How to Cook Beef in a Slow Cooker
To cook a whole beef roast in a slow cooker, start by seasoning the meat according to your preferred recipe. Next, brown the roast in a little hot oil, using the high heat setting on your slow cooker. Once the meat is seared on both sides, set the slow cooker to the time and temperature specified in your recipe. If your slow cooker doesn't have a timer, set one on your phone or use a kitchen timer. While the meat is cooking, you can add extra ingredients, such as broth or chopped vegetables, if you like.
Get your recipe. Cooking a whole roast is ambitious, but the slow cooking process will leave your kitchen smelling wonderful and provide you with a delicious masterpiece. Don't waste time or meat - pick a recipe. For the most part, most roast recipes are very similar, only the spices and seasonings vary. Turn up the heat. Before the meat begins the long process of slow cooking, it is best if you brown it first. The chemical process of meat browning is known as the "Maillard Reaction". If your slow cooker has a high heat function that can sear and brown brown meat, use that. Otherwise use a large pan or pot. Put a few tablespoons of oil in the cooker or pot. When the oil is hot it will look like it is shimmering. Try to avoid splashing water in the oil to see if it is hot. This causes splatter. Season your meat. If your recipe calls for the meat to be seasoned before it is browned, you will want to do that. Even if seasoning isn't called for, you will also want to make sure that the meat is dry. Patting it with a paper towel will accomplish this. The surface of the meat being dry will help facilitate the Maillard Reaction and will lead to better browning. If you recipe doesn't call for seasoning, you can still use a light dusting of salt and sugar. A dusting of salt and sugar will also help a brown crust to form. Sear the meat. Sear the meat in the hot slow cooker. You'll want to make sure that each side is browned. Browning each side of a large roast should take 15-20 minutes. If you seared the meat in a separate pot or pan, it is time to put the browned meat in the slow cooker. Set the cooking time and temperature. Review your recipe for the cooking time and temperature required. Set your slow cooker to these specifications. If your slow cooker doesn't allow you to set an end time, simply create a phone alarm for yourself so that you know when to turn it off. Add other ingredients. Most roast recipes will call for other ingredients, such as vegetables, soup mixes, and seasonings. Now is the time that you will add most of these ingredients. If the recipe calls for adding some ingredients later, set these to the side and make a notation of the time you will need to add them. Let it cook. Your hard work is pretty much over. Now you just need to wait for the duration of the cook time while the delicious smell of beef flows out of your slow cooker and through your house. If the recipe called for adding additional ingredients midway through the cook time, be sure to do that. Some recipes call for occasional stirring. If so, be sure to do so. Finish up. When the cook time is elapsed, you are almost ready to enjoy. If you were cooking a pot roast, all you need to do now is cut it and serve. If you were cooking a dish such as slow cooker tacos, you will now need to shred the beef with forks or other utensils. It should be soft and tender at this point. If you are formally carving a roast, you will want to let it sit at least 10 minutes before you cut into it. This keeps the meat juicy. You can cover it while you wait. Get your recipe. While many slow-cooker beef recipes call for a whole roast, others such as beef stews or beef stroganoff call for cube or chunk beef. Review the recipe for the desired size of the beef cubes. Usually they will be 1"x1". Cut the beef into cubes. If your beef isn't pre-cut, you will need to cut it into small pieces. You'll be seasoning these pieces and browning them. If there are more pieces than will fit into the bottom of your slow cooker or pan, divide them into batches. Turn up the heat. Before the meat begins the long process of slow cooking, it is best if you brown it first. The chemical process of meat browning is known as the "Maillard Reaction". If your slow cooker has a high heat function that can sear and brown brown meat, use that. Otherwise use a large pan or pot. Put a few tablespoons of oil in the cooker or pot. When the oil is hot it will look like it is shimmering. Try to avoid splashing water in the oil to see if it is hot. This causes splatter. Season your meat. Most cubed beef recipes call for seasoning. Even if seasoning isn't called for, you will also want to make sure that the meat is dry. Patting it with a paper towel will accomplish this. The surface of the meat being dry will help facilitate the Maillard Reaction and will lead to better browning. If you recipe doesn't call for seasoning, you can still use a light dusting of salt and sugar. A dusting of salt and sugar will also help a brown crust to form. Your recipe may also call for the meat chunks to be dredged through flour or corn starch. Sear the meat. Sear the chunks in the hot slow cooker. You'll want to make sure that all sides are browned for maximum flavor. When all the pieces are browned, turn the cooker off. Since these pieces are smaller, they should brown fairly quickly. If you are browning in batches, place the completed chunks on a plate to the side. #*When they are all done, put them in the slow cooker again. Set the cooking time and temperature. Review your recipe for the cooking time and temperature required. Set your slow cooker to these specifications. If your slow cooker doesn't allow you to set an end time, simply create a phone alarm for yourself so that you know when to turn it off. Add other ingredients. Most roast recipes will call for other ingredients, such as vegetables, soup mixes, and seasonings. Now is the time that you will add most of these ingredients. If the recipe calls for adding some ingredients later, set these to the side and make a notation of the time you will need to add them. Let it cook. Your hard work is pretty much over. Now you just need to wait for the duration of the cook time while the delicious smell of beef flows out of your slow cooker and through your house. If the recipe called for adding additional ingredients midway through the cook time, be sure to do that. Some recipes call for occasional stirring. If so, be sure to do so. Finish up. When the cook time is elapsed, you are almost ready to enjoy. If you were cooking a stew, all you need to do now is ladle it into bowls. If you were cooking a dish like a stroganoff, you will now need to serve the slow-cooked beef chunks and sauce over your noodles or rice. Finished.  
Get your recipe. Turn up the heat. Season your meat. Sear the meat. Set the cooking time and temperature. Add other ingredients. Let it cook. Finish up. Get your recipe. Cut the beef into cubes. Turn up the heat. Season your meat. Sear the meat. Set the cooking time and temperature. Add other ingredients. Let it cook. Finish up. Finished. 