Grass-Fed Pot Roast Recipe

Recipe From Marisa Moon

Whether it’s for momentous occasions or simple milestones in life, pot roast gets everyone into a celebratory mood. The hearty flavors of the meat and herbs make for a happy and unforgettable meal.

This pot roast recipe sent by Marisa Moon, owner of the blog My Longevity Kitchen, is gluten-free and uses whole food ingredients. It’s not just a delicious dish to serve to families and friends, but a healthy one that will benefit your body as well.

Grass-Fed Pot Roast Recipe

Preparation Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 2 hours

 

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 to 2 lbs. grass-fed pot roast or chuck roast (left at room temperature for at least 20 minutes)
  • 1 or 2 white or yellow onions, cut in half, skins removed
  • 3 to 4 organic carrots cut in 2-inch large chunks
  • 3 stalks of organic celery cut in 2-inch large chunks
  • 1 to 2 organic turnips or small/medium organic potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp. dried rosemary or 1 TBSP. fresh rosemary
  • 1 tsp. dried thyme or 1 TBSP. fresh thyme
  • 1 1/2 to 2 cups of homemade bone or beef broth (water or other types of meat broth can be used in a pinch)
  • Himalayan pink salt and black pepper to taste
  • High heat cooking fat such as coconut oil
  • Heavy pot or Dutch oven with a lid

Procedure

  1. Preheat your oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Heat 1 tbsp. coconut oil on high heat, and season the roast with plenty of salt and pepper on all sides.
  3. Once the pan is surely hot, place the roast in the pan using tongs. You should hear a loud sizzle. Time approximately 3 to 4 minutes on the first side to get a good sear.
  4. Sear both sides of the roast. You want a dark brown color, which takes about 3 minutes per side.
  5. Remove the roast from the pan and set it aside on a plate.
  6. Add 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, then the onion halves (flat side down), and the carrots. Brown the onions and the carrots.
  7. Add 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar, and using tongs, scrape the bottom of the pan with the onions. You want all the beefy goodness that is stuck on the bottom of the pan.
  8. Cook the vinegar for 2 to 3 minutes on a good simmer, so you reduce the amount of liquid by half.
  9. Add the celery, turnips/potatoes, rosemary, thyme, and some more salt and pepper. Give everything a good mix.
  10. Now make room for the steak in the center, placing it in the middle, and moving all the vegetables to the outsides of the pan (it’s OK if they are on top of the steak).
  11. Add 1 1/2 cups of broth. Use more broth if needed to cover at least half of the steak.
  12. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven for 2 hours.
  13. Your roast is ready when it’s fork tender and flaking nicely. You may serve it sliced or shredded, on top of the braised vegetables. Finish with a sprinkle of Himalayan pink salt.

Grass-Fed Pot Roast Cooking Tips:

  1. If cooking larger roasts, use extended cooking times. A 3 lb. roast takes 3 hours in the oven, while a 4 to 5 lb. roast takes 4 hours.
  2. For a quick, gluten-free gravy, while the roast is cooking, heat 2 tbsp. of coconut oil or raw, grass-fed butter in a sauce pan. Then, add 2 TBSP. of coconut flour, stirring for 2 minutes, careful not to burn.

    Add 1 cup of warm or room temperature broth and whisk to incorporate. Bring to a simmer and continue stirring occasionally. The gravy will thicken as the heat rises. Season the gravy with salt and herbs. You can add more broth or water if the mixture still looks too thick. If you’re making the gravy ahead of time, it is a great idea to use the broth left in the roasting pan to make this gravy.
  3. Stretch this meal by braising extra root vegetables on the side. Peel and cube the vegetables, rub with coconut oil, and season with salt, pepper, and dashes of rosemary and thyme. Place them in a pot or pan with enough broth to cover half of the vegetables. Cover and cook in the oven while making the pot roast, but check your vegetables after 1 hour.
  4. Slow Cooker Method: This method is great if you do not have time to do the full recipe. Season your meat with plenty of salt and pepper. Place in the slow cooker, top with vegetables and spices, and pour ¼ cup juice and 1½ cups of broth over everything. Cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours.

This Grass-Fed Pot Roast Is Perfect for Any Occasion

For this recipe, grass-fed beef is a must not just for the flavor, but for the added health benefits, too. Conventional beef nowadays comes from cattle kept in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). Cattle in CAFOs are fed harmful growth hormones and additives, and are unable to freely roam around pasture, which exposes them to a higher risk of bacterial contamination.

Grass-fed beef provides higher amounts of beta-carotene that’s good for the eyes, and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) that combats many diseases. It also boasts a healthier ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids that can raise your energy levels. With these qualities, it’s no wonder why this type of beef is superior compared to CAFO beef.

Apart from providing oomph to soups and sauces, homemade bone broth also has positive effects for your body. A warm bowl of bone broth helps lessen joint pain and inflammation, fight infections caused by cold and flu viruses, and promote strong bones and healthy hair and nails.

When compared to other vegetable oils commonly used for cooking, coconut oil is the runaway winner. With a smoke point of 350 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s able to withstand higher temperatures, and does not oxidize quickly and become damaged.1 The medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) present in the oil are digested easily, so they cross cell membranes readily. These MCFAs can also be converted into energy instead of fat by the liver.

Coconut oil is also a good energy booster that does not cause dangerous insulin spikes on the bloodstream when consumed, and is able to support a strong metabolism that can help with weight loss. It enhances the function of your heart, brain, thyroid, and immune system, and assists in maintaining your skin’s youthful glow.

About the Author

Inspired by the ideas from the “Perfect Health Diet” and the Weston A. Price Foundation, Marisa Moon started her blog My Longevity Kitchen so she can share with other people her whole food and gluten-free recipes that maximize nutrition and minimize toxins. Her blog has been nominated for Paleo Magazine’s 2015 Best New Blog Award. All of her recipes are gluten free and compliant with a variety of ancestral diets and real food lifestyles.

Apart from managing her blog, Marisa also teaches nutritional lifestyle workshops and develops recipes for HI-VIBE, an organic superfood juicery, all in Chicago, Illinois.

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