Bottom Round Thoughts?


 
RichPB (richlife)

RichPB (richlife)

TVWBB Wizard
Ok, Mac McClure gave me some great links for info on meat cuts. (Here: http://tvwbb.com/eve/forums/a/...261021506#5261021506 .) The one from Cooks Illustrated had this to say about Bottom Round.

"Bottom Round Roast
Alternate Names: None
FLAVOR (no stars) <edit: flavorless>
COST $
BEST WAY TO COOK Braise or Roast
This cut was the tasters’ least favorite. It was essentially devoid of flavor
and had a rubbery, chewy texture.
This roast is not worth even the little that it costs. <emphasis mine> "

But then I did a lot of reading from posts here on TVWB that really sound very positive about smoking low and slow to a rare or med rare and slicing thin. Sounded like this was a very "tasty" method.

So I will be trying this for myself tomorrow (since I bought a Bottom Round without knowing what I was buying -- and thanks again to Mac for helping to make me more knowledgable). I'll also do a meatloaf "just in case" -- been aching to do meatloaf.

But meanwhile I just wanted to garner any more thoughts or comments about roasting/smoking Bottom Round like this. Not so much methods (though feel free), but more comments about taste, flavor, results. I'll add my results to this thread after I'm done and tested (tasted).

Rich
 
Ditto on the jerky option. As bottom round is fairly lean, it is/can be tough and doesn't have a deep beef flavor; thus the braising recommendation. I'd do a high heat to med/med rare. Up the flavor with a nice herb rub.

Paul
 
a cut like this lends itself to high heat.....pulling at Medium.........and slicing thinly on a slicer IMHO

using a slicer is key.......I've used this cut before for Baltimore style pit beef and it's always turned out well
 
At least a few of the mid-south's bbq restaurants make pulled beef bbq from it, believe it or not. I've had it a couple of times, and it's very dependant on the thin finishing sauce it's in to give it moisture. One restaurant explained to me that the product was very consistant and not near as much waste as with chuck.
 
A third on the jerky option. You can also break it down into 3/8-inch dice and make chili. Just be sure to let it simmer long enough to make the beef tender.
 
Or just smoke it to a Roast Beef kinda style.

Alot off ppl here dont think that you should smoke lean meat on low temps. And i have seen the B/S chicken breasts are nothing for the grill.

But Aslong as you go for inner temmp(high enough for the meat you are cooking)

You can smoke any meat/cut.

Sure a butt takes no exact temp,but a lean meat does.

Here is one Idea how to cook it.

Im sure you gonna nail it IF cooked to the perfect inner temp!
 
Originally posted by Wolgast:
Or just smoke it to a Roast Beef kinda style.

Alot off ppl here dont think that you should smoke lean meat on low temps. And i have seen the B/S chicken breasts are nothing for the grill.

But Aslong as you go for inner temmp(high enough for the meat you are cooking)

You can smoke any meat/cut.

Sure a butt takes no exact temp,but a lean meat does.

Here is one Idea how to cook it.

Im sure you gonna nail it IF cooked to the perfect inner temp!
Click to expand...

Actually, Wolgast. It was this thread of yours that convinced me to try it. I don't think I can lose. If it comes out like yours, I win. If not, I cut in small chunks, cook it forever in a crockpot as chili and let it sit a couple of days in that acid chili mixture to render into tenderness, I win. (The last chili I made was awesome and tender -- after the two-day setup.)

Rich
 
Originally posted by Wolgast:
Or just smoke it to a Roast Beef kinda style.

Alot off ppl here dont think that you should smoke lean meat on low temps. And i have seen the B/S chicken breasts are nothing for the grill.

But Aslong as you go for inner temmp(high enough for the meat you are cooking)

You can smoke any meat/cut.

Sure a butt takes no exact temp,but a lean meat does.

Here is one Idea how to cook it.

Im sure you gonna nail it IF cooked to the perfect inner temp!
Click to expand...

Ok, Wolgast. Yet another response to your thread on smoking the bottom round. All I really have to say is: "Wonderful!" It's really hard for me to see why this cut has gotten SO much bad press. Sure, you evidently need to cook it right and to the right temp, but the result is delicious and a pleasure to eat and serve. And you could say the same thing about many meats. I'll try to attach a pic later, but it really looks much like yours.

And I'm sure glad I didn't waste this roast on jerky! It may be the cheapest cut of beef you can get at Walmart, but it makes for great eating.

Rich
 
Maryland Pit Beef. Hot and fast to medium rare. Slice against the grain.

IMG_8991.JPG
 
Rich, take that roast put it in a crock pot with a bottle of jardiniere and in a few hours you've got some of the best Chicago style shredded beef sandwiches
 
Originally posted by paul h:
Rich, take that roast put it in a crock pot with a bottle of jardiniere and in a few hours you've got some of the best Chicago style shredded beef sandwiches
Click to expand...

Ok, I give. From this context I'm guessing "jardiniere" is a wine? Or a sauce? I Googled it and got translations from French, restaurants and gardening links, but not really anything I'd know to put in a crock pot.

Rich
 
Rich,

Giardiniera is a mix of peppers, celery, onion, cauliflower, carrots and other veggies in a vinegar/oil mix.

Paul
 
Pit beef sandwhiches is the way to go. The hardest part is getting the really thin slices.

Round, onions, pickles, No. 5 sauce and/or some horeradish on a nice keiser is some good football eating...

J
 
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