If you have the time and don't mind having another pan to clean, then sear the meat before adding it to your slow cooker. If time does not permit then it will still work to put the meat in without first searing, the flavor of the finished dish will just be a bit more subtle and not as "meaty".
"Browning, or caramelizing, meat before putting it into a slow cooker isn't 100 percent necessary, but it is well worth the effort for the most flavorful and full-bodied end result," he says. "The caramelized surface of the meat will lend rich flavor and color to the finished dish."
Though it's not a requirement to brown the meat before adding it to a slow cooker (unless the recipe specifies such a step), Cuisine at Home explains that doing so will enhance the meat's color, textures, and flavors.
The meat will cook just fine without searing. (And any surface bacteria will die during cooking anyway.) But I really believe that the depth and complexity of flavor we gain in this searing step is well-worth the extra effort.
You should always brown ground beef or any ground meat in a skillet before adding it to your slow cooker to prevent the meat from clumping up or from adding excess grease to your cooked dish.
Can you put raw beef in slow cooker? Yes. It's usually recommended browning the outside of the beef first, but it's perfectly safe to add raw beef directly to your slow cooker.
The good news is that you can indeed place raw meat into your slow cooker to make a lovely meal. There is no need to try and cook the meat separately, which you can do if you have the time, but it is not a necessity, and your meat will still cook in your slow cooker.
Searing creates a caramelized, golden outside while roasting yields juicy, evenly-cooked meat.
Just before serving, sear the outside of the roast. Either put it back in the oven preheated to 550°F / 290°C for around 8 minutes or long enough to crisp to a dark brown. Or sear it in a very hot pan with equal parts olive oil and butter, spooning the oils constantly over the meat and crisping every side.
Salt both sides of roast generously with salt. Add oil to skillet and swirl to coat pan. Add roast and let sit undisturbed for about 3 minutes or until golden brown. Flip to the other side for another 3 minutes or until golden brown.
We Recommend. Resnick says that for optimal flavor, it's best to sear the roast on the stove over medium-high heat until all sides are well caramelized. This takes several minutes for the first side and one or two minutes for each additional side.
Whatever you do, don't just add raw meat to broth and expect it to make stew. Also, when browning, don't stop at lightly browning the cubes. Searing the meat is an essential step for making a great beef stew. This is where the stew really starts to build its deep, rich, flavor.
Cook Low and Slow
Each slow cooker meal's cooking time differs depending on the meat and its weight. The low setting is important so you don't overcook it, potentially leaving you with a dry or tough meal.
You heat olive oil in a skillet or Dutch oven on the stove, then sear the roast for about one minute per side before transferring it to the slow cooker.
With a thin cut, any slow cooking method will overcook the meat and leave it with a chewy, rubbery texture. Hot and Fast methods help make sure that the pieces of meat sear well on the outer side without completely drying them out from the center.
Searing meat is an essential step if you want to make the most flavorful roasts, steaks, chops, and more. When you sear meat, you caramelize the natural sugars in the meat and brown the proteins, forming a rich brown crust on the surface of the meat that amplifies the savory flavor of the finished dish.
Sear it in a pot or pan on all sides to develop flavor. Cook it low and slow until it's falling apart.
Searing is a technique that involves scorching the outer surface of meat at a high temperature. When you do this, the outside of the meat will develop a delicious crispy and brown crust. This technique is often used to lock in the juice of the meat for a tender bite that's packed with flavor.
A longer cooking time allows the fat and collagen to break down fully and release the juices. If you are short on time, cooking on high is fine, but for a really succulent fall-apart roast try to cook it on LOW if you can.
Browning meat does, as we have discussed here many times before, cause molecules in the proteins and sugars to recombine, creating flavoursome compounds that add richness and colour to a slow-cooked dish. That is called the Maillard reaction.
Heat the olive oil over high heat in a large cast iron skillet or dutch oven. Salt and pepper all sides of roast well. When the oil is shimmering, add the roast and sear it well on all sides (about a minute per side). Remove the roast from the skillet and place it in the bottom of your slow cooker.
Water or liquid is necessary to create steam. When cooking meat or poultry, the water or liquid level should cover the ingredients to ensure effective heat transfer throughout the crock. Some manufacturers of slow cookers recommend adding liquid to fill the stoneware 1/2 to 3/4 full.
Your meat will be juicier and more tender
The longer cooking time and the low heat complement each other perfectly. As a result, even though the meat is cooked for far longer, it doesn't dry out because the temperature is low. As a result, this is the best way to retain all the natural juices of the meat.