Shredded Beef & Gravy Roll
This dish all started with a big chunk of topside roast. We order a side of beef every three to four months and divide it between three families. We always get a large topside roast in every order and I struggle with different ways to cook it especially in Summer. I don't generally go for large roast meals in the heat of summer. They sit heavy and who wants to crank the oven and heat up the house if you don't have to. The slow cooker is my saviour. Your reward for turning your slow cooker on is tender, melt-in-your mouth offerings simply by adding in a few bits and bobs and walking away.The topside roast responds well to being treated with a slow and long cooking time. After a few hours in the slow cooker a simple poke with a fork has it falling apart into mouthwatering tender chunks of meat. Add in a good gravy base and you have the makings for a very good meal.
My first intentions for the shredded beef was to either serve it over corn chips or wrap it up like a burrito. Then an idea popped into my head.... a good old beef & gravy roll. Now I have a confession to make I use to live on Beef & Gravy Rolls as a teenager. I worked as a sales assistant at a bakery in my local shopping center. At lunch or dinner breaks I couldn't stop myself ordering one of these from the local carvery. Complete with lack lustre gravy and stale bread roll. It came a close second to the "Colonel"! I can't say my eating habits as a teenager ranked very healthy. These days I steer away from any type of takeaway and tend to make things that I crave myself. I figure I know what is going into my food if I make it myself. Plus I know the ingredients are fresh. If you want to forgo the white bread roll why not sandwich it between a lovely rye or spelt roll or even wrap it up it up in a pita or mountain bread.
Using the leftover juices in the slow cooker you can pull together the most amazing gravy you will ever taste. The gravy is the crowning glory on this roll. It is rich, glossy and full or flavour. It oozes out of the roll and drips down the side of your mouth. You might even need to wear a bib to eat one of these depending if you are like me and love to drizzle on the gravy. With summer coming to a close (for us here in Australia) and winter drawing to an end elsewhere these Shredded Beef & Gravy Rolls make a great weekend meal. Invite your friends over to help you demolish the mounds of shredded beef. They'll thank you for the invite later!
Maybe not so much for the gravy stains on their shirts!
Shredded Beef & Gravy Roll
by
The Whimsical Wife
Prep Time:
10 min
Cook Time:
4-6 hours
Serves:
6-8
6059683
Ingredients:
1 1/2 - 2kg beef roast, chuck, topside or blade.
1 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoon szechuan pepper corns
1 x star anise
Assembly
10-12 mini hot dog rolls
Instructions
Set a large slow cooker onto high (4 hours) or low (6-8 hours). Place in the beef roast. For more colour sear the beef on both sides before placing into the slow cooker.
In a small bowl place the chicken stock, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, honey, mustard, szechuan pepper corns and star anise.
Mix together and pour over the beef. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook for the allotted time depending on the temperature.
Baste the roast half way through the cooking time with the sauce at the base of the roast.
Once the roast has been cooked for the allotted time remove from the slow cooker and set in a large roasting tin. Shred the meat lightly with a fork.
Pour the remaining gravy collected at the bottom of the slow cooker through a wire sieve. Throw away anything caught up in the sieve.
Pour 1/2 cup of the gravy over the shredded meat and cover with foil to keep warm.
Measure out the remaining gravy into a saucepan. In a small cup add 1 tablespoon of cornflour for every cup of gravy. Mix together with a small amount of water. Slowly add to the warm gravy. Bring the gravy up to a simmer and stir constantly until the gravy has thickened.
Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
Cut the hot dog rolls through the top cutting about three-quarters of the way through. Smother the inside edges with a little butter and drizzle a little of the gravy in the base of the roll. Stuff the roll with the shredded beef and top with some more gravy.
Serve immediately.
Cooks Notes
The gravy and beef can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Use leftover gravy and beef stuffed in puff pastry for an easy dinner.
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