Steak is one of the most versatile foods you can make and eat. If you haven’t had a chance to check out Steak University in a while, you might want to hop on over to see several different ways you can cook steak and prepare it for meals. It’s a meat that’s nothing short of miraculous, really.
Slow cookers are one of the more popular tools for the kitchen because they let you focus on set-it-and-forget-it meals that take little fuss to create a full meal for the family or yourself. For many types of meat, especially, a slow cooker is an excellent gadget to use to avoid overcooking and dryness.
But what about steak? You’ll find a lot of pork and chicken recipes when you look for new slow cooker dishes, but steak isn’t a meat that’s mentioned a lot. Is steak a meat you can stick in the Crock Pot?
Table of Contents
Is Cooking Steak in a Crockpot a Good Idea?
You might know what we’re going to say here if you do happen to frequent Steak University. Honestly, you can do almost anything you want with steak and, yes, the crockpot is an optional cooking tool. In fact, it might become a new favorite method to cook steak because of how easy it is to do and how delicious the results turn out to be.
The tricks to cooking steak in a slow cooker are to use the right cuts of beef and preparing them for the best results.
How to Get the Best Steak Results in a Slow Cooker
First, let’s talk steak cuts. Whenever you visit the grocery store or butcher, you have a lot of steak options in front of you, from tenderloins to pot roast to rib eye steak and everything in between. You can ruin almost any steak, even the best steak cuts, by using the wrong cooking techniques. Likewise, you can transform any so-so steak into an incredible steak dinner by knowing how to prepare, cook, and garnish it.
You can’t choose just any steak for the Crock Pot, though. You’ll want one that’ll tenderize during the cooking process to avoid becoming dry, tough, and not at all appetizing. It’s a good idea to choose steak that’s known for being tender, like a tenderloin or ribeye, because their fat content will keep the meat tender as the slow cooker works its magic.
When you order from the Chicago Steak Company, you’re guaranteed to get some of the best steaks your money can buy. Our Premium Angus Beef Ribeye and USDA Prime Dry Aged Porterhouse should do wonders for your taste buds after getting cooked in the Crockpot.
Next, let’s talk preparation. As with most cooking methods you use for steak, you’ll need to show your steaks a little TLC before putting them in the slow cooker, for best results. That means – you guessed it – searing them before adding them to the pot.
Searing is an important step because it adds the crispy brown outer edge that enhances the texture and flavor of the meat. More importantly, it locks in as much natural juice as possible to keep the steak from drying out.
Give your steaks a quick sear on both sides by heating a skillet with butter or oil and cooking them on high heat for about three to four minutes on each side (and on the edges, if you have an exceptionally thick cut of steak).
Once you put the steak in the slow cooker, you’ll want to add about ¼ cup of beef stock over it before putting the lid on. You can add more than one steak to the crock pot, but make sure they fit in a single layer. Cook on low for four to six hours, or until the internal temperature reaches your desired doneness (here’s a steak temperature guide to help you with that).
Cooking Steak in a Crockpot
Steak comes through yet again as a versatile piece of meat that you can cook just about any way you’d like to. For more tips and tricks for steak meals, be sure to check out our steak articles, recipes, and tips at Steak University.
Then, enjoy browsing our selection of steaks you can order online to ship conveniently to your home to use for your next steak dinner. Don’t forget to sign up for our Steakalicious Rewards program to earn points every time you shop with Chicago Steak Company!
Can you put a raw steak in a slow cooker?
Yes, you can add raw steak to a slow cooker to cook it to your desired doneness level. Slow cooking steak is a convenient way to cook steak over several hours, tenderizing it and adding exceptional flavor along the way.
How long does steak take to cook in a slow cooker?
Cooking steak in a crock pot can take anywhere from two to six hours. The length of time depends on the steak type, steak thickness, how you like your steak, and the temperature on which you set your slow cooker.
What steak is best for a slow cooker?
Learning how to cook steak in a crock pot starts with the right cut of steak. Choose a thick cut with a decent amount of fat, like ribeye or tenderloin, for best results. The slow cooker breaks down the steak’s fats as it cooks the meat, keeping the steak tender and juicy throughout the cooking process.
