Yankee Doodle Dandy

Tonight is Pot Roast! The greatest use for cheap cuts of beef in existence, pot roast -or Yankee pot roast as it is sometimes called- is quintessential 'Home Cookin'.
  The true beauty of Pot Roast is its use of cheap cuts of beef. Rump roasts, chuck roasts and arm roasts are some of the cheapest cuts per pound and all make great pot roasts. Bone is good- it adds flavor, connective tissue is good- connective tissue is made from collagen and collagen breaks down to gelatin during cooking and gelatin is finger-lickin good.
  Now that you know what roast to use, all you need now is your pot. You need a pot that can take the high heat to brown the meat and heavy enough to absorb the fluctuating heat of a low oven and radiate it constantly to the meat inside. There is only one vessel I know of that can handle that; a cast iron dutch oven.
  Now on to process. First put your dutch oven over medium-high heat and add a bit of oil, canola and peanut are good but coconut oil or beef tallow is best. Try to stay away from olive oils and butter. These have low smoke points and can't handle the high heat.
  Next crack a window and turn on the stove's hood blower if you have one. If not take the batteries out of you smoke alarm for a bit. Season all the sides of the roast with salt and when the dutch oven is hot add the meat. Brown well on all sides- it will improve the flavor of not only the meat but the gravy as well. After your meat is brown you need to add a braising liquid. There are many things you can use. Wine or beer if you are feeling European, possibly beef broth or tomato juice. I go with the no frills approach and use about 2-3 cups water. Though if your tap water tastes like it came out of the public pool I would recommend bottled water for that. After adding the liquid, slap on the lid and put it in a 300° oven for about 2 hours.
  After time's up add 6-8 potatoes- halved, plus a few skinned onions and a small bag of baby carrots. Return the pot to the oven for another hour to hour and a half. After it is finished cooking evacuated the contents to a platter and put the pot on a stove over medium heat. Mix about a quarter cup of flour with a cup of water and stir well in a glass. Using a whisk stir small amounts of the flour/water slurry to the juices in the dutch oven until it is thickened to your liking. Slice the meat and serve with the vegetables and gravy. Viola- Home Cookin'!