Why It's A Mistake To Use Tenderloin When Making Pot Roast

Making a fantastic pot roast requires cooking a cut of meat on low heat for an extended period of time. The best cuts of beef to use for a pot roast are ones that have lots of connective tissue because all the collagen around that tough muscle deliciously tenderizes under a low and slow cooking method. Cuts of beef that contain very little fat are also great for cooking pot roasts. Beef tenderloin doesn't have a lot of connective tissue, it's naturally tender, and it has very little collagen, which makes it a poor choice for your next pot roast. 

The tenderloin runs along the back end of the cow's spine, so the muscle isn't used much. The inactivity of this muscle prevents it from strengthening and toughening, which makes it very tender. It's clear why this cut of beef is called "tenderloin." Since the technique of making a pot roast optimally entails turning really tough cuts of beef into tender meat as they cook low and slow, the naturally tender texture of tenderloin doesn't make this meat the best option for pot roasting.

When you cook a pot roast low and slow, that gradual cooking on your stovetop or in your oven will melt the collagen in the beef into gelatin. That gelatin makes your pot roast deliciously tender, delivering succulent pieces of meat in every bite. However, beef tenderloin doesn't have much collagen. This means that if you cook beef tenderloin low and slow to make pot roast, you won't generate much gelatin to tenderize your already naturally tender meat. 

A pot roast made with beef tenderloin may not be as flavorful because beef tenderloin contains very little marbling. When you look at a piece of red meat, you'll likely notice white streaks running along the meat. Those streaks are the intramuscular fat, also known as marbling, and the more marbling that a cut of meat contains, the more rich flavor and juiciness it will have when it's cooked. However, since beef tenderloin has very little marbling, it will likely become drier the longer it's cooked. Perhaps cooking beef tenderloin for a long time to make a slow cooker pot roast may not result in the best tasting dish.

If you want to make a delicious pot roast, there are great cuts of beef that will deliver delicious results when cooked low and slow, much better than tenderloin. One of them is a chuck roast. This meat comes from parts of the cow that are exercised often, which include the top part of the shoulder and the bottom of the neck. Not only does chuck contain a good amount of fat that will impart delicious flavor to your pot roast, but it also has lots of connective tissue.

You'll also have a delicious meal if you make a beef brisket pot roast. Brisket comes from the chest area of the cow, an area that is tough and strong because it supports a lot of the cow's weight. Beef brisket has slightly more marbling, which means it'll be super flavorful when cooked low and slow for a melt-in-your-mouth pot roast.