What's the secret to a succulent, juicy pot roast? Mine seems too dry every time. Is there a trick to keeping venison roast juicy as well?
From my experience, choosing the right cut of meat is a big part of it. I use the leanest, toughest cuts for low and slow cooking methods (like shoulder roast, bottom round, and shanks). Shanks have become a delicacy when used for Osso Bucco in my house. Talk about succulent. Chuck roast makes some awesome stew or chili (as in Bowl of Red chili).
Lean, tough cuts are full of connective tissues (largely collagen) which has a higher melting temp than fats. Over the long cooking time, those connective tissues break down into gelatin leaving the meat moist and velvety in texture. Braising can add additional moisture. With less lean/fattier and more tender cuts done low and slow, the fat renders out too soon leaving a hunk of tough, dry meat at the end.
Basically, figure out where a particular cut fits in the spectrum and adjust the cooking temperature and time accordingly.
So...
Lean, tough --> cook Low and Slow = Moist, tender, and delicious
(Ex: shoulder roast, chuck roast, bottom round, shanks)
Fattier and/or more tender --> cook Hotter and Faster = Moist, tender, and delicious
(Ex: Straps, tenderloins, top blade steak, tip sirloin (aka 'football roast'), top round)
Good luck, hope this helps.
