I put two pounds of stew beef in the crock, added some beef broth, and
cooked it 11 hours, until it was tender. Now I am going to save the broth
for soup or something, and heat the beef in barbecue sauce.
However, I have read that putting the barbecue sauce on initially, to the
raw beef, is how it is supposed to be done.
Is there really a best way?
Jackie

J. Davidson wrote:
> I put two pounds of stew beef in the crock, added some beef broth, and
> cooked it 11 hours, until it was tender. Now I am going to save the broth
> for soup or something, and heat the beef in barbecue sauce.
> However, I have read that putting the barbecue sauce on initially, to the
> raw beef, is how it is supposed to be done.
> Is there really a best way?
> Jackie
>


Cook the beef on a rack without any broth. (Save the juice that cooks
out; mix it with beef broth and make a nice soup.) When it is done
enough to almost fall apart, mix it a *little* smoky barbecue sauce, and
have more sauce available on the side. The important thing (in my
opinion) is to not have the meat sitting in broth while it cooks.

And please call it something else besides "barbecue". :-)

I'm not sure how best to salvage what you've got now. I'm sure it's
edible, but it doesn't sound very good. Maybe instead of adding BBQ
sauce, add mushrooms, onions, sour cream, and a little tomato paste, and
serve with noodles.

Bob

Jackie's question was about barb. beef in the crock,
to which Bob answered:
> Cook the beef on a rack without any broth. (Save the juice that cooks
> out; mix it with beef broth and make a nice soup.) When it is done
> enough to almost fall apart, mix it a *little* smoky barbecue sauce, and
> have more sauce available on the side. The important thing (in my
> opinion) is to not have the meat sitting in broth while it cooks.
>
> And please call it something else besides "barbecue". :-)
>
> I'm not sure how best to salvage what you've got now. I'm sure it's
> edible, but it doesn't sound very good. Maybe instead of adding BBQ
> sauce, add mushrooms, onions, sour cream, and a little tomato paste, and
> serve with noodles.
>
> Bob

Thanks, Bob. It has to be barbecue this time, but next time it will be
mushrooms, onions, sour cream and tomato paste over noodles!
Jackie

J. Davidson wrote:
>
> I put two pounds of stew beef in the crock, added some beef broth, and
> cooked it 11 hours, until it was tender. Now I am going to save the broth
> for soup or something, and heat the beef in barbecue sauce.
> However, I have read that putting the barbecue sauce on initially, to the
> raw beef, is how it is supposed to be done.

Stew, ragu, whatever you call it sounds good.

> Is there really a best way?

Absolutely. The way your parents made it is the best way for
you. The way my parents made it is the best for me. Both
are true even if they don't agree.

Most barbecue sauces are fairly sweet. I'm not big on sweet.
For my personal preference, the way that gets the sweet to
soak in the least, that's the best why. Now if you're using a
vinegar based non-sweet bbq sauce, earlier is better for less
tomato content, late is better for more tomato content.

"J. Davidson" > wrote in message
news:Halre.32712$iU.5535@lakeread05...
>I put two pounds of stew beef in the crock, added some beef broth, and
> cooked it 11 hours, until it was tender. Now I am going to save the broth
> for soup or something, and heat the beef in barbecue sauce.
> However, I have read that putting the barbecue sauce on initially, to the
> raw beef, is how it is supposed to be done.
> Is there really a best way?
> Jackie

There are several points:

1. Browning the beef before adding it to the crock pot will give the best
overall flavor.
2. The leaner the beef the more moisture you'll need to add to keep the beef
moist.
3. By adding broth you will inherently dilute the flavor of the sauce - it
will have a richer flavor but less BBQ sauce flavor.
4. Having a base of root vegetables such as onion carrot & celery will also
add to the depth of flavor.
5. IMHO there is no best way. What is the best is what works for you.

Dimitri

"J. Davidson" > wrote in
news:Halre.32712$iU.5535@lakeread05:

That's not barbecue