This is a FABULOUS recipe, your home will smell great while it's cooking and it's impressive enough to serve guests.
I often make this in the crockpot and just throw everything in, I don't brown the meat first since I don't want the added fat and I don't coat the meat with flour if I'm using the crockpot. Just put your vegetables in the crockpot first, then the meat, then seasonings.
Note: my dad is on a very low sodium diet so if I'm making this for him, I skip the salt - this roast is so flavorful you won't miss it! .
3 - 4# Beef Chuck Roast
3 TBSP bacon fat or cooking oil (I use bacon fat, you can't beat it!)
2 TBSP Flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried marjoram, crushed OR 1/4 tsp ground marjoram
1/2 tsp dried thyme , crushed OR 1/4 tsp ground
1/4 tsp dried basil, crushed
1/4 tsp. pepper
minced garlic - a scoop or two (store bought)
8 medium carrots, halved cross-wise
4 medium onions, cut in wedges
1 Lb. new potatoes, OR 1 # small potatoes, peeled
2 TBSP Flour
Snipped Parsley, optional
Trim excess fat from meat. Rub meat with 2 TBSP Flour
In a Dutch oven, melt about 3 TBSP bacon grease over med-high heat (Use vegetable oil if you don't have bacon fat or are going for low sodium)
Brown meat in hot fat.Remove from heat.
Sprinkle with the seasonings.
Add at least 1 1/2 cups water and cover with lid.
Bake at 350 degrees in oven for 1.5 hours.
Remove from oven, add carrots, onions and potatoes, sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt.
Cover and return to oven for 45 minutes until meat and vegetables are tender.
Remove meat and vegetables to a heated platter to keep warm.
Skim fat from pan juices and add enough water to juices to make 1.5 cups of liquid.
In a small jar or bowl, combine 1.2 cup of cold water and flour and stir until it is smooth. Add to pan juices. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook 1 - 2 minutes, stirring .
Garnish with snipped parsley.
NOTES - The above was my original recipe that was given to me years ago. My family never liked gravy so I just served with the pan juices.
Also - We really love the flavor of this roast and vegetables cooked with it ... so often I put the carrots and onions in with the spices and added the potatoes at the last 45 minutes. If I was pressed for time, I put all the vegetables in at the beginning.
In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add onion and sprinkle with brown sugar. Saute for 10 minutes, or until soft and lightly browned. Remove onion from pan and set aside.
In a large zip-top bag, combine flour, salt, pepper, garlic, thyme and rosemary. Add meat and shake until all sides are well-covered.
Add remaining tablespoon olive oil to pan and sear the meat until brown on all sides. Remove roast from pan and set aside.
In a bowl, combine beef broth, stout, vinegar and bay leaf. Place in Dutch oven and bring to a boil for about 3 minutes, scraping off any bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan. Return the meat to pan and cover with onions. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil (the liquid should not cover the meat). Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until meat is fork tender, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Remove meat and set aside to cool. Discard cooking liquid.
When cool enough to handle, shred with fingers or 2 forks. Discard any excess fat. You should have about 10 cups of meat. In a large saucepan over low heat, combine barbecue sauce and 1/2 cup water. Add meat and stir to rewarm. If necessary, add more water or barbecue sauce. Serve on kaiser rolls.
Cider Slaw:
In a large bowl, combine the coleslaw mix and onion.
In a saucepan, bring sugar, vinegar, vegetable oil, salt, dry mustard, celery seed and dill weed to boil for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour hot dressing over slaw mix and toss well. Cool, cover and refrigerate. Drain excess liquid before serving.