On a cold winter's day, nothing beats a home-cooked meal!

Photo by Julie Atkinson

Savory All-Day Pot Roast

“The Original Slow Food"
by
Holly Atkinson
The “Mom” at Greenwood Farms
 

1 Greenwood Farm’s grass-fed chuck roast
1 can organic mushroom or garlic mushroom soup
1 small bag prepared organic carrots or 4 or 5 peeled carrots chunked
4 stalks organic celery cut in pieces
6 medium organic potatoes (skins on) chunked

Place your pot roast in a large oven-proof dish or pan that has a good lid. You may put it on frozen or thawed. I will give you the cooking times for each. Salt and pepper to taste. Spread mushroom soup over the meat. Add carrots and celery beside the meat. Salt and pepper them lightly. I add a ½ tsp. of sugar to the veggies to bring out the flavors. Fill the soup can ½ t0 ¾ full, stirring to get the bit of soup that remains. Pour over the vegetables. The liquid should cover the bottom of your pan 1’4 to 1’2 inch, no more. The roast makes great juice. Cover and place in the middle of the oven.

Oven method: If your meat is frozen, you may cook it at 275°F for 5 or 6 hours until meat is falling off the bone tender. If the meat is thawed, it will cook in 3 or 4 hours. About 1 hour before serving, add the potatoes, on op of the other vegetables and salt lightly. Turn up the oven to 300°F and cook 30 to 45 minutes until potatoes are tender. Any longer and your meat will get too brown.

Crock pot method: Follow directions above, but cook your frozen roast in the crock pot at the 10 hour setting. Use the 8 hour setting for a thawed roast. You may turn the pot on high to cook your potatoes, watching to make sure your meat doesn’t get too brown.

To serve: Place the meat on a platter with vegetables on the side. This dish makes its own gravy, so pour it into a bowl to serve over the meat & potatoes. To use the words of the late children’s writer and down-home cook, Tasha Tudor, this meat is “hacked” more than sliced up because it is so tender, juicy and delicious.

Tips: Don’t take my cooking times as gospel. I cook by feel. This dish wasn’t in any recipe book, but it became a staple at our house back in the 70’s when the kids were growing up, just like “Favorite Casserole.” (coming soon). I cook it often for the Greenwood family today. Play with it, make it your own. The key is the slow cooking so the meat melts in your mouth.

I recommend the organic vegetables because the root vegetables and celery you buy in the store are a health risk due to pesticides. If you can’t get them, wash thoroughly and peel your potatoes. I like the organic soup because it has fewer preservatives.