Guinness Pot Roast

 I have to admit that I didn't try Pot Roast until I was 30 and had moved to America. Growing up in England, the only way to do beef (in my family) was to roast it, add some roast potatoes and Yorkshire puddings, and then pile the mashed potatoes up.

While I still enjoy this in America, my wife introduce me to the concept of pot-roast.

When I first moved to America I was unable to work and so did most of the cooking - we couldn't afford the top beef but I still tried to roast the beef I bought - it was always tough and lost a lot of its flavor. After a few times, my wife suggestion I try pot-roast and explained the recipe to me.

Now, even though I can afford the better cuts of beef, I still make pot roast - occasionally, when the mood takes me, I make Guinness Pot Roast - it's bolder flavor often enhances the whole experience for me.

• 4-5 pound beef rump roast - pot roast recipes are designed to use the poorer quality meats - the cooking process tenderizers the meat, and the extra fat that is in the lower quality cuts actually enhances the flavoring.
• 1 Tablespoons oil - doesn't really matter which oil is used.
• 2 Tablespoons flour (optional) - flour is used to thicken the gravy.
• Salt and pepper.
• 2 large chopped onions - I tend to use red onions to give a slight hint of sweetness.
• 1 large clove garlic crushed. (optional) - Garlic always seems to enhance the flavor of any meal.
• 1-1/4 cups Guinness - you can reduce the amount of Guinness an supplement with Beef Stock - the more Guinness, the more bitter the gravy will be. You can use any ale or dark beer, but I prefer the use of Guinness
• 2 cups chopped carrots - you can also use baby carrots and chop them in half.
• 6 cups of chopped potatoes - you can substitute for any vegetable you want - sometimes I use 3 cups of chopped potatoes and 3 cups of sweet potatoes.
• Your favorite herbs - I tend to bay leaves and a little oregano - also Italian Herbs is a good choice.

• Brown the beef in a frying pan - to thicken the gravy, coat the beef in the flour - you don't have to brown the beef, but for me it just seems to come out better when I do.
• Add the beef to a crock pot and then pour enough Guinness (and or stock) to about an inch to an inch and a half level - as the beef cooks, the juices from the beef will increase the amount of liquid - you can always add more Guinness if the level reduces.
• Cook for a couple of hours on low - you can leave it go all day if you want.
• About an hour before serving, ad the onions, garlic, potatoes and carrots.

• Simply slice or pull apart the beef, and serve - I have one of those crockpots where you can remove the 'casserole' dish - making it easy to serve.
• Once this is cold, remove the beef and save it - get some fresh rye bread, some nice mustard and make yourself a pot roast sandwich.