Matt's Small Engine Repair™- Minneapolis, St. Paul

No Mow May – 5 Great Life Saving Tips For Your Mower!

mattssmallenginerepair — Fri, 26 May 2023 01:13:01 +0000

5 Great Life Saving Tips For Your Mower

I am happy to see all the families and people practicing No Mow May in the Twin Cities. I think it is a great way to do our little part collectively to help early season pollinators do their thing!

But I get crazy anxiety!

Not for the environment, neighborhood aesthetics, or the HOAs that are already trouble… I worry about your mower!!!

Lawn mowers are meant to cut grass that is not terribly long. In fact, they only want you to cut about 1.5 inches at a time. Going longer than that will cause a lot of stress on your mower! It can cause excess friction, overheating, and much much mower! I mean more.

So I want to give 5 great life saving tips for your mower so that you don’t have to visit me later! (Don’t get me wrong. Come visit me anytime you want. But I also want to help you avoid a headache later.)

I drive around St. Anthony a lot, and I am happy to see the families and houses that are practicing No Mow May. I think it is a great way to do our little part collectively to help early season pollinators do their thing!

But I worry a lot about it too! Not for the environment, or neighborhoods, or the homeowner associations that are already trouble… I worry about your mower!!!

So I want to give 5 great life saving tips for your mower so that you don’t have to visit me later! (Don’t get me wrong. I love helping all of you out. But I also want to help you avoid a headache later.)

Get As High As You Can! – For your very first mow, adjust the height of your wheels to the highest setting. (You thought I was talking about something else, weren’t you.) After your first mow, give it a day break and then cut to the height of your liking.
Check Your Oil Level and Color – Make sure your oil level is within the high and low markings of your dipstick and also the color of the oil. If it is clear or a medium amber, you should be ok. Darker than that, I suggest you do an oil change first. Oil is very important in the cooling and lubrication of small engines. Dark oil means the cooling and lubricating properties have most likely broken down.
Sharpen You Blade – This is kind of a no brainer here, but it is worth mentioning that a sharp blade is a happy blade. If the back fins are super thin though, you better get that blade replaced before you get a piece of metal in your foot and a tetanus shot in your you know what.
Clean Your Deck – Tip your mower on the oil dipstick side and look to see if the underside of your deck had collected grass, dirt and debris. If so, clean that out. Use a paint scraper or your wife’s favorite spatula. (I won’t tell her.) Gras buildup hinders cut performance.
Dry Grass Only!! – Please, do not mow wet grass. Your mower and your shoes are going to thank you. Mowing wet grass is going to gunk up the mower deck, impede your cut, and put a lot of strain on your engine. Wet grass is so heavy. It’s kinda like trying to run in water.

Thanks for coming to my TED Talk. Take it easy out there. Enjoy your yard. It’s been so long since we have seen them!

If you find yourself with a mower problem, give Matt’s a call. We can help you!

Minneapolis – 7 Great Lawn Mower Maintenance Tips

mattssmallenginerepair — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 18:11:37 +0000

Lawn Mower Maintenance Tips for Spring!

I travel all over Minneapolis for pick up and delivery of lawn mowers and I get to meet some great lawn care enthusiasts and some beautiful lawns!

Usually these lawn pros have questions about how to take care of their lawn mower so they don’t break down during the season.

Well I think it’s a great idea to share some tips and advice to help you get ready for that first mow, before its too late!

Before Starting Your Lawn Mower:

Finding out your lawn mower doesn’t work on the first day of mowing is never fun, and by then all the shops in Minneapolis and the Twin Cities have long turnarounds. Getting ready before the season can save you a big headache!

Below is some great advice and tips to get your lawn mower ready for the season.

Before you start your mower:

Temperature – First off, make sure you start your mower when it is above 50º. Starting below this could damage your engine, and some mowers wont even start unless it’s warm out because of their auto choking function.

Inspect The Floor – Check where your mower was sitting for evidence of any leaks. Finding oil or gas under your mower, or on the mower deck is a sign of major problems and it is best to call your local small engine shop before you use it.

Check Your Oil – Oil is the life blood of your lawn mower. Oil lubricates the internal moving parts, and dissipates heat to keep your small engine from overheating and breaking. If you are low on oil, and no leaks on your floor, top it off. 10W-30 is recommended for most summer small engine equipment but consult your owners manual. If your oil is too high, smell it! If it smells like gas, you have a bigger problem on your hands and you should call your small engine guy!

