Spiked! Crockpot Beer Braised Sirloin Roast

 We have been having fun celebrating the beginning of fall with some delicious recipes featuring balanced autumn flavors. For this month's Spiked! Recipe Challenge, Julie and Carrie challenged us to feature Fall Beers in a dish. Berkeley got to pick the brew this time and he came home with Anchor Brewing Company's brand new seasonal Bigleaf Maple Autumn Red.

All summer I have been playing with different ways of doing a Crockpot Roast. I think I have finally found a winner. After seasoning and searing my roast, I seasoned it again and poured a whole bottle of the Autumn Red over the roast. I let it cook away all afternoon. This particular beer has the unique qualities of a red ale but also has the soothing warmth of maple syrup. The slow cook infuses the roast with all the subtle flavors of the beer and results in a tender and juicy roast bursting with amazing  flavors.

For this specific meal, I paired the meat with a roasted root vegetable medley with a glaze (recipe below). Instead of the roasted vegetables, carrots and potatoes could be easily added to the pot with the roast.

Beer Braised Sirloin Roast
ingredients

• 2-3 lb sirloin roast
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 12oz Bigleaf Red Ale
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• salt, pepper, & other seasonings (I use 21 Seasonings Salute)
• 1/8 c. water
• 1/2 c. worcestershire sauce
• 2 Tbsp Maple syrup
• 2 Tbsp dark brown sugar

directions

1. Trim excess fat from the roast and season generously with salt and pepper and any other seasonings. 
2. Heat oil over high heat in a large skillet. Sear the roast for 2 minutes on each side. 
3. After searing, place roast in the crockpot. Add water to the skillet to deglaze and loosen all the good bits. Pour water, juices, and "bits" over the roast. Add garlic and pour in the beer.
4. Cover and cook on low for at least 6-7 hours. 
5. 30 minutes before the roast is ready to serve, add 1 to 1-1/2 cups of beer au jus from the crockpot to a small saucepan. Whisk in worcestershire, maple syrup, and brown sugar. Bring mixture to boil and slowly reduce down until the sauce just coats the back of a spoon. 
6. Remove sauce from heat and drizzle over meat, or vegetables. Serve!