Abandoned Edibles
Local bison roast, discounted ($6.99--slight freezer burn)
Fingerling potatoes (abandoned)
(additional ingredients: onions, beef stock, mushrooms, cornstarch, carrots, beef broth powder, garlic powder, spices, etc.)
What I did: okay folks, this meal was ALL ABOUT THE CROCK POT! I was seriously beyond ecstatic to use my new toy, and a bison roast was the perfect cut of meat to slow cook in ol' black beauty (yes, I named my crock--deal with it.) To start, I rubbed the roast down with beef broth powder, garlic powder, and spices and seared it before I placed it in the crock. Searing roasts is KEY if you want the meat to retain its juices--by searing the outside, all the 'good stuff' gets locked in. I filled the pot with a few inches of beef stock, and set it on the lowest possible setting. Then, I drank a six pack of Grainbelt and watched a few episodes of Land of The Lost while I waited about 6 hours before dumping in the (scrubbed and cleaned) fingerling potatoes, onions, mushrooms, and carrots. I seasoned the dish one more time, turned the crock up to medium, and let it sit another 2 or 3 hours. Unfortunately, I was out of Grainbelt at this point.
The Verdict
OhmygodILOVEcrockpots! Black beauty did not disappoint. It was super easy to make this dish, and the bison was moist, tender, and succulent--slow cooking is key to this particular cut of meat! Before I served the stew, I made a quick broth/gravy out of the juices left in the crockpot by whisking in a cornstarch slurry, and I also sliced the roast on the bias. It was simple, easy, delicious, AND I got to drink beer and watch horrible 1970s television shows whilst cooking: the perfect winter dinner.
Taste: 8
Creativity: 6
Appearance: 7
Improvements for next time: as Carrie from SATC would say...'I couldn't help but wonder'....would BRINING make a difference? Can one brine bison cuts?! Stay tuned!
