Pot Roast prep work, how much can i get away with?

[LeperousDust]

Bought some Brisket from the farmers market this morning and i'm planning to make a pot roast for about 10 (or more) people tomorrow. I've got enough of everything but what i'd like to do is prep as much as i can now without ruining any flavours or losing any vitamins.

Plan for tomorrow would be seal beef with some drippings/butter set to one side, throw shallots, onions and garlic in there and warm a little, then add them and beef to pot with stock and leave for about 6 hours on a low setting all day.

Later on boil potatoes, carrots, turnip and sprouts, then roast potatoes whilst the meat settling and i'm making gravy and finishing things off.

So out of all that what can i do tonight to save me hassle tomorrow when everyone is here? I know if i peel potatoes and veg and leave them in water nothing much "seems" to happen, right? Could i seal the meat tonight and put it in the pot with veg and leave cold, or will that ruin it? Best case scenario would be just turning things on and off tomorrow but i doubt thats possible?

[lostkat]

Bit late now :p , but for future reference, you can peel all your veg (except pots) and leave it in sealed bags in the fridge overnight. With the potatoes, you can parboil them, shake them up to fluffle them and then leave them in the fridge overnight. Make sure you bring everything back up to room temperature before you cook it.

Hope all goes well. I really fancy cooking a roast, but there's not must point with only two of us!!

[LeperousDust]

Cheers but you're right; too late :D

Potatoes, carrot and turnip have been peeled and left in iced water over night checked on them before and they're fine so it seems ok :)

You should come over another 2 people on top of 12 won't really hurt ;)

[LeperousDust]

Ooooh actually one question i don't seem to be able to find the answer to, what is the lowest temperature i can get away with in the oven, this is a cheap brisket and i want to cook it for a long time (6 hours+ really). I know beef internal temperature needs to be 60/70 Celsius for food safety, but what does that translate into oven temperature? Is 100/120 too low?

[lostkat]

I think 120-130 (which is GM 1/2 in my world :p) sounds about right. Just make sure you bring everything to the boil on the hob first.

[LeperousDust]

Yep yep, sounds about right i was going 120, just wasn't sure if i could push it as low as 100, but tbh i doubt it'll make that much difference :)

[Jonny69]

My uncle slow roasts lamb and he starts it with the oven at 220, puts the meat in, covered with foil, and immediately turns it down to 140-150. It stays in there for 4-5 hours.

Never had the guts to try it myself but it's beautiful when he does it.

[Glaucus]

I slow roast stuff at about 150.

[LeperousDust]

Well i'm just reading up on slow cookers now and i know i could do a pot roast (if the cut was small enough to fit in) in there for 9 hours on low and high near the end. The temperatures are 71c on low and 98c on high, which is actually a lot lower than i expected but 71 is just above the FDA standard for internal meat temperature so is "safe".

So now i'm thinking i might seal my meat now get my onions, garlic and ginger fried and stuff it all in the oven in a lidded crock pot with hot stock now at 100c forget about it for now check on it later and turn it up a little just to make sure, and i need to roast the potatoes on a sensible heat anyway.

Am i about to give 12 people food poisoning, i don't know... I'll get back to you ;)

[Glaucus]

No it'll be fine. For slow roasting stuff, especially if it's in liquid. Temperature doesn't make a lot of difference as long as things don't start to burn.

[lostkat]

You're pretty safe with beef Lep :)

[Jonny69]

Burning temperature (well caramelising temperature when things start to char) is 180C so I'd say what AH2 stands well, as long as it has liquid to stop it drying out then there wil be no problem.

[LeperousDust]

Well either way its looks pretty good just checked on it before, they (there are two rolled joints) have been in there all day and what is going to be the gravy looks and smells amazing. So all is good, still 2 hours to go before everything is served up though so more than enough time :)

[BBx]

There'd better be pics young man!

BB x

[LeperousDust]

Ahhh, pics, hmmmm lacking this time, but its not the first time i've done a roast and it certainly won't be the last. Lets just say we got through 2.5Kg of rolled Beef, 2kg+ of carrot and turnip, 2kg+ of potatoes roasted and mashed, a million sprouts, 24 yorkshire puddings and finally a massive pan (2l maybe) of gravy, so there was a lot to say the least. A lot going on at the end and lost of swapping around trying to keep things warm in my absolutely tiny kitchen. But i survived the meat was cooked everything was warm and it worked out brilliant! Plus taste the difference raspberry tart and triple Belgium chocolate cake for afters.

Girls retired to watch a film, guys played poker, all is good in the world :D Just finished our game! I cam second as well so can't complain!