Kathy Pitts' Pot Roast

* Exported from MasterCook *

KATHY PITTS' POT ROAST

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Beef

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
***** NONE *****

Don't really have a recipe, David, but would you
settle for directions on how to make one?

First select a good-sized hunk of not too tender beef
roast. A 3-5 lb. hunk of chuck, bottom round or
brisket would be good. Look for a fairly lean piece
that has at least some fat marbling inside and a light
fat coating on the outside.

Select a covered casserole or Dutch oven large enough
to hold the roast with a bit of room left over. Place
the cooking pot on the stove, and add enough oil or
fat (rendered bacon fat is good, if not heart healthy)
to the pot to cover the bottom to the depth of about
1/4 inch. Heat the fat over medium-high heat until it
is hot, but not smoking.

Meanwhile, either dry the outside of the roast very
well with paper towels or roll it in flour seasoned
lightly with pepper, maybe some garlic salt, whatever
other herbs seem appropriate.

When the fat is hot, add the roast, and brown well on
all sides. Take your time with this. You want a nice,
crusty coating, but you don't want to burn it. Remove
the browned roast from the pan, and set aside.

Add about one cup of chopped onion, 1/2 cup of chopped
celery and 1/2 cup of diced carrots to the fat
remaining in the pan. Cook, stirring frequently,
until this mixture is nice and brown. Drain off most
of the remaining fat, leaving the vegetables in the
pot.

Smooth the vegetables out to make a base for the
roast, and add the roast to the pot. Now add enough
liquid (beef stock, 3/4 beef stock plus 1/4 dry red
wine, tomato juice, whatever you feel like) to come
about 1/4 inch over the bottom of the beef. The
amount of liquid you need (don't use too much or the
beef will boil instead of braising) will depend on the
size of the pot and the size/shape of the roast.

Cover the pot, and either simmer on top of the stove
over very low heat, or place it in a preheated 325
degree oven. Either way, check the roast every half
hour or so, turning the meat occasionally, and adding
more liquid as needed.

After an hour or so, you can add small whole peeled
carrots, peeled potato halves or whatever other
vegetables appeal to you to the roast. If you do this,
tuck the vegetables around the side of the roast so
they sit in the liquid.

Cooking time will depend on the cut of beef, and the
tenderness of the meat, but you can count on at least
2-2 1/2 hours. The meat is done when a large cooking
fork can be inserted easily.

At this point, remove the meat and vegetables (if
used) to a serving platter and keep warm.

Pour the liquid remaining in the pan through a
strainer, into a bowl, pressing down on the strainer
to extract as much of the juices from the chopped
vegetables as possible.

Skim the fat from the surface of the juices, and
return about 4 tbsp. of fat to the cooking pot (do not
wash the pot first, any goodies remaining in the
bottom will add to the flavor of the gravy.)

Add an equal amount of flour to the fat in the pot,
and cook, stirring constantly, until the flour/fat
mixture has turned a nice brown color (about the color
of peanut butter.) Slowly wisk the reserved cooking
juices back into the flour/fat mixture, adding
additional liquid as needed to make a smooth, not too
thick gravy. Season the gravy to taste with salt and
black pepper.

Slice the pot roast into fairly thin, even slices, and
cover with a small amount of gravy. Serve garnished
with the vegetables (if used), and the additional
gravy on the side.

Kathy in Bryan, TX



- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -