Chicken in a Pot, Crock Pot Pineapple Beef

Chicken in a Pot
Adapted from Cooks Illustrated (2008)

Ingredients
1 whole chicken, giblets removed and discarded, wings tucked under back
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion , chopped medium (about 1/2 cup)
1 small stalk celery , chopped medium (about 1/4 cup)
6 medium garlic cloves , peeled and trimmed
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 - 1 teaspoon juice from 1 lemon

1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 250 degrees. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until just smoking. Add chicken breast-side down; scatter onion, celery, garlic, bay leaf, and rosemary around chicken. Cook about 5 minutes. Using a wooden spoon inserted into cavity of bird, flip chicken breast-side up and cook until chicken and vegetables are well browned, 6 to 8 minutes.

2. Remove Dutch oven from heat; place large sheet of foil over pot and cover tightly with lid. Transfer pot to oven and cook until instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees when inserted in thickest part of breast and 175 degrees in thickest part of thigh, 80 to 110 minutes.

3. When cooked through, remove to carving board and let rest 20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, strain chicken juices from pot through fine-mesh strainer into fat separator, pressing on solids to extract liquid; discard solids (you should have about 3/4 cup juices). Allow liquid to settle 5 minutes, then pour into saucepan and set over low heat. Stir lemon juice into jus to taste. Serve chicken with the jus.

Crock Pot Pineapple Beef
Adapted from crockpotbeef.net

2 pounds flank steak, sliced into 6 thin slices
2 tablespoons oil, to brown flank steak
6 slices pineapple rings in juice, reserve 1/2 cup of juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon ginger, grated
1 tablespoon sherry
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Cut the flank in half if it doesn't fit into the crockpot. In a heavy skillet, brown the flank steak in oil until it’s brown on all sides. Place steak into crock pot. Top with pineapple rings.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Mix well and then pour over flank steak.

Cover and cook on LOW for 8-9 hours. Serve with steamed broccoli and rice.