Mmmmm, pot roast

Growing up, one of my favorite meals was pot roast.  I don't know how folks from other parts of the country/world prepare this, but this is how I do it -- and that's modified from what my mom and Aunt Julie both prepared.

Ingredients:
oil
flour
beef arm or rump roast -- mine was pretty small, about 2.5 lbs
onions
garlic
peppercorns
salt
water
Coleman's dry mustard
potatoes
carrots
a little dry sherry if I'm feeling adventurous
optional:  bay leaf (I didn't do this tonight)

Place a dutch oven on the stove, heat it to medium high.  After it's heated, put in about 1-2 tbs oil.  Swirl the oil around the bottom of the pan, then add a sprinkling of about 1-2 tbs flour.  Let it brown (about 5 seconds), then add the garlic and the beef roast.  Brown the roast well on both sides.

Add halved or quartered peeled onions, about 1-2 tsp salt, about 20 peppercorns, 1.5 tsp dry mustard and water until the roast is covered.  Turn the heat down to low/simmer.  Cook for several hours until the meat is falling apart and the fat on the roast is mostly dissolved. 

Add peeled potatoes (quarter if you want to server dinner sooner rather than later) and peeled carrots -- as much as you like for the meal or to stretch the meal out later in the week.  Raise temperature to medium low and cook until the vegetables are tender.

You may have quite a bit of broth left over.  This can be strained and frozen for soup base!

My mom and my Aunt Julie always added celery.  I'm not fond of celery, so I don't add it.  They didn't add dry mustard and used ground pepper instead of peppercorns.  We love to add as many onions as possible -- just lovely when cooked down and tender!

BTW, anyone else use the verb "fix" when referring to preparing a dish?  I replaced all of my uses of the word "fix" above.

Happy weekend and happy knitting!

Comments

[Carl V.]

I love a good roast, especially the pieces with a little fat on them....cooked with taters and carrots....mmmmmm, good stuff!