Monthly Archives: September 2015

Grandma’s Pot Roast Redux

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As the autumn weather rolls in and nights are getting chilly, my culinary choices move from light fresh salads to heavy warm comfort foods. My Grandmother’s Pot Roast is perfect for a cool Sunday night meal. As my Mother always reminds me, this recipe is mistake proof as long as you cook it to death. My Mother does not have many dishes in her repertoire, but no one can deny she makes the best Pot Roast ever, hands down. Therefore, the recipe I am sharing with you is 3rd generation with a little tweak here and there to suit our family’s need to use local fresh ingredients and an added herb to boost our immune system, preparing us for the flu and cold season.

Grandma’s Pot Roast a la Debbie                                                                                  This takes 2 days to make.

  • 3 lbs or more brisket – if buying it from a farmer, you may need to special order, as it is not a typical cut for most butchers. The recipe also works great for an elk roast or any tougher meat for that matter.
  • 3 cups of tomato juice
  • 1 medium onion coarsely chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves coarsely chopped
  • 1 lb or more carrots chopped into 2 inch lengths
  • 1 lb or more potatoes cubed – I like to mix a variety such as red, purple and fingerlings
  • 2 packets of dry meat broth
  • Two 4-5 inch strips of Astragalous Root (they look like tongue depressors) – Not a must, but a great herb for boosting your immune system. I like adding it to all my stews and soups during this time of year, it helps us fight off any cold and flu viruses. It is not meant to be eaten, just for releasing its medicinal qualities, so remove before serving. You can find it at a Chinese herbal shop.

DAY 1

  1. In a large pot, sear meat on all sides. Add tomato juice, onion, garlic, carrots, and Astragalus Root

  2. Cook for 2 hours

  3. Remove fat, slice meat on a diagonal and return to pot

  4. Add potatoes and meat broth

  5. Cook one more hour

DAY 2

  1. Cook at least 2 more hours but more is fine. I have cooked it over 5 hours the second day and it just got juicier and more tender.

  2. Enjoy!

If you are having a difficult time finding Astragalus Root locally, Mountain Rose Herbs is a great company to order from.

So what is an infusion?

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Throughout my blogs, I occasionally, mention making infusions and have come to realize that many people do not know what an infusion is – well, I’ve decided to remedy the situation.  The basic difference between a tea and an infusion is the steeping time and amount of herb being used. An infusion uses a larger quantity of herbs and is steeped a lot longer. Infusions extract more medicinal qualities and nutrients than tea. They do not have a long shelf life, perhaps 2-3 days at most.

Infusions are made from the delicate aerial parts (flower, stems or leaves) of the plants.  These fragile parts must be steeped, rather than simmered, because they give up their medicinal properties more easily than the tougher roots and bark.

To make infusion:

I like to make infusions in quart canning jars; they can withstand the heat of the boiling water and are easy to carry around. Also, it’s the right amount for a daily intake and I can drink it all day long without needing to make a new batch.

  1. Boil a quart of water per ounce (handful) of dried herb or one cup per tablespoon of herb. If using fresh herbs, double the quantity. If you want to extract the mucilaginous property of a plant – use cold water and not boiled water (for example, with marshmallow root).
  2. Pour boiled water over the herbs, cover and let steep for at least 30-60 minutes, typically 4 hours to overnight. The longer the steeping time, the stronger the infusion.
  3. Strain and drink.

It can be drunk hot or cold and sweetened if you like. Experiment with herb amounts and steeping times; let your taste buds guide you.  Infusions can be used for drinking, foot and hand baths or to make creams.

You can pick fresh herbs (make sure herb is properly identified) for your infusions or buy dry herbs in the bulk section of a health food store or co-op. Enjoy!

I will share my favorite infusion recipes, please share yours.

All information is shared for educational purposes only and has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.