Grass-fed Pot Roast

Grass-fed meat is a bit different than the kind that lives in feedlots and eats corn.

• It is healthier.
• It is happier.
• It is better for the environment.
• It is better for the farmer.
• It is leaner.

The meat is different.  You can expect grass-fed cuts to contain less fat and be generally less tender.

So it must be cooked in a way that adds fat and tenderizes the meat.

I am using a basic roast beef recipe from every 100-year-old cookbook I own.  It is not fancy.  I am adding turmeric because it is so healthy (and delicious in a pot roast).

In order to tenderize this grass-fed roast, we are going to use a method of cooking called ‘braising.’

Braising cooks using moist heat (usually in a crock or dutch oven) where a small amount of flavorful liquid is used.  The process begins with browning the outside of the meat (so it will hold in juices) and finishes in a low oven (300 degrees or below) covered tightly.

The tight vessel will hold in all the moisture.  This steams the meat and allows the meat to baste itself inside the pot.

Important notes:

1.  When braising meat, it is imperative that the pot not become dry.  There must be liquid in the pot throughout cooking.
2. The incredible flavor of the roast will be swimming in the braising liquid.  For this reason, you will want to serve the liquids in the pan as a gravy with the roast.
3. Leaner cuts of meat (like grass-fed beef) require longer, slower cooking times in order to produce a fork-tender roast.

Be patient.  It may take a while to get this beauty done, but it is going to be worth it.

This roast is perfectly tender, full of flavor and super healthy.

Veggie Note:

I don’t like it when I eat a pot roast and all the veggies taste exactly the same.  Do you know what I’m talking about?  The onions taste like the roast.  The carrots taste like the roast.  The potatoes taste like the roast.  And the gravy tastes like carrots.

Blegh.

I want my roast to taste like a roast, my veggies to taste like veggies and my gravy to be fabulous.

This roast is a slam-dunk.  Because the veggies are not added until the last hour of cooking – they will taste like vegetables and your gravy won’t taste like carrots.

Mmmm.

1. Browning seals the outside, thus sealing the juices in the roast.  This will make a more tender, juicy roast (not dry and stringy).
2. Browning adds lots of flavor to the entire dish.  The deeper the brown the better (but don’t burn it).

After the meat is browned, remove it from the pan and set aside on a plate or platter.

This is the best pot roast I’ve ever had.

Print Recipe

Grass-fed Roast Beef

Best pot roast I've ever had.

Course

Main Dish

Cuisine

Beef

Servings

people

Ingredients

• 2-3 pound beef roast rinsed, patted dry (grass-fed )
• 2 1/2 tsp Salt to season meat
• 1/4 cup Bacon Grease or lard or other cooking fat to brown meat
• 3 cups beef broth can use chicken
• 2 tsp turmeric
• 4 cloves garlic rough choped
• 2 onions sliced
• 1 tbsp rosemary fresh - or 1 tsp dried
• 4 potatoes chopped in 1 inch cubes
• 3 carrots chopped in 1 inch cubes
• 2 tbsp starch potato or corn
• 2 tbsp water cold

Course Main Dish Cuisine Beef Servings people Ingredients 2-3 pound beef roast rinsed, patted dry (grass-fed ) 2 1/2 tsp Salt to season meat 1/4 cup Bacon Grease or lard or other cooking fat to brown meat 3 cups beef broth can use chicken 2 tsp turmeric 4 cloves garlic rough choped 2 onions sliced 1 tbsp rosemary fresh - or 1 tsp dried 4 potatoes chopped in 1 inch cubes 3 carrots chopped in 1 inch cubes 2 tbsp starch potato or corn 2 tbsp water cold

Recipe Notes

Rinse and pat dry the roast.  Salt the entire roast. On stovetop over medium-high, heat 1/4 cup fat in a dutch oven or large pot with a lid.  Brown the roast on all sides.  After the meat is browned, remove it from the pan and set aside on a plate or platter.

There should be 2-3 tablespoons of fat in the pan after browning the meat.   Add the turmeric, and broth to the pan with the drippings.   Bring to a simmer.  Use a whisk to remove any bits of meat from the bottom of the pan.  Stir the starch in the cold water and add the mixture to the pot.  This will get clumpy and then thicken very quickly.  Remove from heat and add the meat back to the pot.

Sprinkle the sliced onions, garlic, and rosemary on top of and around the roast.  Cover tightly and bake 300 degrees for 2 hours. After 2 hours, take the roast out of the oven & remove the lid.

Wash and cut the carrots & potatoes into 1-inch pieces.  Arrange them around the roast.  Put the lid back on and shove him back into the oven.

Bake 1 more hour and enjoy!

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