliced/diced/dehydrated, whichever you prefer) put in the roast, add some carrots in the sides and top (cut up, or baby carrots, again, which ever you prefer) I season the roast with crushed garlic, pepper, basil...kinda kitchen sink it...whatever I have on hand tends to get tossed in, lol! Then I add in 2 cans of beef broth or beef boullion, whichever I have on hand. Set it on low, and let it cook for 6-8 hrs. Its great stuff!

[ciyates]

1. Put it in the crockpot with a packet of Lipton's onion soup mix. Add the veggies about 1 hour before you want to eat! Yummmy!

 

2. If it is a good cut of meat use this method. It is a no fail method!. Take the roast (3-4 lbs) and season it with salt, pepper, thyme and garlic. Place it in a roasting pan with a rack (add a cup or so to the bottom of the pan) Place it in a cold oven at 350 for one hour. Turn the oven off. DO NOT open the oven door until you are ready to eat. 30 minutes before you are ready to eat turn it back on to 350. This comes out medium. If you like it rare drop the heat down to 325. I do this in the morning before I leave the house. When I get home all I have to do is cook a starch and veggie and we are good to go!

[LizzyBee]

With a rump roast, you need plenty of liquid and a closed container to keep it moist and get it tender. I add some water and red wine to my roasts along with the seasonings and vegetables.

[momofkhm]

I add an envelope of onion soup mix and turn it on. Generally 1/2 way through the day I check liquid levels. I've found that any meat below a liquid mine is nice and tender and juicy. Above the liquid line tends to be tender but dry. (When we go to my IL house and have a roast my FIL raves about how tender the roast is and all I can think of is how dry it is. That's the only reason I say tender.)

[i.love.lucy]

I agree about the crock pot. You can't go wrong. You can use either beef broth/bouillon or canned french onion soup too. I also add Lipto onion soup mix and a can of cream of mushroom and you have the perfect brown gravy!

 

But, if you do want to dry roast it in the oven, you will have to use a fattier and better cut of meat, like a chuck or cross-rib roast. Do the browning method in a hot pan w/oil, and season it liberally. Then you can roast it. I still like those in those oven bags. Anything to trap in that moisture.

 

I'm sorry your roast was a flop. I guarantee next time if you do it in a crock pot you won't be sorry. I even do roasts in the pot with a jar of salsa and some cumin and garlic this way and then shred it for tacos or burritos. It's called machaca (I think) and SO YUMMY!

[MomsintheGarden]

I'd do a rump roast in the crock pot, too. I put the potatoes in the bottom, carrots next, then LOTS of onions (3 large, sliced lengthwise), the roast, and plenty of salt and pepper. The onions sort of melt down and provide a lovely broth.

 

We have msg sensitivities so those packaged soup mixes are out for us.

 

HTH,

GardenMom

[ConnieB]

Crockpot here too....get the cheapest cut of meat because it comes out fork tender and delicious for me every single time.

 

Dump roast into the crockpot (I try to remember to thaw it, but if it's frozen, just make sure to start it an hour or two earlier, and it's still fine). Halve red potatoes, cut carrots into large chunks, dump in whatever fresh mushrooms will fit, lol. Two packets of Lipton Onion Soup Mix, a generous amount of garlic powder, fill the pot 1/3 to 1/2 way with cheap red wine (burgundy jug wine).

 

Put crockpot on low, leave the house or the smell will cause you to sample all day long, lol......at least 6 hours, preferably 8 hours and it's done. Take meat and veggies out and keep in turned-off oven to stay warm while I dump the juice into a pan, bring to a boil, add a little cornstarch and gravy is done.

 

Make a green salad and it's a perfect meal (of course it's great without a salad, but it tops it nicely). Chocolate dessert makes it truly perfect. There is never enough leftovers for another meal, but there is almost always a small chunk or two of meat, so I freeze it and when I have enough "chunks" I thaw and make taquitos out of the leftover meat. Yum.

[Blueridge]

Y'all are making me crazy with all the crock pot talk. :D I cracked my Rival and had to throw it away...would have anyway with all the 'lead' talk. Now I don't know what brand is *safe*...any suggestions so I can return to the land of tender roasts?

Ginger