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Wednesday, January 6, 2016

What's So Special About This Pot Roast?

It's just a pot roast - right?
Wrong.
This is a bone-in chuck roast which in the store would be a lesser quality cut.
We happen to savor it.
In order to serve a dual purpose, I will share how I prepared it.
Here I added garlic, rosemary, thyme, and borage.
(Always add herbs in threes: did you folks know that?)
I added no water, sauce, or broth, just the roast.
It went directly from the freezer to the terra-cotta roaster so was still frozen.
These terra-cotta roasters are expensive if you go to a kitchen shop.
I often see them new and still in the box at thrift shops for a few dollars.
My guess is that people don't know how to use them.
But again - that's my guess.
They will season with use.
Cover and place in oven at about 235 degrees.
This is when I leave for work.
Now while it's cookin'
let's get back to what makes it so special.
We saved for this roast for a whole year.
Why did it take a year to save for a roast you ask.
Well, because it was attached to the rest of the beef we purchased.
Again not just any beef.
This steer was purchased as a weiner calf - so about a year-ish old.
It was then turned out on a grassy pasture all spring and summer.
Towards autumn when the apples began to ripen,
they were tossed over the fence providing sweetness to the feed 
for about the last month or so of its life.
While on this pasture, he kept old forage trimmed
so that the young tender sprouts could get sun and grow healthily.
He pressed new seeds into the earth allowing them to be germinated.
And he fertilized the pasture with his "left-overs"
which in turn aids soils in water retention, carbon sequestration and fertility. 
The money spent on this creature
stayed right here in our community helping a friend/neighbor.
And now he is helping to nourish our bodies.
He is generous indeed ~ and we are thankful.

Upon returning home from work roughly 10 hours later,
here's was I find:)
I don't trim any fat off.
Though I can't just eat it like some,
I try to get the health benefits of saturated fats when I can.
And do you see all that broth - it's about 1 1/2 inches deep.
That's good stuff.
I heated up some home canned corn & we ate.
So this one pot roast that is now a very simple meal
was part of helping the environment, the local economy, 
and future fodder for next year's calf.
Not too bad for a critter that says, "Moo."
That's what makes this pot roast so special.

Until next time,
Nimble Fingers and Even Stitches







7 comments:

  1. mouthwatering I am sure, anything slowly cooked tastes better

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  2. Your roast looks so darn good!!! I see terra cotta roaster and always wanted to try one, now I will. The aroma must have been heavenly.
    Borage plants habe the most beautiful blue flowers, which really attract the bees.
    I have never cooked with it though.
    Enjoy your day
    Earlene

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  3. I love coming home to house filled with the smell of supper cooking. I am going to have to give your pot a try. We just sent a steer to the butcher and am looking forward to fresh pasture raised beef.

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  4. Very special indeed! We just used up the last of our home-grown beef and need to butcher yet again. I wonder if the taste is different with the apples? Sounds amazing :)

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  5. That's fantastic! I found a round terra cotta cooker at the thrift store and grabbed it, but it has no lid. I'm guessing a terra cotta lid would be better than any old lid I could find to fit (it'll need a big one). I confess I've not known how to use it either, so this post was very helpful.

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  6. I am now in love with your terracotta cooker, I had never seen this before I have used the terracotta pots for muffin but that's about it. Thanks for Sharing on Strangers & Pilgrims.

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  7. Such a nicely written story about the value of neighbors, animals we raise and tools we use! I have some terra cotta also but haven't used it very much, and now I am inspired to get it out and cook a beef roast! Thank you!

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