Check Air Filter – Engines need air to run. If your air filter is dirty, it is restricting air flow which will cause it to not start, run poorly, or create problems internally including carbon build up. So if you find that it is dirty, replace it. They are cheep and it’s an easy thing to do!

Blade(s) and Underside of Your Deck – Before you tip your machine over, unplug the spark plug and make sure the wire is far away from the spark plug terminal. It is possible to start a mower by spinning the blade and you don’t want that. Tip your mower on the oil dipstick side only to avoid gas and oil leakage.

Make sure that your blade is on tight and that the underside of your mower deck is clean of debris. You do not want to start your machine if your blade is loose or caught up on something.

Old Gas? – Gas will do some pretty crazy things, including plugging up your carburetor so it is good practice to store your mower with no gas in it, or drain out that old gas out of your tank and your carburetor.

All that old gas can be brought to your county’s hazardous waste facility (Hennepin County | Ramsey County | Anoka County), or you can bring it to Matt’s and we can dispose of it (and your oil) for a small charge.

MY ADVICE ON GAS

Buy a 1-2 gallon gas can and find a gas station that has “Non-Oxygenated” gas (doesn’t contain ethanol). Google it and then call the gas station to confirm before you go there. The small gas can is going to force you to get new gas once or twice a season.

If you are treating your gas, treat the gas CAN and not the mower tank.

After you check all of these, you can start up your mower and see if it runs. If your mower isn’t running, make an appointment now with Matt’s before the season starts. Most places will have a couple week or longer turnaround.

Now, lets get to the tips after prestart inspection!

7 Great Lawn Mower Maintenance Tips for Minneapolis Lawns!

Once you have checked your machine over, go ahead and start it up. It should start within the 3rd pull, run smooth with no surging sounds (up and down revving), not need choking to run, and basically run like when it was new.

If not, get it to the shop right away so that you have it before your grass starts growing! At Matt’s we run on average with a 1.5 week turnaround or less, but get flooded with mowers when that first cut needs to be done.

If all is well and your lawn mower is running smooth, these lawn mower maintenance tips will help you keep your mower in great condition for the season!

Get a Tune Up – Lawn mowers should be tuned up every year, and most engine manufacturers recommend AT LEAST and oil change every 25 hours of use. Getting a tune up will get you blade sharpening, oil change, new spark plug and air filter, and a good inspection of your machine. It will also extend the life of your equipment!

Blade Sharpening – This is important, so pay attention. A sharp blade will cut your grass better than a dull one. If your blade is bent, has large dings in it, or the back fin is getting thin, it’s time to replace it. A damaged or worn blade is very dangerous and could send you to the ER for a tetanus shot, or worse. If it is simply dull, bring it to Matt’s and we will sharpen it while you wait! It is also common to sharpen blades 2-3 times a season.

Cleaning – Always clean away grass clippings and debris off your mower after every use. Get your hose out. Spray it down (AFTER IT HAS COOLED FOR 30 MINUTES PLEASE). Check and remove grass clippings under the deck. If you see that dirt and debris sticking to your engine, you have an oil leak and that dirt is like a wool blanket that will overheat your engine!

Self Propelled? – If your mower drives itself, you have a belt on it and a cable. Both of these stretch over time or break. If you are starting to see a lack of “drive” from your machine, you should get it to your local small engine shop and have them inspect / replace those items.

Hard to Start – Your mower, on a normal warm, dry day, should start on the first 1-3 pulls. If it doesn’t, you should have it looked at. There are a lot of reasons for hard starts that can be easily fixed for you.

Weird Sounds and Vibrations – Your engine should run smooth with no weird sounds or hard vibrations. If you hear a weird sound during mowing, or when starting, contact your local small engine shop. If you have hard vibrations, you could have a bent shaft, loose blade, or more. So contact an expert on that as well.

Gasoline – Use non-oxygenated gas. Period!

Why? What is it? I treat mine.

The short answer is this: Non-oxygenated gas is just regular gas that doesn’t contain ethanol.

Ethanol is bad for carburetors. Over time, ethanol will create boogers in your carburetor, gum up the moving parts and tiny holes, rust a metal gas tank, and more.

If you treat your gas, that is cool, but make sure you treat the gas in your gas can and not into your machine. Also, read the manufacturers treatment instructions! Too much will cause you problems, and also, only works for up to 12 months (caution, there are some products out there that dont do a thing but take your money).

