Mom's Pot Roast (w/low sodium instructions)

Suzan McAllister

Well marbled Chuck Roast

Start with a well marbled chuck roast. In this recipe, I cooked 3 lb of beef (2 roasts).  If you're only cooking one, cut the gravy ingredients by half.

In the Midwestern United States, this looks like the cut of meat to the right.  This cut comes under many aliases, so pay more attention to the appearance of the roast than the name. The 'marbling', or the fat and connective tissue distributed throughout the meat, is the magic that makes this dish down-home delicious.

Higher priced English Roast

Its more expensive cousin, the English Roast, will look more attractive because it typically is a little leaner and the grain is a little tighter.

Do not be tempted.  English roasts are tougher and not as flavorful.




Other Ingredients you'll need:
Salt* (2 tsp)
Pepper
Dried Rosemary (2 TBSP)
Granulated Garlic (2 tsp)
Onion Powder (2 tsp)
Kitchen Bouquet (2 TBSP)
Flour (3/4 - 1 cup)
Beef Stock** (4 cups)
Better than Bouillon Reduced sodium Beef base ( 1 tsp)
1/2 c chopped celery
12 baby carrots
3-4 Russet potatoes
Cast Iron Dutch Oven

Now that you have your prize hunk o' meat, let's get started.  This whole process extends over 2-4 hours, so start early.

The first thing we're going to do is reduce some of the excess water from the meat and replace it with flavor.  Don't be afraid of this process.  We're going to salt the meat before we cook it.  Many years ago we were told to NEVER NEVER salt your meat before you cook it, because salt draws the moisture out of the meat.  Today's over-bred, overfed, over-enhanced beef is so full of water you could wring it out, so we're not going to fret over it.

Prepping the Meat

Mix together
2 tsp salt*
2 TBSP Rosemary
1 TBSP Granulated Garlic
1 tsp onion powder

Pat down the outside of the roast with a paper towel to remove excess water/juice.
Rub the roast with the Kitchen Bouquet, then rub it with the rest of the dry ingredients mentioned above.
Let sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours

Roasting the beef

After 1-2 hours, preheat your oven
Heat the cast iron dutch oven to smokin hot with some olive oil and sear the meat well on both sides.
Remove meat and deglaze the pan with a cup of beef stock.
Place meat back in pan, cover with chopped celery, carrots and potatoes.
Cover your dutch oven and roast for 1-2 hours at 350 degrees.

Making the gravy

Remove meat, vegetables and potatoes from pan.
Add 1/2 c of flour and whisk to fully incorporate. Place pan on medium heat. Add 3 c. beef stock and 1 tsp Better than Bouillon, whisking in slowly to avoid clumping. Add pepper and bring to a full boil, whisking constantly.  The flour will thicken the gravy.  It will reach its maximum thickness as soon as it comes to a boil.  If it's too thin, you can add more flour, but you have to temper it before you add it or you'll just have a bunch of cooked flour lumps in your gravy.  If the gravy's too thin, get a measuring cup and fill to about 1/4 c with COLD water.  Whisk in the remaining 1/4 c of flour, mixing well.  Now whisk in small amounts of the boiling gravy until the flour mixture is warm.  Now you can slowly whisk the flour mixture into the boiling gravy.  Bring back to a boil, then let cool.

The beef should have been resting for at least 10 minutes by now.  Slice it against the grain in 1/4 inch slices.

Arrange the meat, potatoes and carrots on a plate, smother with gravy and die of happiness.

*I use potassium chloride, sold as "No-Salt", because I'm sodium sensitive.  It is also a salt, and will draw out the water
**Again, because of sodium concerns, I use UNSALTED Beef Stock.  NOT "Reduced Sodium"