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 (always let your garlic sit for 10 minutes after it has been chopped/minced/crushed to allow for the chemical reaction that creates allicin, which is the chemical behind all of garlic’s health-promoting benefits – immune boosting, antibacterial, antimicrobial, cardio-tonic, and anticancer. Here’s what happens: a sulfur-based compound called alliin and an enzyme called alliinase are separated in the garlic’s cell structure when it is whole. Cutting garlic ruptures the cells and releases these elements, allowing them to come in contact and they form the magical new compound called allicin. If you don’t wait, you don’t get the healing properties.)
- 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
- Five 4-5 inch strips of Astragalus 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
- In a large pot, sear meat on all sides. Add tomato juice, onion, garlic, carrots, and Astragalus Root
- Cook for 2 hours
- Remove fat, slice meat on a diagonal and return to pot
- Add potatoes and meat broth
- Cook one more hour
DAY 2
- 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.
- Enjoy!
If you are having a difficult time finding Astragalus Root locally, Mountain Rose Herbs is a great company to order from.
