Homestyle Pot Roast

Ingredients:

• 1 cheap piece of beef, about 3 lbs. chuck is good
• garlic cloves, sliced in half
• 2 large onions, cut into 8ths
• 6 stalks celery, chopped in 2 inch pieces
• several potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters. For large potatoes, cut into 6 or 8 pieces
• 4 sweet potatoes, cut in quarters
• 6 carrots, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 6 parsnips, cut into 2 inch pieces
• flour, enough to thicken juices for gravy
• bouillon (I prefer "Better Than Bouillon")

Directions:

There are no specific amounts for this recipe - change them up to suit your family. The amounts I give are what I like.

The garlic is for larding the meat, and will give it a lot of flavor. If you don't like garlic, omit it. Slice large cloves, then saute quickly in a little butter until it is getting a little color, but isn't really softening much. With a sharp knife, cut slits all over the roast that are large enough to stuff with the garlic slices. Push the garlic in with a finger, then squish the slits closed to keep the garlic in. Sauteing it takes the raw, sharp flavor off the garlic.

Heat a roasting pan that is large enough to hold everything and to get the veggies down onto the meat. Once it is nice and hot, add shortening or bacon fat and brown the roast thoroughly on both sides. (A good tip for browning meat is to have the pan good and hot, dry the meat well with paper towels, and, when you add the meat, do not disturb for at least a minute. Following these rules, it shouldn't stick.) Add enough water to come to the top of the meat. Stir in the bouillon. Cover and place in a slow oven, 325 degrees F.

After one hour, turn the meat, and add the celery and onions. Get the celery into the water, but scatter the onions over the meat. Cover and return to the oven for another hour, or until it is just starting to get tender.

This time, turn the meat and push the onions into the broth. Scatter the veggies across the meat, cover, and return to the oven for about 10 minutes. At this point, baste the veggies every 15 minutes until they are nicely tender and beginning to brown a bit. You want them browned, but not dried out.

Remove the roast to the serving platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Remove the veggies with a slotted spoon, well drained, to serving bowls and keep covered. Take about 1/2 cup of the liquid from the roaster and put it in a jar with a tight lid. Leave the lid off - you will want it to be completely cooled when you use it.

Put the roasting pan on the stove top and, if the broth has not cooked down (it probably hasn't), cook it down to concentrate the flavor. This is one secret to delicious gravy. You should be able to cook it down by about half, maybe a little more. Another option is to add some more bouillon, to taste.

To make the gravy, take the cooled broth and add about 2 or 3 tablespoons of flour to it. Put the lid on tight and shake vigorously until it is well mixed and lump free. Reduce the heat under the broth to a bubble and start stirring; add the flour/broth mixture in a steady, slow stream while stirring. If it is not thick enough, shake a little flour into cold water and add until it's as thick as you want. It it's too thick, and a little hot water and return to a nice bubble. Taste and season - be careful with salt since bouillon is salty already.

Cut the meat into serving-size pieces. Serve with the bowls of the veggies and the gravy to pour over all. Goes really well with hot rolls and coleslaw.

Source: I learned this recipe from my mother, Vicy.

By Free2B from North Royalton, OH