Healthy Recipe of the Week: Crock Pot Rump Roast
I have a rump...in my fridge. (Be prepared for some serious humor to follow.)
A few years ago cooking a rump roast would have terrified me. I did not (and still don’t) know my cuts of meat, and I would get a serious case of anxiety any time I tried to cook something “new”.
I still get “cooking anxiety” when trying a different recipe or working with a cut of meat with which I’m not familiar. But I’ve learned the following lessons about meat, and cooking in general:
- Simple is better. Salt, pepper, and oil are usually all it takes to make a meal taste awesome.
- Simple saves your sanity. Complicated recipes with 36 ingredients aren’t necessary to create great-tasting and healthy foods.
- Meals never turn out looking like the ones on Pinterest and Instagram. Those folks clearly have special lighting and “food artists” living in their homes.
- When in doubt, use a crock pot. No matter the cut or type of meat, using a crock pot nearly guarantees a tender, delicious meal…with almost zero effort on your part!
- Your house will smell amazing (and you’ll look like a rock star) when you use a slow cooker.
On tonight's menu: rump roast. (Tee hee hee. That makes me laugh. I know. I’m juvenile.) A rump roast is cheaper cut of meat that comes from the rear leg of a cow. It can be tough when cooked improperly. The two main methods that most people use to cook rump roast is braising in the oven (way too many steps and way too much "babysitting" the meat for me) and slow cooking in the crock pot (I’m all over it).
Some facts about rump roasts (Tee hee.)
- It comes from the bottom round, rear leg of the cow.
- In the UK they call this cut of meat the “silverside”.
- It's a very lean cut of meat and it can be tough, so it must be cooked for a long time.
- You may not be able to find rump roast in the store anymore as the industry tries to “rebrand” this cut of meat as a leg sirloin. I guess that sounds better…though I prefer to use the word rump whenever I can.
Super Simple Crock Pot Rump Roast
- 1 large onion, sliced or quartered into large chunks
- ½ to 1 pound of carrots, cut into large chunks
- Few ribs of celery, cut into large chunks
- 2 to 3 lb. rump roast (any cheap cut of beef, bison, or venison will do)
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1 T paprika
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp mustard powder
- 2 tsp sea salt
- Cayenne pepper to taste
- ½ cup beef or vegetable broth
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
Step 1: Cut up the onions, carrots, and celery and layer them into the bottom of a large crock pot.
Step 2: Mix all of the dry seasonings and spices together in a small dish.
Step 3: Trim some of the fat off the roast, if desired, leaving a little bit to add tenderness as it cooks. Cut a few slits in the top of the roast. Generously rub that rump (sorry, had to say it) with the spice mixture, making sure the spices get into the rump cracks (Ha! I'm having way too much fun writing this).
Step 4: Place the roast on top of the vegetables in the crock pot.
Step 5: Mix the broth and Worcestershire sauce and pour over the roast and vegetables.
Step 6: Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.
Step 7: Come home from work to a perfectly cooked, healthy meal!
Pair this hearty and filling meat dish with a salad and colorful baby potatoes, or a baked sweet potato, or wild rice. If you prefer a lower-carb lifestyle like I do, try paring the meat with a winter squash like acorn or butternut, or an even lower-carb variety like spaghetti squash. And before you think I'm getting all complicated on you...all I do to cook my squash is slice it in half, scoop out the seeds, lay the halves open side down in a microwave safe dish with a little bit of water, and nuke for 8 to 10 minutes!