Is it better to slow cook or fast cook a steak?
If you like your steak medium-rare, fast-cooking is usually a better option. This method provides an excellent sear while avoiding overcooking the middle. However, higher doneness levels, like medium and medium-well, favor slow cooking, which requires longer heating periods to allow the internal temperature to rise.
Slow cooker recipes don't always instruct you to brown meat before adding it to the pot, but there are some advantages to doing so. If you sear meat to a crusty brown with a little oil in a hot skillet, the meat develops more complex flavors and improves the dish.
Black Angus filet mignon is the most tender cut of beef used for steaks. It comes from the smaller end of the tenderloin and should be well-marbled. You can grill it or cook it in a skillet and is best served blue rare or rare. Blue rare is a style of cooking that is becoming very popular for meat lovers.
Stop taking time. to sear your meat before you add it to the slow cooker. It's perfectly safe to add raw meat to a slow cooker. without taking the time to sear it. Sure, the sear may bring some extra flavor, but with the right amount of seasoning, you can still achieve delicious, flavorful food.
Rule of thumb #1: Cuts with high fat content and marbling should be cooked low and slow, while leaner cuts need the hot and fast treatment. Low and slow: Even though there certainly are cuts that prove to be an exception to this rule, it is still a good general rule to work with.
You can add more than one steak to the crock pot, but make sure they fit in a single layer. Cook on low for four to six hours, or until the internal temperature reaches your desired doneness (here's a steak temperature guide to help you with that).
"Browning, or caramelizing, meat before putting it into a slow cooker isn't 100 percent necessary, but it is well worth the effort for the most flavorful and full-bodied end result," he says. "The caramelized surface of the meat will lend rich flavor and color to the finished dish."
There are so many benefits to this cooking method. Not only does it make the meat far juicier and more tender but it also works with all kinds of meats. No matter your preference, this cooking method works well with whole cuts of pork, beef, lamb, and even veal.
Choose the right cut: Chuck roasts, short ribs, pork shoulders and lamb shanks (think fatty and tougher meats) become meltingly tender with the moist, low heat of a slow cooker. Leaner cuts like pork tenderloin tend to dry out. Likewise, dark meat chicken — thighs, drumsticks, etc.
Chuck steak was practically designed for slow cooking. It comes from the shoulder and upper arm of the cow, so it's done a lot of work over the life of the animal — with its abundant collagen, it's the type of cut that gets tough when grilled quickly, but becomes tender and juicier the longer you cook it.
Fill the crock pot at least half full and no more than two-thirds full. Thaw frozen meats and vegetables before placing in the crock pot. Place dense vegetables in crock pot first, such as carrots and potatoes, since they take longer than meats to cook.
One of the most commonly used cuts for slow cookers is the chuck steak – usually used for making beef stew. The chuck is the shoulder and upper arm of the cow which makes it very tough, but trust us when we say that it becomes amazingly tender after it's spent a few hours in your slow cooker.
“Beef may be tough in the slow cooker if you haven't added enough liquid, or haven't cooked it for long enough,” Kristen Carli, M.S., R.D., owner of Camelback Nutrition & Wellness, tells SELF. “For cuts of meat, the fattier cuts are often the ones that get juicy and tender.
The lower temperatures lessen the chance of scorching foods that tend to stick to the bottom of a pan or burn in an oven. Less expensive or tough meats, such as chuck steaks, roast, and less-lean stewing beef, are tenderized through the long cooking process.
It's also important to season your beef first and then add plenty of beef broth or another liquid a recipe for slow cooked beef calls for. The meat will make a little of its own juices, but cooking it without liquid may dry out your beef long before it's even fully-cooked, making for a not-so-appetizing dinner.
The low heat helps less expensive, leaner cuts of meat become tender and shrink less. The direct heat from the pot, lengthy cooking and steam created within the tightly-covered container combine to destroy bacteria and make the slow cooker a safe process for cooking foods.
Introduction: My name is Patricia Veum II, I am a vast, combative, smiling, famous, inexpensive, zealous, sparkling person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
