Hometown Get-Togethers - Candace Floyd [39]
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TIPS FROM OUR TEST KITCHEN: This recipe may be doubled easily. Use an 8-quart slow cooker or two smaller ones. To easily slice the onion paper thin, use a food processor.
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Slow Cooker Beef Barbecue
Jill Carrion, St. Cloud, Florida
Serves 6 to 8
“When I take this beef barbecue to a gathering, someone always asks for the recipe.”
½ teaspoon garlic salt
One 2-to 3-pound boneless beef chuck roast
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium celery stalk, chopped
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 cup ketchup
¼ cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
¼ cup all-purpose flour
6 to 8 hamburger buns, warmed
1. Sprinkle the garlic salt over the chuck roast. Place the roast in the bottom of a greased 3½-to 4-quart slow cooker. Top the beef with the onion and celery.
2. Combine the brown sugar, ketchup, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, and liquid smoke in a small bowl. Pour over the top of the beef. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or until the beef is tender.
3. Dissolve the flour in ¼ cup water in a small bowl. Remove the beef from the slow cooker and place on a cutting board.
4. Stir the flour mixture into the sauce in the slow cooker. Shred the beef with a fork and return to the slow cooker. Cook on high for 30 minutes. Serve on hamburger buns.
Beef and Noodles
Karla Myers, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Serves 6 to 8
“We Iowans love our casseroles, and coming from a small town, I never go anywhere empty-handed. This is the dish I make when we celebrate the good times, to comfort a family when someone passes on, or when we just feel like having a potluck. It’s my most popular comfort food.”
2 large yellow onions
1½ pounds boneless sirloin steak
1 tablespoon Greek seasoning
1 pound uncooked extra-wide egg noodles
¼ cup (½ stick) butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup red wine
12 garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
One 32-ounce carton beef broth
2 cups heavy cream
Salt and pepper
1. Quarter one of the onions; place it in a 3½-to 4-quart slow cooker. Add the steak, Greek seasoning, and ¼ cup water. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours, until the sirloin is tender. Remove and discard the onion and remove any fat from the cooking liquid. Reserve the sirloin and cooking liquid in the slow cooker. Shred the beef using two forks. Maintain the temperature on low.
2. Prepare the noodles according to the package directions. Keep warm.
3. Melt the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Slice the remaining onion and add to the skillet. Cook until the onion slices are brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the wine and scrape the pan to loosen the browned bits. Add the garlic.
4. Combine the cornstarch with ½ cup of the beef broth in a small bowl. Add to the skillet with the remaining broth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until thickened, stirring frequently.
5. Add the cream to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Remove and discard the sliced onions, if desired. Pour the sauce over the beef. Serve over the egg noodles.
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TIPS FROM OUR TEST KITCHEN: For a variation, add the cooked noodles to the slow cooker and stir to blend.
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Hungarian Goulash
Josephine Brody, Donora, Pennsylvania
Serves 6
“I’ve been making this roast for fifty years and it is always a big hit.”
¾ cup ketchup
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup olive oil
2½ pounds boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 1½-inch cubes
2 medium onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Cooked egg noodles or mashed potatoes
1. Combine the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, paprika, mustard, salt, and 1½ cups water in a medium bowl. Stir until well blended.
2. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the beef cubes, stirring occasionally.