I'm not a good cook. But I want to do a roast in an oven bag. I "thought" that you could do any meat and it'd be tender/moist etc. But the eye round I got was tough. But the dogs were happy!

So...HELP! What is the best way to cook a roast..and what kind. I need TENDER that breaks away with a fork.

What sort of roast are you looking for, Di? A pot roast or a fine roast beef?

For a pot roast, I like to buy a piece of beef chuck roast, or sometimes I buy something called an "English Roast." Generally 3-4 pounds.

I quickly sear or brown this in some olive oil in a skillet on the stove top, then stick it in a slow cooker with some canned stewed tomatoes, some quartered onions, a clove of garlic, a bay leaf and some beef broth and/or some red wine and let it cook all day. Toward the end of the cooking I add peeled potatoes, sliced carrots, etc.

This is a less tender cut of beef, so you need to cook it long and slow. When it's done, the beef will fall apart in the crock pot -- it's that tender.

For a traditional roast beef, you need to buy something a bit pricier, like prime rib.

You coat this with a paste of herbs and salt and pepper, put it in a roasting pan and cook it in the oven at 350 degrees F. Use a meat thermometer, and it's done when the beef reaches an internal temperature of 125 degrees Farenheit. This will probably take a few hours, depending on the size of the cut of beef.

There are a lot of good recipes for various types of beef roasts on the Food Network website.

Hope this helps!

The chuck roast sounds like my speed. And yes, crock pot, too. My poor husband.....all I really know how to cook is lasagne, meat balls and spaghetti. It may sound strange to you all...and at MY age. But I just really never learned.

I'll let you know when I get a roast.

Di,
Don't feel bad. I'm not a good cook either. Spaghetti sauce is my best effort. I cook. But out of necessity. I buy those frozen Pot Roast prepared packages from the Federal Meat Market. They're just enough for 2 people, in fact I get a couple of meals out 'em. The gravy is right there and so I just mash up some potatoes; and, it makes a great meal. Good luck. Anne's recipes sound devine!

Oh, ladies, I am a cook at heart and I love to share my recipes. I cook and bake as a creative outlet and my friends tell me there is no better restaurant in the Galena area than "Chez Anne."

I'm all about easy meals that are healthy and use "real ingredients" -- that is I avoid processed foods and artificial ingredients.

But I work, too. So my goal is creating meals that can be prepared in 30 minutes -- or no more than 60.

I love to experiment with what I make and rarely make the EXACT same meal twice. So, let me know if you'd like me to share any of my recipes.

Don't feel bad, Di, about not knowing how to cook. I don't cook at all unless I have to - I had no interest in learning when I was younger and still don't. In fact, my home ec teacher wrote on my report card that I didn't see why I had to learn any of that stuff. Needless to say, I didn't get very good grades. If I had the option of taking wood or metal shop back then, I would have!

Di,
Think about this: Some of us can't make Shea Butter and bath
soap. U can't B good at everything!!! LOL...

Thanks, Jab...but honestly..I do not MAKE Shea Butter. It's a nutty extract from an west Africa tree.That is why I will not MAKE lotion. Chemicals would have to be used and I don't DO chemicals!

But I do make soap, soap scrubbies!

If anyone wants a 4 page PDF of how to roast properly using cheaper meat, send me a PM w/your email addy. My stepdaughter sent it to me and, in my spare time...I plan to read it.

I know. Was just jiving ya. I also know you do make soap; seen pictures of your shop! I like to horse around a bit, ya know!!!


The Federal roast I was referring to is: "Gourmet Pot Roast in
Gravy"; it comes in a 8" x 6" package and can be cooked either in a microwave or conventional oven. Have had it using both heating methods and both are great! There are always leftovers for beef and gravy sandwiches.

Di,
I searched Shea butter on Wikipedia a while back and learned that it is actually edible. Who knew?

Oh yeah.....Africans have cooked with it. One time a gentleman said he's taking shea butter capsules that are supposed to help with arthritis. I've not seen him again.....not sure how they did for him!

I also do a simple pot roast, and I work. And I love to cook.

Like Anne, I get a 3ish pound boneless chuck or shoulder roast, rub with garlic, dip in flour, brown on all sides in olive oil (to seal in the juices), then put in a dutch oven (a cast iron pot with a lid) with a whole onion stuck with 3 cloves, 1-2 carrots sliced, 5-6 whole potatoes (I like the Yukon gold), 2 cups of boiling water and a bay leaf and bake at 320 for at least 3-4 hours. Or all day in a crock pot. Cooking long at low heat makes it fork tender. Actually, you could cut it with a spoon. My whole family goes nuts for this meal.

Sounds delicious, DJ! Thanks for sharing.

These kinds of dishes are not only delicious and relatively easy to make, they're healthy too!

And I can't believe the number of times I've had friends try to wrangle a dinner invitation out of me when they hear it is pot roast night! It's a simple dish that always brings raves from anyone I feed it to.

Oh, I do make a nice simple and tasty gravy from the pot juices, but even that isn't too unhealthy!

Update: I went to a butcher today and told him I'm clueless when it comes to purchasing the right roast. So, I now have a 3 1/2 lb brisket in my freezer...it cost $11...is that a good price?

He said to put in in a turkey oven bag on 350* for about 3 1/2 hrs. Says it'll be so tender.

I'll try it next week......yummers!

I'd say that's a good cut for a roast and the price is fine. I haven't tried making a roast in one of those turkey bags, but based on his suggestion, I'm sure it will work great!

Where did you get the idea to do a beef roast in one of those turkey roasting bags? That's a new one for me - but I'm sure it will work.

I remember my mother doing that many years ago....she used to do London Broil in them. The nice thing is, since I have a shrink wrap system in the soap shop, I can get two bags out of one. I can cut/seal it with the I-Bar!

The folks whose house we went for Christmas did their turkey in the bag....talk about GOOD!!!! Moist, tasty etc.

I showed my newly married grandson how to use a cooking bag for his Christmas turkey and it was wonderful. Everyone complimented his cooking and he was thrilled. I use the bags for roasts of all kinds as well!

As far as I'm concerned, one of the biggest benefits of cooking in a bag is that the oven stays a lot cleaner. But while I have cooked turkeys in one of these bags, I have never tried them with any other cut of meat.

Gotta try that Chatty!