Finally...

The best tip that I can give you is to do your research and consult a professional if you have a problem. If you are handy, have a go at trying to fix your issue! I am all for that and get excited when a customer tells me that they fixed the issue! The great thing about these days is that we have all the resources we need right at our fingertips and now we can ask our smart speakers! Who would have thought that you could learn fluid dynamics by asking Alexa questions!

I appreciate the opportunity to catch your attention and give you advice. If you are in the Twin Cities and looking for help with your mower, or other gas powered lawn equipment, Matt’s would love to help you! We offer pick up and delivery, customer drop off, summer and winter equipment storage, and more!

5 Top Riding Lawn Mower Maintenance Tips

mattssmallenginerepair — Mon, 21 Jun 2021 02:35:49 +0000

5 Top Riding Lawn Mower Maintenance Tips

Regular riding lawn mower maintenance is key to keeping your investment in tip top shape. You have spent thousands of dollars on your riding lawn mower, and it is important to do routine maintenance to ensure you get the best return on your investment.

Matt’s Small Engine Repair provides 5 top riding lawn mower maintenance tips to help ensure you are taking the proper care of your equipment.

Perfect Example of Why It's Important to Properly Maintain Your Riding Lawn Mower

Recently I received in my shop a beautiful riding lawn mower which was not starting. It would turn over, but wouldn’t fire. I went through a series of diagnostics to find out that the piston wasn’t moving. It was at the top of the cylinder, and when I used a tool to find out if it would move, it slid all the way down with ease.

Not a good sign at all. Something like this means that there was internal damage to the engine, most likely the crank arm broke.

After discussing cost to fix this, the customer decided to forgo the fix for his $3000 riding mower, and donated it to me for parts.

I took it in, and it sat for the winter, but I finally had an opportunity to open up the engine to find out what was wrong. Low and behold, there she was. Broken connecting rod, shredded crankshaft journal, and a shredded mess of aluminum everywhere within the engine.

Why did this happen? Low oil level.

1. Check Your Oil Frequently

Oil is the lifeblood of your engine. It lubricates all of the components inside your engine. These parts heat up. They cause friction. They wear and tear.

Without proper lubrication, they will fail, and you will be looking at hundreds of dollars repair or a complete replacement of the engine.

So check your oil level to make sure that you have enough oil and look to see how dirty the oil is. Here is a general rule of thumb:

Oil Filter? – Oil Change Every 100 Hours Of Use

No Oil Filter? – Oil Change Every 25 Hours Of Use

Most riding lawn mowers have engines that have oil filters on them, but some don’t. So look to see.

It is also important to note that each engine manufacturer has their own recommendations on oil change frequency, type of oil, and weight of oil depending on the ambient air temp that they are going to be used in. So read the engine manufacturer’s manual or the manual that came with the machine.

Don’t want to worry about it? Then have a professional small engine shop like Matt’s take care of it for you. While they are doing the oil change, they may catch other things like rodent nests, warn belts, etc. that will save you in the future.

2. Keep Your Engine Clean!

It is important to do riding lawn mower maintenance to ensure that your machine last a long time, but this one is often overlooked and can cause a lot of headache for you in the future.

Most riding lawn mowers are powered by air cooled engines. The top of the engine and the housing is designed to force air through the cooling veins of the cylinder heads, and other parts of the engine that need to stay cool.

Most often when I get an engine in the shop that has a blown head gasket, there will also be a nice little rodent nest, dirt, grime, or caked on debris with it (as in the picture above).

Anything that is stuck to the sides or inside the engine housing acts like a wool blanket. Imagine running a marathon in a wool jumpsuit on a 95 degree day. I bet you would break down too!

So inspect your engine for dirt and get it out of there. Brush it off. Use a toothbrush. Do an engine degreasing. Use compressed air.

If you are not comfortable removing housings, and stuff like that, call a professional. Matt’s offers complete engine cleaning service. Just give Matt’s a call!

3. Use Great Gas!

Yikes! What the heck is that?!

That’s the inside of a carburetor bowl that has built up sludge from using the wrong type of gas.

I admit, this is an extreme example, and using bad gas won’t always get this result, but it’s important to understand what using the wrong gas will do.

The stuff we put in our cars. 87 octane. From “Tim’s Pump and Go” isn’t necessarily the best gas to use.

