Beef prices are within our budget again as long as we stay with the roasts and ground.  A rump or chuck roast can be a thing of delicious beauty if you know what to do with them.

I like to use the slow cooker for roasts.  Adding some tasty partners like mushrooms, onion, and garlic is the first step.  Then the beginning of the broth with red wine, balsamic vinegar, country dijon mustard, along with my “sun” dried tomato jam and a few other ingredients.  Let the slow cooker do it’s thing for about 7 hours and you have something beyond your basic beef and noodle dish.

 

When time allows, I will pull the finished broth off for a quick reduction on the stove while the noodles cook.  Grate a good parmesano cheese and sliver some fresh basil to top it all off.  My family loves this dish.  The leftovers, if any, last barely a day.

You’ll need:

3-4 lb rump or chuck roast, well trimmed

1 large yellow onion, medium slice (pole to pole)

8 oz cremini mushrooms, medium slice

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1/3 cup red wine (something you like to drink)

1/3 cup water

2 Tbs country dijon mustard

1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp siracha sauce

2 Tbs “sun” dried tomato jam (or tomato paste)

3 medium cloves fresh garlic, pressed

fresh ground black pepper

Wide egg noodles-(use your favorite dried or fresh) 12-16 oz

1 tsp corn starch (optional)

Grated parmesan cheese

Fresh basil, sliced thin (chiffonade)

In your 5-6 qt slow cooker, place about 1/3 of your sliced onions on the bottom.  Set the roast on top of them and grind black pepper over the roast.  Add the remaining onion and sliced mushroom over and around the roast.

In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, wine, water, mustard, Worcestershire, siracha, tomato and pressed garlic.  Stir until combined and pour over the roast and veggies.  Cover and set cooker to low for 7-8 hours.

Check the roast at 7 hours.  When tender (separates easily with a fork), change setting to warm.  Put a large pot of water onto boil. Salt water if desired and cook noodles according to package directions and drain.

While waiting for the water to boil….

I use a ladle a take off as much of the broth as can be easily removed.  You don’t need it all.  Place the broth in a small pan and put over medium high heat to reduce it a little.  Add the corn starch to a couple of tablespoons of water and stir until smooth.  Add to the broth and stir well.  Let this simmer while cooking the noodles. It will thicken slightly and coat the noodles better.  Grate the cheese.  Thinly slice the basil (stacking the leaves makes it easier).  Use a fork (or knife) and pull the roast into smaller pieces for serving.

After draining the noodles, return them to the cooking pot.  Add your reduced broth along the contents of the slow cooker.  Give it all a good stir.  Place on serving plates.  Top with parmesan and basil.  Serve immediately.  Enjoy!