Scotland's Roast Beef Dinner

 Scotland's Roast Beef Dinner 

Recipe by Robert and Siphannay Burnes

 Scotland's Roast Beef Dinner

    This is the type of dinner or lunch that will stick to your ribs. It's a hardy meal that is best on those cold, wet nights when you want something that just makes you says, "aaaaahhhhh." The best part about this recipe is that it can be adjusted a million ways to suit your desires. You want it spicy? Go for it. You want it peppery? You be you. This is the go-to meal for people visiting the Burnes home in the winter and the go-to meal whenever we are camping in the fall. 

MEAT

    This is one of those areas that the meat doesn't really matter. No one will know that it was chewy or hard as a rock or too soft. It's going to get lovingly braised so it will be as soft and tasty as a prime rib. WHICH is another great choice for this dinner. However, we go with the pot roast. 

INGREDIENTS 

1. Pot Roast; 

2. Chicken Stock (About 5 Cups); 

3. 1 teaspoon of pepper; 

4. 1 teaspoon of salt; 

5. 1/2 cup of flour;

6. 1 tablespoon of cornstarch; 

7. 1 tablespoon of butter; 

8. 1/4 teaspoon of cumin; 

9. 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder; 

10. 1 teaspoon of rice vinegar; 

11. 1 Tablespoon of brown sugar; 

12. 1/2 cup of cream. 

PREP

1. Mix the flour, corn starch, pepper, salt, cumin, and brown sugar into a bowl; 

2. Dredge the pot roast in the dry mix. Set the dredge aside for later; 

3. In a large pot (We use a dutch oven), melt the butter; 

4. As soon as the butter is melted, place the pot roast in the pot and allow it to cook on each side for 5 minutes or more. You're looking for a searing, crispy texture to form; 

5. Once the pot roast has been seared, add the chicken stock, rice vinegar to the pot. The liquid should almost cover the pot roast. Cover the pot. Here's what we did: (1) Put the dutch oven in the oven at 300 degrees and cooked for four hours (You will have to check to ensure that there is enough stock-add more as required; (2) If you do not have a dutch oven, place the covered pot on the stove top and cook on low for about four hours. You will have to watch this carefully to ensure it does not burn and you never, ever, ever, never leave a stove top unattended; (3) You can transfer all of this to a cooking dish and wrap it in foil. Reduce heat to 290 degrees and cook for four hours. 

6. Check the meat at the end of the cooking cycle. It should fall apart with little effort. If that is not the case, continue to cook until it does. 

7. Once the meat is fully cooked, remove the meat, carefully, from the pot/dutch oven/cooking dish to a clean cooking dish; 

8. Put the oven on broil and put the meat inside. Broil at 500 for 5 to 9 minutes or until the top of the meat is seared; 

9. Turn stove top on low and place stock in a pot (Or keep it in the pot if that is what you used to cook the meat). Take that dredge you reserved and pass it through a fine colander and mix into the stock with a whisk. Add the cream; 

10. Add flour as needed to thicken the gravy. We like it thick enough to coat a metal spoon. Once it can coat the spoon, turn the stove off and set this aside; 

11. Get ready to serve up this goodness. 

OPTIONAL SIDE

    We love mashed potatoes in this house and it shows. However, we were making it all wrong. Here's how you make the best mashed potatoes you've ever had. 

1. Wash, peel, and cut 3-4 of potatoes and place them in a pot; 

2. Pour enough milk in the pot to cover 3/4 of the potatoes; 

3. Add 1 tablespoon of butter in the pot; 

4. Boil until the potatoes are soft. You may need to add more milk to ensure there is enough milk (just say of the 3/4 of the top of the potatoes); 

5. Once the potatoes are soft, turn the stove off and add salt and pepper to taste. Mash it up. Lumpy, no lumps-your call. 

SERVING 

    Place a heaping portion of pot roast on the plate and pour a little gravy on it and add a dollop of horseradish sauce to the side. Place a scoop of potatoes on the plate and enjoy this wonderful slice of our history.