^^Also, as a note, since you are simmering your stock pot for so long, and straining after, you really don't have to chop your veg. Smash your garlic, break your carrots/celery stalks in half, chop an onion in 4 including skin, don't worry about cutting. The water puts in the time that your knife would otherwise.

roast turned out really good on the outside, little dry on the inside. probably should have poked some holes in it. i really am a cooking noob.

Roast in a crock pot?

Assuming you used a cut meant typically meant for a roast (loin), the reason it likely turned out dry is because it's a lean cut of meat...which are generally best cooked using dry heat (ie: "roasting") for a relatively short period of time (like you would a steak).

Braising or stewing (ie: crock pot cookin') works best with the more gnarly cuts of meat that are full of connective tissue (shoulder/"chuck", brisket, round). These cuts are horribly tough if roasted or grilled, because it takes a much longer time to break down those tissues, but a "low and slow" cooking method is perfect (and when stewing or braising, it's those broken-down connective tissues that give your cooking liquid INSANE amounts of flavor).

Champagne Shrimp and Pasta

Prep Time: 15 Min | Cook Time: 15 Min | Ready In: 30 Min

8 ounces angel hair pasta
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 1/2 cups champagne
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 plum tomatoes, diced
1 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water for 6 to 8 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil over medium-high heat in a large frying pan. Cook and stir mushrooms in oil until tender. Remove mushrooms from pan, and set aside.
3. Combine shrimp, champagne, and salt in the frying pan, and cook over high heat. When liquid just begins to boil, remove shrimp from pan. Add shallots and tomatoes to champagne; boil until liquid is reduced to 1/2 cup, about 8 minutes. Stir in 3/4 cup cream; boil until slightly thick, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add shrimp and mushrooms to sauce, and heat through. Adjust seasonings to taste.
4. Toss hot, cooked pasta with remaining 1/4 cup cream and parsley. To serve, spoon shrimp with sauce over pasta, and top with Parmesan cheese.

Yum!

MUST TRY THOSE !!!

They're fucking awesome!

You must have been eating something else

No, these were exactly what I had. I thought that they sounded good, and got all excited to try them. I should have known better, since Jack Links jerky is pretty weak. I don’t know if Styrofoam and rubber is the right way to describe it or not, but it was what I thought of and it sounded good.

What I am really saying though is that the texture of them is kind of gross, and they had a vague chemical flavor.

I've never tried them. Jack Links jerky isn't good, and I always thought these things looked putrid and that they'd taste...well...just as you described haha.

I'll keep you updated.

Hour two: Still frozen.

Hour three: Defrosted. Rind removed, garlic inserted and rub applied.

Into oven at 250 for... umm... I dunno.

I'd up the temp to 300. Let it go until it easily pulls apart all pulled-pork-like (usually a good 3-4 hours, but could be as long as 5 or 6).