Grateful Grits

Ah, there’s a delightful chill in the air, signaling that it’s time to dust off my reliable slow cooker for a heartwarming culinary adventure. As the temperatures drop, my craving for cozy meals grows stronger, and the slow cooker is my trusted ally in satisfying those comfort food cravings.

Whether it’s a busy weekday morning before heading off to work or a leisurely weekend, this is the ideal moment to indulge in a nourishing, low-effort feast. With minimal hands-on time, you’ll have this meal ready in under an hour, allowing you to savor the warmth and deliciousness of a home-cooked dish without the hassle. The beauty of slow cooking lies in its ability to transform simple ingredients into a symphony of flavors, all while you go about your day. So, as the world outside grows colder, let your slow cooker be your culinary maestro, orchestrating a comforting and satisfying meal that’s waiting for you when you return.

Let’s embark on this culinary journey by warming up a trusty cast iron skillet, generously anointing it with a splash of olive oil. You don’t need much, just enough to lovingly coat the pan’s surface. Now, prepare your bacon, slicing it into slender strips. While scissors can be a handy tool for this task, if your knife skills are up to the challenge, feel free to go with the blade. The bacon goes into the awaiting cast iron, where it sizzles and dances, with an occasional nudge to ensure it reaches a glorious golden-brown hue. Once it’s achieved this irresistible crispness, retrieve the bacon bits using a slotted spoon and gently nestle them into the slow cooker.

In the meantime, as the bacon choreographs its delightful performance, turn your attention to the star of the show, the chuck roast. With a sprinkle of salt and a dash of pepper, bestow flavorful goodness upon every nook and cranny of the roast. Once the bacon has taken its place in the slow cooker, introduce garlic and shallots to the cast iron, allowing them to sauté for a few minutes before their transfer to the patient slow cooker. The stage is set, and the beef makes its grand entrance, sizzling and searing on each side for approximately five minutes, locking in those delectable flavors. The beef, too, finds its way into the slow cooker, ready to mingle with its savory companions.

Back in the cast iron pan, where the memories of bacon and beef still linger, pour in the red wine and commence a symphony of flavors. The browned bits on the bottom and sides are a treasure trove of richness, promising depth to our impending sauce. Let the wine simmer and reduce slightly before slowly introducing the beef broth, tomato sauce, and a hint of soy sauce. As you whisk in the flour, the sauce undergoes a transformation, thickening and gaining character. A minute or two is all it takes to ensure the flour is harmoniously integrated. At last, with a flourish, the sauce joins the ensemble in the slow cooker.

Now, it’s time to assemble the supporting cast: carrots, thyme, potatoes, and mushrooms all find their place in the slow cooker. A good stir brings these ingredients together in a culinary embrace. Set your slow cooker to low and allow the magic to unfold over the next eight to ten hours, or if time is of the essence, high heat for six hours will do the trick.

When the curtains finally fall on your slow cooker performance, remove the roast and, with a tender touch, shred it into flavorful ribbons of goodness. Plate a portion of this succulent roast alongside the delectable vegetables, and generously ladle the rich sauce over the ensemble. The finale is a symphony of flavors, a culinary masterpiece that’s yours to savor. Enjoy every mouthful of this heartwarming creation!

Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon

Ingredients

5 slices of bacon chopped

3-3.5 lbs. boneless beef chuck

1-2 tsp. minced garlic

1 shallot chopped

1 cup red cooking wine

2 cups of beef broth

8 ounces tomato sauce

¼ cup of soy sauce

¼ cup of flour

2 Tbsp. fresh Thyme

5 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks

1-2 lbs. of red potatoes, cut into chunks

8 ounces of mushrooms, quartered

Parsley garnish

Directions

1. In a large cast iron, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Put bacon into slow cooker.
2. Add garlic and shallots to same cast iron cook for approximately two minutes. Transfer to slow cooker.
3. Salt and pepper the beef on all sides. Add beef to the skillet and sear on each side for 3-5 minutes. Transfer beef to slow cooker.
4. Add the red wine to skillet scraping down the brown bits on the bottom and sides. Allow it to simmer and reduce. Slowly add the broth, tomato sauce, and soy sauce. Slowly whisk in the flour. Make sure that flour is completely mixed into the sauce, then add the sauce to the slow cooker.
5. Add thyme, carrots, potatoes, and mushrooms to the slow cooker. Give it a good stir and cook on low until beef is tender for 8-10 hours, or on high for six hours.