You see, today’s gas most likely contains ethanol. It’s mixed in with our unleaded gas to help keep costs down, and is totally fine to put in our vehicles. But today’s autos are all fuel injected systems. Our lawn mowers, and other small engines are carbureted. They deliver fuel to the engine differently than fuel injected systems.

What happens with ethanol is that it attracts moisture. If it gets enough moisture, it turns it into this gummy mess that clogs up tiny holes within your carburetor that stop it from doing it’s job. Gas will also varnish after time, so it’s important to use nice fresh gas.

For riding mowers, who have big tanks (sometimes two tanks), that means you have a lot of gas in there. If you have the wrong type of gas, then you may end up with problems, which usually lead to expensive repairs.

So you need to find gas that contains now ethanol. There are many different terms for it. In Minnesota, we use the terms; Non-oxygenated, non-ethanol, recreational gas, etc.

Here’s a great resource for you: PureGas.Org

You can also call around or Google for non-oxygenated gas near me. But call the gas station to confirm it.

4. Clean The Rest Of It!

There are a lot of things that can go wrong with your riding lawn mower. Doing the proper routine riding lawn mower maintenance will help from break downs. One of the worst feelings is half mowing your 10 acres and have a belt snap, or worse. So keeping certain areas clean can help ensure a successful mow. Below we will quickly talk about the areas that you should keep an eye on for cleanliness.

Mower Deck – The top and bottom of the mower deck (aka, blade deck) should be cleaned of debris every time you mow. If your mower deck has the garden hose attachment, use it! Grass clippings get caught against the walls and build up, inhibiting the best cut your blades can do! On the top where the belt is, it is important to keep that area clean as well. Belts will wear faster when debris is around, and the blade spindles will heat up and the bearings inside will wear faster if they are covered with dirt and debris (remember the wool blanket for engines? This applies here too)

Transaxle – Most riding mowers have a transaxle that has a fan on it to keep it cool. The problem is gravity here. grass clippings and other debris build up on the top and sides of transaxles, which makes them heat up and fail. Some of these transaxles are plastic now and too much heat will warp or crack them, and the oil inside will seep out.

Battery and Electrical Components – Batteries are a common issue with riding lawn mowers. They freeze in the winter and lose power because of this. The best thing to do is to remove your battery and place it in a safe, dry space with ventilation in your house. Basements would be fine. As for electrical components, wires, wiring harnesses, etc., it is a good idea to keep them dry. If they get wet for some reason, blow them off with compressed air or at least wipe them dry. Water and wires cause corrosion and can damper voltage and amperage to important parts like your starter and ignition switch.

5. Storage

Proper storage for your riding lawn mower is also bery important! Leaving your mower outside is NOT a good idea and I guarantee after a couple years you will have no start issues, or worse.

For us small engine mechanics, electrical diagnostic is sometimes more difficult to diagnose and we may find that you have more than one electrical issue now because of corrosion, or failure of safety switches.

Personally, my advice is to store your mower in your garage. If you dont have the space, make room or you may end up with a $$$ bill next year.

Sheds are ok, but also understand that sheds dont offer a barrier of protection from heat and humidity fluctuations like your garage does.

If you store your mower outside, DO NOT cover it with a tarp. That is just going to create a humidity bubble for the corrosion monsters to wreak havoc on your wires and battery.

In fact, dont put a tarp over your mower anywhere you store it. You want it to stay dry so corrosion is limited.

Other storage considerations is treating your gas with a fuel stabilizer, and disconnecting your battery (and bringing it inside).

If you have a fuel shut off valve, treat your gas with a fuel stabilizer, start your engine, shut off the fuel shut off valve, and let your engine run until all the fuel in your carburetor is used by your engine. Your carburetor always has gas in the bowl unless you stop fuel flow.

Lastly, if you come to your mower in the spring and see that the tires are now flat, fill them up without moving your mower! Moving your mower can potentially unseat the tire from the rim and then you will definitely be calling me!

6. Bonus Tip - Get a Comprehensive Tune Up

Riding Lawn Mower maintenance is a lot to take on, and if you are not comfortable with doing this stuff, call a professional. Oil change, new spark plugs, new air filter, grease points lubricated, blades sharpened, belts checked, and more.

Having a comprehensive tune up will give your small engine expert the opportunity to spot future problems that can be taken care of before you break down.

