Is there anything more simpatico in winter than pot roast for dinner? Once the roast is in the oven, I snuggle up in front of our fireplace and reduce my reading pile a few inches. While languishing, I enjoy the aroma that wafts from our kitchen stove and fills our house with the smell of a home-cooked meal. My beef pot roast recipe includes turnips and parsnips; some of winter’s hearty, nutrient-rich root vegetables. I love to accompany the roast with hot buttered biscuits, they're great for sopping up the seasoned broth.
Tidbits for perfection: I highly recommend Imagine Organic Free Range Chicken Broth I highly recommend using MUIR GLEN® Organic tomatoes. No synthetic pesticides, no chemical fertilizers, "just gorgeous tomato taste, true to nature."
One 4-pound beef chuck roast
1 garlic clove, partially crushed
All-purpose flour
Canola oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2-3 medium onions, quartered
2 cans (14.25 ounce) chicken broth
One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes with juice
Preheat oven to 325°. Rub roast with garlic and dredge in flour, coating all sides. In a large skillet, heat oil over moderate high heat and brown meat on all sides. Season meat with salt and pepper. Transfer meat to a Dutch oven or large roasting pan to accommodate the roast and eventually all the vegetables. Add onions, chicken broth and tomatoes. Cover and cook for 1 hour.
4-6 small to medium red or white potatoes, quartered
6-8 carrots, cut on the diagonal in pieces that are about 2-3 inches long
3 small turnips, peeled and quartered
4 parsnips, peeled cut on the diagonal in pieces that are about 2-3 inches long
3-4 stalks celery, cut in pieces that are about 4-5 inches long
Add potatoes, carrots, turnips, parsnips and celery to the roast and cook for another 2-3 hours. Turn vegetables once or twice to assure even cooking. Arrange pot roast on platter and surround with vegetables. Serve immediately. Yield: 6 servings.
