Today I made a recipe for French dips with the beef cooked in the crock pot. The recipe called for a rump roast (fat trimmed), 1 can beef broth, 1 can condensed French onion soup, and 1 beer, all thrown into the crock pot and cooked on low for 7 hours. The meat was cooked but it was tough. It didn't fall apart like I expected. The au jus was bland. It didn't have that strong onion flavor. What went wrong, and what can I do to improve this recipe?

I would have used a package of lipton onion soup mix, beef broth - a large container and a little garlic. You may want to consider a different cut of meat but it should not have been tough. I always cook my beef on high the first 4 hours and then low the rest of the way - sometimes high the whole time, it is not going to hurt anything to cook meat on high for a long time - only with veggies do you have to worry about them turning to mush.

Try this recipe next time. It is quite good. French Dip-Crock Pot Recipe Serves 8 1 (5 lb) rump roast 1 large diced onion 3 large minced garlic cloves 1 tablespoon black pepper 1 teaspoon seasoning salt 1 teaspoon oregano 1/2 teaspoon rosemary 2 instant bouillon cubes 2 (14 ounce) cans beef broth Place all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on High for 1 hour then reduce heat to low for 8-9 hours. Remove the meat from the crockpot and place on a deep plate-to collect juices. Pour juices back into broth. Strain the broth and throw away solids that accummulate. Keep warm until serving.

Do not trim the fat from the roast as a matter of fact the next time you cook this add some beef bones. The marrow from the bones makes the roast. Never will you want to cook any french food and remove any fat from anything.Add some bacon drippings and NO BEER! Beer will ruin beef. Add red wine.and plenty onions. 3 or four chopped white onions and 3 dozen tiny frozen onions. Kitchen bouquet will do wonders and some soy sauce. Thicken it all with a slurry of cold water and flour near the end. Beer makes beef bitter. Burgandy wine and a stick of butter is better.