Matt’s Small Engine Repair fixes and maintains all makes and models of riding mowers, zero turns, walk behinds, and more. Matt’s provides pick up and delivery, and is a resource to all his customers to help them keep their equipment in the best shape it can be!

To schedule an appointment or learn more, visit MattsSmallEngineRepair.com!

Matt’s Raspberry Imperial Pot Roast Recipe

mattssmallenginerepair — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 13:12:04 +0000

Matt's Raspberry Imperial Pot Roast

Sometimes all you need is some delicious comfort food to help you get through this crazy life. Given what’s going on in the world right now, I thought I would share a recipe of one of my personal bests- a meal that will hopefully fill your heart with goodness and your stomach with delicious delight. I call it “Matt’s Raspberry Imperial Pot Roast.”

Now I should be upfront about a few things first. I am not a famous chef, nor do I have any professional training. However, I do feel that I am somewhat of a good cook and I am sure that there are parts of this recipe that some may not agree on. But if you give it a try, you will not be disappointed. It is delicious, savory, and gluttonous. It is also a recipe that I have been working on for years, and I think with some recent tweaks, there isn’t much more I want to do to it. So, enjoy and please share this recipe if you love it.

Cast Iron Pot:
Personally, I enjoy cooking with cast iron and I have a cast iron pot that is perfect for this Raspberry Imperial Pot Roast. You can get everything done with this pot. It is also a multi-tasker and can be used for a variety of other cooking applications.

If you don’t have one of these, that is ok. A dutch oven, crock pot, or other larger pot made for your oven will do, and in the recipe, I will suggest how to cook in each.

Prep and Cook Time:

– Roast Prep: A few minutes the night before to season your roast

– Vegetable Prep: 20-30 minutes

– Cast Iron / Dutch Oven Cook Time: at least 4 hours to cook

– Crock Pot Cook Time: 4-5 hours cook time on high, 6-8 hours cook time on low (low cooking preferred)

Ingredients:

Chuck roast 3 – 5 lbs
1 – 2 cans of stout beer (try to find one that is raspberry flavor. I talk more about stouts below)
Beef broth
3 yellow onions
1 baking potato cut into 1 ½” pieces
1 – 2 cups cut carrots (about 1 – 1 ½” long) or buy a bag of baby carrots
1 pack of white mushrooms (do not use shiitake mushrooms as they get really slimy)
1 – 2 minced garlic cloves
2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
2 Bay leaves
Salt and Pepper
Flour

The Can (or Two) of Stout:

The beer is what makes this recipe great, and I think it’s important that you use a higher alcohol content stout. Guinness is ok, but if you want better flavor, I suggest you go to a liquor store that has a great selection of Russian or American Imperial Stouts. Imperial stouts have a higher alcohol content and give that flavor profile a boost. Also, these imperial stouts come in a lot of different flavors. From peanut butter chocolate, to blueberry vanilla and everything in between. I use a raspberry imperial stout because, “Holy Tintinnabulation Batman!” it’s the best pot roast I have ever made with a stout.

The beer that I used is called “So Dreamy” which is from the Minneapolis brewery, Able Seedhouse and Brewery. It’s an imperial stout with chocolate, raspberry and vanilla. The beer itself is pretty sweet with a full flavor profile, and I had a couple extra cans that I saw a great opportunity for this recipe. Oh, and don’t worry, your roast will not be overpowered with raspberry taste, but it is there (and fricken delicious).

Imperial stouts are more of a seasonal beer, but some that are usually around all year include Darkness (Surly), Barrel-Aged Narwhal (Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.), Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout (North Coast Brewing Co.), and many more. Call ahead to a liquor store that specializes in craft brews and I am sure they will have something for you.

You can also use regular stouts. I encourage you to find one that has a raspberry component to it. You really can’t go wrong with any regular stout either. Ask the Irish and they will tell you!

Lastly, don’t get too crazy if you decide to go with another fruit flavor. Think of it like eating fruit as a side with your regular pot roast. Does banana blueberry mango go with pot roast? I’m not sure it will, but if you try it and it is awesome, let me know!

Overnight Prep:

For the roast, try and find one that has some good fatty marbleizing to it. Fat is important here. During the cooking process, the fat breaks down and provides that tender, cut-with-a-fork consistency. It also adds to the flavor of your roast and helps stick to your ribs.

