Pot Roast

I have been lazy in the kitchen lately. I've sort of slipped into a cooking depression since the loss of my recipe files. It is overwhelming to start all over, but I am coming out of it, slowly but surely. Pot roast is my easy pleasy go-to recipe when I am feeling extra dull. There is no creativity involved and the pressure cooker makes it a brainless task. The rest of my family absolutely loves this meal, they will snack on the left over roast straight from the container in the fridge. This is why I even bother to post it.

My favorite cuts of meat to use are shoulder roast and chuck roast. Pressure cooking tenderizes meat, so you can just buy anything on sale. I love that I don't have to calculate and exact time for cooking, anywhere between 1 and 3 hours is good for a 3-4 lb. roast. You can use any size that will fit in your cooker, and even throw a frozen one in...you'll want at least 90 minutes if you go that route. My favorite is homemade gravy over my whole plate. No store bought for me, those packets and jars make me squirmish. Depending on the cut of meat, a fat separator may be needed to keep the gravy from being down right greasy. This tool is very useful. Just fill with all the cooking liquid, the fat rises to the top and the container pours from the bottom.

1 pot roast, 3-4 lbs
2 cups beef stock
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons Spike seasoning
Red potatoes, quartered
Carrot, cut

Heat cooker to high, brown all sides of meat, 45 seconds each. Pour stock and vinegar over roast and sprinkle with seasoning. Pressure on high for 45 minutes, quick release. Add potatoes and carrots, pressure on high for 4 minutes, natural release.

Gravy
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons flour
2-3 cups beef broth
1/2 cup pineapple juice
salt and pepper to taste
water if needed

Cook flour in butter and oil over medium heat for 2 minutes, add broth and juice. Season and thin if needed. Remember gravy thickens as it cools, so be sure to thin it more than needed so that it is not globby at the table.