Pot Roast

Okay let's make this.

What you'll need: Here's your list

Beef Roast (rump, chuck, whatever is one sale)
Potatoes (Russet preferred)
Onion
Celery
Carrots
Bay leaves
Marjoram (Dried)
Oregano (Dried)
Tomato Paste
Beef Broth

Here's your measurements: Your procedure

2 to 3 lbs. rump roast cut into one inch cubes
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. marjoram
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
6 cups of beef broth ( I used chicken today cause that's what I had on hand)
1 Tablespoon of bacon fat or olive oil or whatever oil you have
1/2 cup carrots finely diced
1/2 cup celery finely dice
1/2 cup onion finely diced
4 large carrots cut into chunks
7 potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
1 teaspoon of oregano
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. marjoram

Finely dice a stalk of celery, half of an onion and one of the carrots until you have a 1/2 cups of each vegetable.
 Cube the meat into bite size chunks.
 Mix together the flour with the first measurements of oregano, marjoram, salt and pepper.

While your fat is heating in a large cook pot, dredge the meat in the flour.

Working in small batches brown the cubed meat just enough to brown the flour and remove to a plate for a few minutes. Leave the drippings in the pan as you move onto the next step. We just want to brown on all of the sides. Don't get crazy about this, just work in small patches. Take your time, shake the pan, move the meat around until it's brown and the white of flour is gone.

Saute the half cups of vegetables in the cook pot that you just removed the meat from, add the tomato paste and stir until you can smell the paste has cooked and doesn't have a raw smell and until the onions are sorta soft looking. Add the additional oregano, and marjoram and  the bay leaves.

 Return the meat to the cook pot. Stir and slowly add only 4 cups of your broth. You can use water, a little beer, a combination of all. Just so that you have about 4 cups of liquid. Bring this up to a boil and immediately reduce the heat to a slow simmer. Cover the pot with a good fitting lid. Set your timer for one hour. Relax and smell the yummy cooking. Check on it in an hour to make sure there's enough liquid still and see if the meat is tender. Set your timer for another 30 minutes.

 Meanwhile peel your potatoes and carrots. Cut into nice chunks. Wait for you timer to tell you the 30 minutes is up and toss the second round of carrots and potatoes into your soup pot, along with another 2 cups of liquid. Cook for another 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender when a fork is inserted. Serve with your favorite bread.

 This has a nice layering of flavors. You'll find the first addition of vegetables have cooked into the broth and are all but unrecognizable, just all flavor. You will end up with a nice broth that's slightly thickened because of the flour on the meat and the slow cook process in which the finely diced vegetables have become a part of the broth. A real comfort food. For me this is best served with a few slices of toast. Toast is a comfort food too in my book.

When using the canned stock the sodium can be high and for this reason very little salt is used. The vegetables and herbs create a nice flavor and I don't need additional salt. If you use homemade stock or water, additional salt may be needed. As always season to your taste.

 I dumped a cup of frozen corn in there today because it was in my freezer I just emptied the bag in, you could add some frozen peas too in the very last 5 minutes if you wanted. This is my reincarnation of a recipe from the Joy of Cooking cookbook.

It's January here in Ohio and slowing down is made all the easier with the frigid air outside. Let's cook again soon.