To prep your roast, it must be thawed. My recommendation is to buy your roast the night before and sprinkle the roast with a fair amount of kosher salt on all sides (about ½ – 1 tsp per side), then set it back into your refrigerator covered with plastic wrap, parchment paper, a bag or some tin foil. By morning, the salt granules will be sucked inside the roast, which adds flavor and helps with keeping moisture inside. If you don’t have the night before to prep, salt at least 1 hour before starting cooking.

Also to note, depending on what cooking device you are using, you will need time. For a cast iron pot or dutch oven, you should start preparing at least 4 hours in advance of when you want your meal. For cooking in a crock pot on high, give yourself 4-5 hours. On low, plan on around 6-8 hours depending on how tender you want your roast.

Cooking Instructions:

Pull your roast from your refrigerator, uncover and set on the counter until it gets to room temperature, about 30-60 minutes. While your roast is warming to room temperature, you will want to first focus on the onions because they take some time.

Caramelizing the Onions:

3 yellow onions seems like a lot, but our goal is a rich, caramelization which will bring down the volume of the onions in your dish, but will provide that sweet, savory taste.

First cut off the bottom and tops of your onions. Remove the first layer of onion, and discard. Cut from the top of the onion down into 6 equal sections for each. Add oil to your cast iron or dutch oven and set your burner to medium (use a separate pan or skillet if you are using a crock pot). Add onions and about ¼ – ½ tsp of kosher salt. Cook at medium heat until the onions are a consistent deep golden brown. If you start to see charring on your onions, back off on the heat. It’s important to slowly caramelize them. This should take around 15-20 minutes and you can prep the rest of the vegetables in the meantime. Once the onions are caramelized, remove them from the pot (or skillet) and set aside in a bowl. Do not remove any of the juice or excess onion scraps from your pan. You want that for searing your roast to add flavor.

Vegetables:
You may have noticed that I didn’t include celery in my list of ingredients. That’s just me. I’m a fan of celery, but I don’t think its taste is right for this meal. Feel free to add celery to this recipe if you’d like though. It’s not going to hurt it.

For your vegetables, there is really no rule on the vegetable mix ratio, so go ahead and add what you would like in here. I personally like an even mix of vegetables. If you like more potato than other vegetables, go for it! The only thing that I would recommend is that you keep your vegetables large. You will be cooking this for a long period of time, so having bigger vegetables in the mix will help with things not falling apart (like the potatoes). I recommend cutting your potatoes in 1 to 1 ½ inch cubes. Carrots cut into 1 -1 ½ inch lengths (or using a bag of baby carrots). For the mushrooms, I buy the medium sized mushroom pack and keep the mushrooms themselves whole.

Browning Your Roast:
Once your roast is at room temperature, you will want to pepper it (about 1/2 – 1 tsp per side) and then dust it with all purpose flour. In the pot (or skillet) you used earlier, crank that burner to high. You are looking to get a good sear to your roast which helps lock in flavor and moisture. Sear every side of the roast, including the fat side. You are looking for a medium to dark brown sear. I recommend pulling your roast off after each side and waiting for a couple minutes to help get your pan back up to a good searing temperature.

Adding Everything Together:
Roast all browned up? Great! Place that roast in your pot ( or dutch oven/crock pot) and surround it with the caramelized onions. Then add your bay leaves, garlic, and vegetables. For the vegetables, use only enough of them to fill the sides of your pot and be a little bit higher than your roast.

Then add 2 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce and crack open that can of stout (or two). Your goal here is to pour enough stout into your pot so that it goes three quarters (¾) of the way up the side roast. Then top it off with beef broth so that your roast is covered- but not much further! Like ¼ of an inch above your roast. Your vegetables can be above the liquid line because the heat and steam of cooking is going to cook them up really good. Trust me!

Cooking Time:

There are a lot of factors that come into play when you are trying to get a tender and moist roast. I have had plenty of times in my life where my pot roast was tender, but dry to taste. One thing I learned half way through my pot roast cooking life is that fat is key to tenderness and moisture. That is why I mentioned earlier that you want a roast with good caramelization. Also, temperature is really important. The fat that holds the muscle strands together begins to break down once the meat is around 212° Fahrenheit. Taking time to get there is also important. Once you are there, you shouldn’t cook it too long after that because the fat starts to get stripped away, giving that dry taste to a fall apart roast. So that is why I mention below to test for tenderness about every hour.

