Crock-pot cookery utilizes a moist heat cooking technique referred to as braising, in the culinary world…...
...Stewing to the layman.
I’ll make this short and sweet…..........
O.K…..
Proteins are…all meat is muscle.
There are two types of muscle tissue inherent to all proteins:
1. Collagen
2. Elastin
That stuff we call burger meat/ ground beef…...etc…is not the ”lips ‘n eyeballs”....and all the extras..(well perhaps….hmmmm.) that every herbivore would have you believe.
Ground meat is merely “over-worked”, bulky, tired and old muscle/connective tissue that is comprised mainly of collagen.
Collagen does not break down as easily as elastin.
Elastin is that sumptuous, mmmmmmm….melt in yer mouth layer of fat around your prime rib! Yummmm!!!
Having said that…..collagen therefore needs help. If it can’t be broken down manually (through grinding…) then it requires an infusion of moisture.
Thus…..get yourself a brisket, rump roast, sirloin tip (not top), shoulder, shank…....and follow these pertinent braising rules…..Especially when using a crock-pot!
1. Always, always, always…........‘seal’/sea/caramelize the protein on all sides first and foremost. This integral first step prevents the already tough cut from losing anymore valuable moisture.
2. Liquid….....just to cover….simmer gently….add aromatics whenever you wish….
Good luck poofy!