Slow Cooker Whiskey Barbecue Beef

Slow Cooker Whiskey Barbecue Beef
By Joey Mock, RD, LD, CLT

Are you ready for the Big Game? If you are a football fan, you may be planning to watch the Rams take on the Patriots in the Super Bowl. With any good Super Bowl viewing party (whether it’s for the game, commercials, or half time show), good food is a must. This Slow Cooker Whiskey Barbecue Beef makes a tasty option for your party that won’t require a lot of cooking and cleaning up during the game. Prep everything in the morning and let the slow cooker do the rest of the work (well, most of it). Serve on your favorite rolls/buns or tortillas.

Ingredients

For the Whiskey Barbecue Sauce: (can be made ahead of time and refrigerated if desired-yields about 2 ½ cups so you will have leftovers to use on chicken or wherever you enjoy barbecue sauce)

½ medium onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
¾ cup bourbon whiskey (blended Canadian whiskey works great too)
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups ketchup
¼ cup tomato paste (from an ~6 ounce can-reserve the remainder of the can for the beef)
⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon paprika
3 dashes cayenne pepper (can use more if you like a little more heat)
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
½ cup packed brown sugar
⅓ teaspoon hot sauce, or to taste

For the Beef:
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
~2 pound top round (London broil) roast, with visible fat trimmed off
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon canola oil
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon paprika
1-14 ounce container reduced sodium beef broth
2 cups water
Tomato paste, remainder of the ~6 ounce can of tomato paste from making barbecue sauce

Preparation

1. To make the barbecue sauce, in a large skillet over medium heat, combine the onion, garlic, and whiskey. Simmer for about 10 minutes until onion is translucent. 
2. Mix in the remaining ingredients. 
3. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove from pan, cool, and refrigerate until ready to use.
4. Place chopped onion in slow cooker.
5. Salt and pepper both sides of beef. Heat canola oil in large skillet and sear all sides of beef roast. Transfer beef to slow cooker.
6. Add minced garlic, paprika, beef broth, water, and tomato paste to slow cooker and stir until all are combined.
7. Cook on low for about 6-7 hours until done.
8. Remove roast from slow cooker and shred meat.
9. Remove liquid from slow cooker straining off and reserving onions and then reserving liquid.
10. Add shredded beef, strained onions, and ~1 ½ cups of the Whiskey Barbecue sauce back to slow cooker. Use reserved liquid to gradually add back to slow cooker, stirring between additions, until desired consistency is reached (you will only use a small amount of the liquid until the beef/barbecue mixture is moist but not too liquidy).
11. Cook on low for about 30 minutes until heated through. 
12. Serve on your favorite rolls/buns or tortillas and enjoy!

"Cooking" with a slow cooker.

Trimarni athlete Stephanie shared this beautiful picture on Facebook of my Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Quinoa Curry from my book Essential Sports Nutrition. 

So far, this recipe has been the most favored recipe in the book! 

What's not to love about the slow cooker? Purchase and prep your ingredients, add to the slow cooker, press a button and your work is done. That's the wonderful part of using a slow cooker - you don't have to cook! 

In addition to a slow cooker being a very simple way to ensure that a home-cooked meal is ready when you return home from work, slow cookers bring out the flavor in food and use less electricity than an oven. From meals, soups, stews and casseroles, a slow cooker is a must-have kitchen appliance. 

To ensure that you get the most out of your slow cooker, here are a few tips from a past Trimarni newsletter.  

1. Choose the right size - Slow cookers come in a wide range of sizes, from extra small (2-quart) to extra large (8 1/2-quart). A one- to three-quart crock pot is perfect for one to two people. If you need to feed more than three people or want leftovers, you will probably want a four- to six-quart model.
2. Don't overfill - For the best results, don't overcrowd your slow cooker. Ideally, fill between one-half and two-thirds full. This will ensure that your meal is finished in the estimated time on your recipe, that the meal provides the best flavor and to avoid food-safety hazards. If your cooker doesn't accommodate your recipe, don't eliminate ingredients but invest in a larger cooker. 
3. Plan ahead - If you plan to use your slow cooker in the morning before you head off to work/school, be sure to cut and trim meat, chop veggies and measure the dry ingredients and sauces the night before. Do not refrigerate components in the cooker insert or add frozen ingredients to the slow cooker. Instead, refrigerate in separate containers. In the morning, add the ingredients to the cooker (per the recipe). As a general guideline, for even cooking, cut food into uniform size pieces and place firm veggies on the bottom and place meat on top. If you know you won't be home by the end of the cooking time (ex. 2 - 8 hours), make sure your slow cooker has a warming setting, once cooking is complete.
4. No peeking - Every time you open the lid, heat and moisture escape. Resist the urge to remove the lid until your recipe creation reaches the low end of the recipe's suggested cooking time range. At this point, you can then open the lid to check on the temperature and tenderness and continue to check on the dish every 30-45 minutes afterward. Unless your recipe suggests otherwise, constantly lifting and stirring the ingredients in your dish may delay cook time.
5. Care for your pot - As with any other kitchen appliance, proper care and cleaning is important. Before cleaning, allow your cooker slow cooker to cool off (unplugged of course). Clean glass lids and removable stoneware inserts with hot, soapy water or in the dishwasher. If hand cleaning, use sponges and cloths instead of scouring pads or abrasive cleaners (this includes vinegar). Do not wash the stoneware with cold water when it is hot and never immerse the heating base in water or in any other liquid. You may also want to invest in disposable BPA-free liners.

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