If you are using a cast iron pot like mine or a dutch oven, cook it in the oven at 375° F for 1.5 hours, then reduce heat to 300° F and check every hour for meat tenderness by sticking a fork into a thicker portion of it and twisting slightly to see if the connective fat tissues have started to melt and make your roast tender. This should take around 3 hours.

If you are using a CrockPot, cook on high for 2-4 hours until the meat is tender (start checking at the 2 hour mark), or on low for up to 8 hours, checking the tenderness of meat every hour starting around 4 hours.

Once you have reached the desired tenderness close to the center of your roast, pull it out of the oven (or turn off your crock pot) and let it rest for 5-10 minutes covered.

The liquid in your pot should now be about half way up after soaking into the vegetables and evaporating. Save that liquid! You can make a gravy with it- but I bet you money that if you just use it over your plated pot roast goodness, that will be plenty enough!

Ok, now make sure you are fully seated when you take the first bite. If you taste tested it beforehand, shame on you! Do you not trust me? Ok, take that first bite. I hope you love it as much as I do!!

Oh, and please share this recipe with your family, friends, and on all the social media places you enjoy sharing things.

7 Rock Solid Spring Lawn Care Tips – Ascend your yard into greatness this spring!

mattssmallenginerepair — Sat, 07 Mar 2020 04:03:58 +0000

Can you feel it?! Spring is getting closer! The sun is out longer. The snow is melting away. The summer TV ads are in full swing. Heck, I even saw my neighbor pulling out his grill and cleaning it!

Early spring is a time when a lot of people start getting excited about their lawns and gardens. The garden centers start to get busy, and you start to see people hauling mulch and soil bags out of their trunks.

So I’ve took some time to cultivate some spring lawn care tips for early spring. Hope you take use of them and see the benefits later on!

7 rock solid spring lawn care tips - ascend your yard into greatness this spring!

Tread Lightly, Early – If you are going to get out there in the early spring, make sure you understand that your grass and gardens are very tender. The top inch or two might be thawed during the day, but underneath can still be frozen rock hard. Too much traffic and those deep roots can get torn apart. Early morning, when the top layer is still stiff from the cold night is a better time to do a lot of walking on your lawn.
Survey Your Lawn – Take a walk around your lawn and survey it for trouble spots. Now might not be the time to rake away the leaves of past fall, but taking a look around your yard will help you assess areas that will soon need your attention. Bring a pad of paper with so that you can write down things you might need in order to tackle the troubled areas in the weeks to come. Grass seed, fertilizer, new edging, or a bag of soil to patch up a low spot might be things to consider putting on this list.
Garden Beds – Not the one in your bedroom. Your garden beds! Spring is a great time to take care of things you didn’t last fall, but be mindful of the weather. If you still have big temperature swings, dipping into freezing at night, hold off on the heavy work – and don’t uncover your beds until temps at night stay away from frost and freezing. Also make sure that the ground has thawed to not damage roots. Do you have Hostas? If you didn’t cut them back in the late fall/early winter, you can do it now!
Trim It – Early spring is a great time to trim trees, bushes and branches. Get at those dead limbs and brown spots on your shrubbery! If you have a hedge maze, may I suggest hiring a local lawn care company?
Assault Aggressive Weeds – Dealing with crabgrass, dandelions, and other invasive and unwanted weeds now is a great way to curb their growth. But don’t use the weed killer yet. Using chemicals right now is a waste of your money and can inhibit growth of the good stuff. One exception (if you don’t plan to seed/overseed) is to use a “pre-emergent” herbicide that will inhibit weed seed growth. The best course of action, unfortunately, is to get them at their source by digging them up by the roots.
Patio/Deck Areas – Bust out that pressure washer!! It’s time to clean off the patio furniture, rinse off the deck, and get the summer fun lights and yard globes out! Even though we may have another snow storm. My motto is “It’s never too soon to start planning for fun!”
Pre-Emergent Weed Control – I mentioned this before, and this is important – Get a head start on invasive weeds this season by applying pre-emergent weed control. Pre-emergents have active ingredients that target those pesky weeds like crabgrass. They create a barrier and inhibit germination

Bonus Tips!

Is Your Lawn Mower Running? – Well, you better go catch it! (I couldn’t resist) All those cold winter months do bad things to your lawn mower and other summer small engine equipment. Old gas gums up your engine’s carburetor; bolts and springs rust and give a good reason to break; and small animals can make nice little nests up inside your equipment’s housing. Make sure to check if your lawn mower will start so that you are ready for that first mowing. Better yet, get a tune up including an oil change. (Manufacturers recommend changing oil every 20 hours of use.)

