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| Crockpot Beef |
Two kitchen appliances made lasting impressions on my wee
self.
The first was the toaster.
Specifically: an unending parade of ten-dollar bread-browners
that burst into flames after a few months of use.
There may have been some ‘cajiggling’ with a butterknife
going on – but, whatcha gonna do?
After the spring lever stopped ejecting pastries and the degree
of doneness became ‘best guess before incineration’, we adjusted our expectations
and made do until it became a fire hazard.
(Smoke and flames! No ten-year-old forgets that.)
I remember our first crockpot, for similar reasons.
Back in the ‘70’s, slow cookers were one-piece and came with
two warnings: Do not immerse in water. Do
not touch the sides.
Eventually, they followed the path of the toasters - either boiling
away at full speed and scorching the contents, or taking two full days to
finish a stew.
At least it was easy to clean (dishwasher’s confession).
Don’t get me wrong; I use the most modern incarnations of
each regularly.
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| Tender Vegetables from the Crockpot |
“Crocking’ creates a rich, moist, comfort meal that tastes
like I spent hours over the stove.
And there is no substitute for properly toasted bread to eat
with it.
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| Beef Marrow |
Crockpot Beef
Shanks
4 lbs. Beef Shanks (about 3)
1 ½ lbs. Carrots, peeled
2 lbs. White Potatoes, halved
1 Large Red Onion, diced
1 Head Garlic, minced
1 qt. Beef Stock (preferably homemade)
Cracked Black Pepper
Salt
Equipment: 8-qt. Crockpot
Set Crockpot to lowest setting.
Salt and pepper shanks on both sides.
Layer onions, beef, and garlic.
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| Crockpot Recipe |
Cut carrots to fit and crowd vegetables into every open
space, until the crock is full.
Add stock.
Cover crock and let cook until meat is fall-apart tender, 5
- 6 hours later.
Adjust for salt.
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| Crockpot Beef Shanks with Potatoes and Carrots |