This and that: beef

I love my crockpot and use it often during the year. The only problem about using a crockpot is that you have to think about your meal ahead of time... and that is one thing I don't always do.. I am a spur of the moment type of person, I run down to the freezer and look in and after I see what I have, I figure out what I am going to make. But on rare occasions I will do this in the morning and take out something to put in my crockpot.
This crockpot meal you have to think about it a day before, because ideally it should cook for at least 18 hours. Well, this is the real world and in my world that seldom if ever happens. On occasion I will remember the night before to put it in... but then that causes another problem ~~~ How do you sleep with those wonderful smells waffling into the bedroom, making your stomach growl? Not an easy task and when I do it, I am hungry all night...
The other reason I like my crockpot is that I love the taste of the meat when it comes out and you can use a cheaper cut and it still usually turns out wonderfully.
Last weekend I wanted to make this as I knew that our Foodie Friends Friday was have a Croctober party and I need some crock pot recipes. Also, I was having company and as my husband isn't that keen on sandwiches there wouldn't be so much left over. So, Friday evening I asked my brother when they would be leaving on Saturday and he thought shortly afternoon. Horrors this takes a good 16 -18 hours on low and it is already 10 pm... so if we ate at noon that would only be 15 hours... What to do? Did you know that if you cooked an hour on high, that is an two hours on low? So I put the meat and everything else in and turned it on high for about an hour and half and then turned it on low.. The next day at shortly after one we sat down for Italian Pulled Beef Sandwiches and they got a good review.
This recipe I originally received from a friend and she got it from a Chicago paper, but I never did write it down so this is how I made it this time..

Crockpot Italian Pulled Beef Sandwiches

Ingredients:

5 lbs roast - you can use any kind and this time I only used a 2.5 lb and it worked good

1 envelope Italian dressing mix

1 can beef broth

1 jar Italian Mix Giardiniera

1 jar Golden Peperoncini - I used only 1/2 jar

buns - I used small Italian buns

cheese (optional) - I used tillamook garlic cheese white cheddar cheese.

Place all ingredients into a crock pot and place on low and cook for 18 hours. If you are short on time, you can put it on high for an hour or two and then turn down to low for the rest of the time. For best results cook for at least 16 hours, the longer the better.

Once cooked, shred the beef and vegetables. I took out the peperoncini and put them on the side as I wasn't sure if the children would eat them... Place in open faced buns, I used Italian buns that I melted butter and spread on the top and placed in the oven under the broiler for a few minutes. They were nice and crisp.

Add meat, and cheese if wanted. I also added a small amount of gravy.. direction for what I did are below in the *.

* because I only used a small roast, there was a lot of liquid left over. I place this in a pot on medium heat until it came to a nice rolling boil. Remove approximately 1/4 cup and add 1 -2 tbsp of flour and stir until mixed in. Add to the rest of the sauce slowly, stirring as you are adding the flour mixture in. Continue to boil until you get gravy at the thickness you want. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add more flour if needed. You can either have a thin gravy as an au jus or thicker gravy. I opted for a thicker gravy and place a small amount over the beef in the bun.

Another way of eating this would be over mashed potatoes or with rice.