Sunday Pot Roast (LA) Recipe

Roast:
6 slices peppered bacon
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 to 4 pound beef or pork roast

Vegetables:
3 to 4 potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 to 3 stalks celery, cut in 2-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
2 to 3 carrots, cut in 2-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
1 onion, quartered

Gravy:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup milk
2 cups meat drippings (add water if necessary)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Fry the bacon until crisp in the bottom of a large roasting pan in the oven. Remove the bacon, crumble it into small pieces, and set aside. Do not discard the bacon grease in the bottom of the pan.
Mix the flour, salt, and pepper, and coat the roast, pressing the flour firmly into the meat. Place the meat in the bacon drippings, and brown in the oven, on all sides. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Pour in enough water to have about 1 inch of liquid. Place the lid on the roaster, and cook for about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Place the potatoes, celery, carrots, and onion on top of the roast. Add water, if necessary, to maintain a depth of 1 inch. Cook for another 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes, until the meat and vegetables are very tender. Remove the roast and vegetables, and top with the reserved bacon pieces.
To prepare the gravy, mix the flour and milk until smooth. In a medium-size saucepan, whisk together the milk mixture and 2 cups of the meat drippings. Season with salt and pepper.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Tips From Our Test Kitchen:
This might seem like a lot of work, but it’s not. Add a few bay leaves to the cooking water if desired, and experiment with your favorite vegetables.