Don’t Wait! – Get a Tune Up Now – Spring is one of the busiest times of year for small engine repair shops. Having your equipment fixed before the rush is the pro move. Most shops have 3-4 week turnaround times when business is at its peak. A foolproof way to be ready is to get your equipment tuned up now! Your engine will be happier and start up on that first pull come mowing time!

Early Bird Tune Up Special with Matt's!!

If you are in the Twin Cities and looking for an easy way to get your lawn mower ready for the summer, why not schedule a tune up with Matt’s? Free Pick Up and Delivery. Mobile Service. Affordable Service! Click to learn more!

10 Ironclad Lawn Mowing Tips for a Happy Summer!

mattssmallenginerepair — Sat, 29 Feb 2020 05:13:30 +0000

Want some lawn mowing tips for this summer? For most of us, mowing the lawn is just a weekly task in the summer. A chore for most, and a headache for many. But following some simple tips will make for easy lawn mowing and promote healthy growth for your grass. Here are 10 easy lawn mowing tips that will help you and your lawn, and maybe even make it more enjoyable!

10 Ironclad lawn mowing tips that are easy to do, and will help save you time and money!

Walk Through First – Take a quick walk around your yard to get an idea of trouble spots, and areas that need more attention. Check for sticks, rocks, and other debris that can damage your blade. Also look for insect nests in the ground. Nobody wants to run over an active wasps nest. The number of adult wasps in an average sized ground nest is over 500!
Timing – Picking the right time to mow your lawn is very important for healthy, quick recovery. Mowing in the morning or evening is best because it offers shade, and is usually cooler than during the day.
Think “One Third” – How much you cut, and total length of grass is important. Longer grass develops stronger roots and helps promote healthy, green grass. How much you cut off the top is also important. It’s recommended that you only cut 1/3rd of the length of grass. Whatever you do, DON’T scalp! Cutting your grass low to the ground will bring more disease and unhealthy roots.
Sharp Blade – A dull blade will make ragged cuts to the blades of grass, helping diseases penetrate better and will also make the cut tips of the blade brown. Having a sharp blade prevents this and is inexpensive to get done by your local shop, or by Matt’s!
Skip Bagging – Grasscycling (letting cut grass lay in your lawn) gives up to 25% fertilizer back into your soil, saves you time of emptying your bag, and saves money on yard bags. You can use a regular blade, or invest in a mulching blade for your mower that will cut those clippings into smaller pieces which will help decompose the dead clippings. Mind you though, if you are going to skip bagging, make sure you stick to the “One Third” rule! Too much dead grass on lawns will cover grass and make it harder to grow – it can even kill grass. (If you look behind you and have clumps of cut grass on your lawn, you are cutting too much!)
Mowing Pattern – Switch it up! Mowing in different patterns helps to minimize compacting of soil and ruts created by your mower’s wheels.
Maintain Your Mower – Having a mower that has full power, sharp blade, and a clean undercarriage will make for quicker work and a beautiful yard. Remember too – most manufacturers recommend changing your oil and air filter as soon as after 20-40 hours of use.
Cut When Dry – You can cut your grass when it is damp or wet, but it’s not recommended. Grass stands its tallest when it is dry, making for a nice even cut. Wet grass will gunk up the undercarriage of your mower, decreasing cutting performance. Mowing in wet conditions can also create ruts that will dry up and become hard, hurting the health of your grasses root system. Plus, your boots will turn green and your neighbors will all judge you.
Stay Hydrated – Remember to take care of yourself when it comes to getting out there in the heat of the summer! Drink a glass of water to help your body and mind tackle the task. Water helps to regulate your internal body temperature, helps lubricate joints, and helps to supply your cells with oxygen and nutrients.
Celebrate Your Hard Work! – You’ve gotten the job done and put the mower away. Now’s the time to grab a tasty beverage and revel in your freshly cut lawn!

Hopefully with these simple tips, your lawn will be beautiful and you will have enjoyed doing it.

Matt's Small Engine Repair™- Minneapolis, St. Paul

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10 Ironclad Lawn Mowing Tips for a Happy Summer!

10 Ironclad lawn mowing tips that are easy to do, and will help save you time and money!

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Early Bird Tune Up Special with Matt's!!