During our pre-workout chit-chat this morning, one of my gym buddies said he needs new veggie recipes to help him get the ol' diet cleaned-up...
Read MorePaleo Slow Cooker Mississippi Beef
This dish is based on a recipe The New York Times called “the roast that owns the internet.” My favorite take on this recipe phenomenon was from The Tipsy Baker; her post is funny, biting, and is what ultimately convinced me to try my hand at revamping this recipe. This beef recipe was everywhere online in the early-ish 2000s, and while the original was indeed delicious, it was also brutally unhealthy: a packet of dry ranch-dressing mix, dry gravy mix, and an entire stick of butter were used for seasoning.
This is the paleo version: a lazy recipe with luscious results.
For this healthy but still irresistible approach, you’ll make a quick homemade ranch dressing and use potato starch to create a natural gravy. The butter is replaced with a modest amount of ghee for flavor without gluttony. The result is meat so tender, it falls apart when you look at it. Serve alongside crisp green beans and mashed cauliflower (or potatoes) for a meal that’s pure comfort.
Paleo Slow Cooker Mississippi Beef
Serves 4 | Total time 8 hours | Whole3o compliant
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup potato or arrowroot starch
3 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons ghee
8 to 12 pickled pepperoncini or jalapeños
2 tablespoons homemade Olive Oil Mayo
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
1/4 teaspoon paprika
garnish: chopped fresh parsley
Directions:
Season the meat. In a large bowl, combine the salt, pepper, and potato starch. Stir with a fork to combine. Pat the meat dry with paper towels, then add to the bowl and toss to coat the meat with the seasoned starch.
Brown the meat. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat until it’s shimmering, about 3 minutes. Place the beef in the pan and brown on at least two sides of each cube to create a crust. As it’s browned, transfer the beef to the bowl of a slow cooker. Add the ghee and pepperoncini to the meat. Cover with the lid and set to low.
Make the ranch dressing. In a small bowl, combine the mayo, vinegar, dill, and paprika; blend with a fork. Remove the lid from the slow cooker and drizzle the dressing over the meat. Replace the lid and cook, undisturbed, for 6-7 hours, or until it’s fall-apart tender. Shred the meat with two forks and mix in with the gravy in the slow cooker.
To serve, pile the shredded meat on a plate with your favorite veggies and drizzle with some of the gravy. Top with minced parsley.
You Know How You Could Do That?
It’s very easy to change the spices and change the flavor. Make the following substitutions to add variety each time you make this recipe.
Italian: replace the dill with 1 teaspoon Italian herb blend; garnish with fresh basil
Tex-Mex: replace the dill with 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano + 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin; substitute juice of 1 lime for cider vinegar; garnish with fresh cilantro
Continental: omit pepperoncini; replace dill with dried tarragon; substitute champagne vinegar for cider vinegar; garnish with fresh chives.
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It’s always a happy day when someone posts a recipe that caters to my want to eat healthy and to my teenage boys food cravings… Thanks!
This one should please everyone: easy to make, really delicious, leftovers can be used all kinds of ways. Enjoy!
Is arrow root and potato starch interchangeable? I noticed in the ingredients list it states arrow root but the instructions say potato.
Thanks!
Ha! Please disregard my question. I read it again 😂
Thank you so much for sharing so much of your cooking wisdom with us! Your recipes have never disappointed ♥️ My family grunts and groans when they see I’m cooking “Paleo” but never once have they EVER complained during or after eating lol
You can use any starch 🙂
I’m so glad the recipes are working for your family! Happy cooking!
Do you plan on jumping on the Instant Pot bandwagon anytime soon? I’ve just bought one and am looking how to adapt things (like I think you could brown then meat IN the instant pot and pressure cook it for less than an hour?)
Hi, DeAnne! I don’t have any plans for an Instant Pot. Our flat in Prague has a small kitchen, so I try to keep my appliances to the essentials which right now is food processor, mixer, and slow cooker. Plus, I work at home, so slow-simmering isn’t a problem for me AND there are so many other people doing great Instant Pot recipes, I don’t feel like the world of Instant Pot needs me 😉
This might be helpful to you: https://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/a19131155/instant-pot-recipe-conversion/
This turned out soooo good! Nice to find an alternative to using a packet of ranch.