why does it go dry? Sitting in beer and stock and veg, fully covered but it comes out dry why? It’s on low in the slow cooker. Well at least the tatties will be tasty and the carrots tender.

Not enough liquid in the slow cooker so add some more. 😀

The top of the meat, big chunk of silverside, is level with the liquid.

What meat? Are you browning the meat beforehand? It helps if you don’t. If you brown it first, that seems to dry it out. Or if the meat is too lean. You need a bit of fat in there too if you’re slow cooking it

Slow cooker too hot, maybe? Not an expert, but I’ve read that excessive heat will drive the moisture out of the meat, irrespective of whether it’s in liquid or not. Lower and longer works better for me, depending on the cut.

Other than that, maybe try brisket over silverside.

Not that keen on slow cooked beef (Seems bland until added to something like a chilli), shoulder of pork or lamb works better IME, which may tie in with binner’s fat comment.

Needs to be fatty, and potentially pierced!

Sounds like niche porn 😀

There is beef and beef. If you use some of the traditional breeds, gras fed, killed at 30 months and hung well you will have a better eating experience than a grain fed lean, continental breed killed at 18 months. Supermarket buying is pot luck and you are as likely to get the one as the other.

The difference is most noticeable in the more marginal cuts, whereas the pure muscle joints like filet will not show quite as much difference. My favourite meal from our own Ruby Red Devon beef is shin. The longer you cook it the better it gets.

welshfarmer – I’m guessing from the name you know a thing or two about this subject. Can I just buy shin from any butcher (we’re lucky to have a couple of good ones locally)? And do you just cook it as you would with any other beef dish? My favourite slow cooker beef recipe with beef is braised beef goulash with smoked pimenton.html. Any other recommendations for shin beef?

In the supermarkets around aberdeen your more likely to get someones old shoe than a decent bit of beef .

But good meat makes all the difference .

Have found not browning the meat helps and as welshfarmer suggests, a good butcher/shin is best. Have found the ‘dry’ meat a problem with the supermarket/lean cuts.

Mmmmm, just thinking about an Oxtail stew we made in the spring, god that was good.

+1 for shin.

As for recipes, this one’s good:

http://www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/chefs/hugh-fearnley-whittingstall/shin-of-beef-with-chilli-ginger-and-soy-recipe

Hugh’s shin of beef recipe is to die for, well worth trying & seeking out rice noodles to go with it, TBH I was talking about beef brisket above (yes I have a great local butcher)

I had slow-cooked neck of beef a couple of years ago – it was sublime.

Hugh’s shin of beef recipe is to die for

So if someone fired a bullet at the dish, you’d dive into the path to save the food?

😈

It’s tasty but dry, plenty of juice to keep it going. Was a big chunk in supermarket sticker alley. Browned first

@Ratty, Herds in Rosemount.

Oh, and don’t buy meat in the supermarket!

As above, choice of cut and temperature (only a small bubble or two breaking the surface).