FALL-APART, PRESSURE COOKER, POT ROAST

 When I was growing up, one of my very favorite meals was Roast, Rice and Gravy!  It still is!!  My mom and grandmother's roasts were just mouth-watering!  Most people cook their roast in the oven but they cooked theirs in a pressure cooker.  Once the roast is browned really well, I put it in the pressure cooker for 45 minutes and it literally falls apart.  We didn't even need knives last night!

A lot of people are nervous about using a pressure cooker.  I still use the one my mom gave me so it is older but there are new and improved pressure cookers on the market now.   I use my pressure cooker to cook potatoes for mashed potatoes, roasts, beans, chicken and anything I want to cook fast!  Potatoes cook in about 5-10 minutes.  I can't remember, with accuracy, how long beans and chicken take but I cooked 6 pounds of roast last night in 45 minutes...awesome (in a singing opera voice)!  My friend, Deena Wilson, wrote me on my Facebook page and said she uses her pressure cooker to cook peas.  In Trisha Yearwood's cookbook, "Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen", she writes, "..I would encourage everyone who doesn't have a pressure cooker to get one.  They are safe and they save a ton of time in the kitchen."  So, when you get a chance, invest in a pressure cooker, I think you will be glad you did.  

If you do not have or do not want to use a pressure cooker....
I would place the browned roast in a roasting pan.  Pour water into the pan.  Although, there is not an exact amount of water to use here, I would add enough to come up on the roast about 1/3 of the way.  This water will turn into broth that you will use to make your gravy in the end.  I would first add water to the pan you browned the roast in and use a spoon to lift the bits from the bottom of the pan and then pour this over the roast in the pan.  Then if you feel like you need more water, add it.  I would bake the roast, covered,  in a 350 degree oven for at least 3 hours.  Try not to peek...you want the steam to stay in and make the roast tender and moist!  

Oh...one funny note...I was in a hurry last night, (what else is new), so I was literally chopping carrots and throwing them in the oven.  Didn't look at them again until it was time to take them out of the oven and serve them.  My son-in-law, Daniel, called them "Pepper Sticks"!  I had doused them with sooo much pepper that that is exactly what they looked like...haha!  Wish I would have taken a picture!!

Here we go.....

FALL-APART, PRESSURE COOKER, POT ROAST

 2 - 3 lb. Chuck Roasts
Fresh Garlic cloves
Garlic Salt
Garlic Powder
Pepper
Canola Oil (or your oil of preference to brown roast)

Make slits in the roast with a sharp knife

 Sprinkle roast with pepper.  I like the taste of pepper on my roast and remember some will stay on the roast and some will cook off and into the drippings.  

Next, sprinkle liberally with garlic salt and garlic powder.  Again, let me remind you that not all of the the seasonings will stay on the roast but will fall off during the cooking process.  I completely cover the roast with both!

 Rub the spices into the roast

I had two chuck roasts so I browned one in a cast iron skillet and the other one in the pressure cooker.  Put enough oil to cover the cooking surface.  You want the oil very hot so that it will sear the roast immediately.

Now, the darker the roast is cooked the richer your gravy will be.  I like mine almost burnt.  You have to watch it very closely. If it is a little burnt...no biggie...you just don't want it completely black..ha!  Turn the roast and cook it the same on the other side!

Sorry it's blurry...didn't know until I uploaded it!

 Remove the roast from the the pan/pot and pour off the grease

Place both roasts into the pressure cooker and add water.  Cover with the lid and cook for 45 minutes.  (Please remember to follow directions for the pressure cooker)  If you are cooking the roast in a roasting pan, then place the roasts in the pan, add water to the pot/pan that you cooked the roast in and cook on low heat.  Use a spoon to lift the cooked bits from the bottom of the pan.  Those drippings will add all the rich flavor you want for the gravy.  Pour that over the roasts in the pan, cover with foil/lid, and bake for at least 3 hours at 350 degrees.  Resist the urge to peek. 

After 45 minutes, turn off the heat from the pressure cooker, and allow to rest, still covered, until safe to remove the lid.

This roast will literally fall apart.  

Now to make gravy.  Put about 1/2 cup flour in a jar or cup and add enough water to make the consistency of thick gravy.  If you cooked your roast in a roasting pan, pour that into a medium to large sauce pot, place on stove over medium heat.  Pour the flour mixture in slowly, whisking to avoid lumps.  You may have to make and add more if you have a lot of juice.  Continue cooking until you have the consistency that you desire for your gravy.  To speed up the process, sometimes I will take about 1/4 cup of cornstarch, put it in a cup and add enough water to make a gravy like consistency and add that at the end. It will instantly thicken to 

a gravy consistency.  

Here is the final product!

You can see a little clove of garlic peeking out on the bottom right hand corner of this picture!

ENJOY!