pot roast gravy

[jk]

I'm new to the crockpot business and my last several roasts have horrible gravy. The meat juices coagulate and the gravy tastes and looks awful. The recipe I use looks fairly standard. Roast, carrots, onions, potatoes, onion soup mix, red wine.

Is it because I didn't brown the meat first in a fry pan?
I had to put it in the oven to brown before I served it because it looked boiled!!!

Please help.

Thanks.

JK

[cuteascountry_Shortcake]

Hi JK,

I thought you might like to see this tried and true recipe from www.haverhillbeef.com


BOTTOM ROUND ROAST AND VEGETABLES
(made in slow cooker)

Prep Time: 25 Minutes
Cook Time: 6 Hours
Ready In: 6 Hour and 23 Minutes
Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:
3 pounds bottom round roast
ground black pepper to taste
garlic powder to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
5 carrots, chopped
6 small new potatoes, halved

Directions:
Season roast with ground black pepper and garlic powder. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Brown the roast on all sides for 20 minutes.

2. Mix together the mushroom soup and the onion soup mix in the slow cooker. Place roast into the slow cooker, and add carrots and potatoes. Turn roast and vegetables over to coat with the soup.

3. Cover and let cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Stirring occasionally.

This recipe was found at:
www.haverhillbeef.com/RPbottomroundrstveg.html

Enjoy!

cuteascountry_Shortcake

[Paul]

Anytime you are cooking with meats, vegetables, any liquid, wine
You need during the first hour while cooking removing the foamy stuffs coming up and usually sticking around the pot; you juice and later sauce will get a better aspect. It is due to meat protein coagulation
if extrapolating on that coagulation
You can understand that coagulating protein from meat and eggs become a process to CLARIFY a broth and make it a "CONSOMMÉ"
But that another story

Sauce VS gravy
A Gravy comes from caramelized natural juices resulting from sauté like the sticky brown spots in skillet used to sauté a thick piece of meat without adding liquid
Then pouring liquid (DEGLAZING) and adding a LIAISON (flour) makes the gravy.
Sauce are resulting from liquid used while long process cooking like a chicken stock that are further flavored and then receives a liaison