Comforting Shredded Beef

This recipe comes from Canada's Best Slow Cooker Recipes, which is a wonderful cookbook with lots of quick and easy recipes for the slow cooker. I've tried many in the book and they've all been excellent. We used to make this one a good handful of times each winter, but ran out of the cognac my dad used to pass along to us, so we haven't made it in awhile. I made it without the cognac this time... not nearly as good as when you include it, but it was still good.

The meat just falls apart it is so tender. You can just serve it like that, which we usually do the first day we have it, or can use it to make sandwiches, which we tend to do with the remaining meat. At times, I will freeze the leftovers and use them later in sandwiches. One of the other recipes in the same cookbook suggests using the meat and Provolone or Swiss cheese in a tortilla with some of the onion slices for a sandwich.

1 3- to 4- lb sirloin tip roast
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 C cognac or brandy (optional)
2 C beef stock
1 C red wine
2 onions, sliced

1. Season roast to taste with salt and pepper. In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add roast and cook, turning meat with a wooden spoon, for 10 minutes or until brown on all sides. Pour cognac over meat (if using) and flame with a match. Transfer meat to slow cooker.

2. Add stock to slow cooker, along with red wine and onions. Cover and cook on Low for 10 to 12 hours or on High for 6 to 8 hours, until meat is very tender. (If using a large (4- to 6- quart) slow cooker, meat may not be completely submerged in liquid; turn 2 or 3 times during cooking so exposed edges will not dry out).

 

3. Remove meat from juice and let stand for 10 minutes. Using a fork, pull apart roast, following the natural grain of the meat. It should fall apart very easily. Serve with beef juice or dipping.

Serves 4 to 6 (though I actually find it serves way more)

Difficulty level: easy to moderate