Mmmm…Mmmm…Tasty!

“Mmmmm, Carol, I just love your meat!”

Get your minds out of the gutter, folks! These are, however, popular words when it comes to my cooking. Granted, there are countless ways to marinate, tenderize, flavor and cook every type of meat known to man. Almost all of them are more detailed and time-consuming. Martha Stewart would probably farm-raise her cattle and add 187 steps to the process.

Cooking should be fun. For most, that means easy, as well.

My goal today is to share an easy recipe of mine that has garnered many a fan during the past few years. It is fantastic for a small family and is easily doubled or quadrupled for larger gatherings.

Proving that some of the tastiest dishes are pure and simple, try this Italian Beef on for size. I prefer to serve it on toasted Kaiser rolls or French bread. I melt a bit of smoked provolone, mozzarella or sharp cheddar cheese onto the bread while it is toasting. What? I like my beef with a little cheese! Truth be told, I use whatever is stocked in my refrigerator.

The three most common side items I serve with it are pasta salad, mashed potatoes or spinach salad. It depends totally on if my mood is carb driven or if I feel like lighter fare. Today, let’s get to the meat of the matter.

Buy a roast. I use shoulder roast, typically. I love it when I find it for $1.99 per pound. Value in my meals makes me unbelievably happier to cook them.

Buy a multi-pack of Good Seasons or store brand mix for Italian Dressing.

Buy a jar of pepperoncinis or even mild-banana peppers. Personally, I think the pepperoncinis lend a much better flavor to the beef.

Now, this is the challenging “cooking” part.

Throw the roast into a crock pot. Add two packages of the Italian Seasoning mix and half a jar of peppers or pepperoncinis. You will also add about half the juice from the jar. On larger portions, I have been known to pour a bottle of beer into the mix, as well.

Cook it all night long. The next day, it should fall apart with a fork. If it does not, cook it a few more hours. This is not a science, it’s cooking. And, yes, I realize there are those to argue my view on the subject.

Once it is falling apart, let it cool down. As you take the meat out of the crock pot, taste it. Take a couple of bites and figure out if you want to add more Italian Seasoning, salt, pepper or anything else. If anything, I usually end up adding another half a pack of the Italian Seasoning. Do not add it to the crock pot, yet.

While you can do this part with utensils of some type, I am a fan of doing it with my hands. I am sure somewhere in the actual Cooking for Dummies, there is reference to wash your hands. I trust you all do this with as much anal-retentive attention to detail as I do.

Removing the meat from the crock pot, separate it fully and remove any fatty pieces still in tact. I also remove the cooked peppers/pepperoncinis. Why? Because they do not look pretty. Seriously.

Use a large spoon, cup or ladle to add some of the yummy sauce back to the meat. I tend to put a strainer over the meat to catch any fatty fragments. In other words, I don’t ladle. I just pick up the crock pot, pour the whole thing over a strainer and let the juices cover the meat.

Now that the crock pot is empty, I put the fat-removed, oh-so-tasty beef and all the juices back into the crock pot. I add any additional seasoning I deem necessary, as well as the other half jar or so of reserved pepperoncinis/peppers. Do not add any more of the juice from the jar.

Italian Beef can sit and cook as long as you like. It does not require a timer. Thirty minutes is plenty of time to cook the fresh peppers into the meat.

The meat will be ready to serve whenever you get your toasted bread out of the oven. It will look pretty and taste great. Maybe, just maybe, it will leave you feeling satiated and more satisfied with your performance in the kitchen. Serve and enjoy!

Are you still awake? With all this talk of beef, I don’t know whether to ask if it makes you hungry or horny! Anyone willing to cook this at home and report back on their success?