You CAN Make a Roast with Gravy

Today’s recipe is for an old fashioned, tender beef roast with gravy and vegetables.  And it’s so easy that even a beginning cook can have it turn out perfectly the first time.

Here are some tips to help insure your roast is delicious:

·  Beef cuts are called by different names in different areas of the country, where I live, the best beef cut for our old fashioned roast is called “Regal Rump Roast” or “Eye of the Round”.

·   Always buy “Choice” cut of meat.  “Select” grade may be a disappointment and “Prime” is too expensive or difficult to find.

·   Always let the meat rest before slicing it.  I usually tent it under aluminum foil for 10 minutes before my husband slices the meat.

·  When slicing the meat, slice against the grain.  See the picture below:

2 ½ pound Beef Roast

½ pound of baby carrots

1 onion cut into small wedges

2 cups beef broth

Salt and pepper

Generously season your roast with salt and pepper.  Place in the bottom of your slow cooker.  Place the baby carrots and onions around the roast in the slow cooker.  Pour the 2 cups of beef broth around the roast, trying not to displace all the salt and pepper on the roast.

Cook on high for about 4 hours.

Remove the roast from the slow cooker, place on a platter, and cover with aluminum foil.  Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing against the grain.  Remove the carrots and onions from the slow cooker, place in a bowl, and cover with aluminum foil to keep the vegetables warm.

Gravy -  Make your gravy while the Roast is resting.

Broth left in the slow cooker

2 Tablespoons Cornstarch

1 – 2 Tablespoons of water

Take the fluid remaining in the slow cooker and place in a 2 quart saucepan on the stove.  Cook over medium heat until boiling.  Mix 2 heaping tablespoons of cornstarch with 1 - 2 tablespoons of water in a 1 cup measuring cup.  Stir the mixture well until it is fully blended.  Then take 2 tablespoons of the boiling broth and add to the cornstarch mixture.  Mix well and then add back to the boiling broth.  

Stir the boiling broth until it thickens to your satisfaction. Taste and add salt or pepper if needed. If your gravy is not thick enough, make another cornstarch and water mixture, always temper with the boiling broth before adding it back to the broth in the saucepan. It is this extra step of tempering with the boiling broth that reduces the risk of lumps in your gravy. Stir well, turn the heat down, taste and correct seasonings, if necessary, and let simmer for a few minutes until the roast is sliced and it is time to eat!