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