And we're off! After a 13 hour work day (my norm) I choose the expedient path in getting this assembled and in the pot. I didn't weight the brisket, but I'm guessing just shy of 3 pounds, about the same for the rib eyes. I didn't use much bacon, just about the equivalent of 2 thick slices ( I was mainly just looking to even up the end for when I slice and seal it all).
The pot after browning the meat, building up a very dark ( but not black) fond. I generally keep my onions on the lighter side, just barely sweated before I move on to the spice addition. Obviously, unless you're willing to sit and watch a pot on the lowest setting while caramelizing the onions, much higher temperatures can lead to bitterness.
So, one diced large white onion, and a big knob of grass fed butter into the fond, scraped and loosened.
1.75 T Paprika
2 T Gebheardts Chili Powder
2T Ground Cumin
1.5 T White Onion Powder
1.5 T Roasted Garlic Powder (I strongly recommend this from Penzey's, try it in about anything, you'll thank me later)
1 t Dried Minced Garlic
1 t Cayenne Pepper
0.5 t Accent
1- 6oz can Tomato Sauce
All the rendered meat/bacon back into the pot, and the finely cubed brisket added. Water added to the level of the meat ( I didn't measure), 1 belt of bourbon and a heavy lid!
And now I wait.......
I tasted the gravy and it's going in a nice direction. I'll see how the onion flavor plays out because I might tweak it some more. My tentative plan is to cook it for an hour, and have a "chef's bowl", then transfer the rest into the crock pot and top it up with a bit more fluid. This new slow cooker has a thermocouple and is highly programmable, so I can aim to have it just slightly simmer all night while I sleep, then get it cold in the morning before work.