January 2009

Comfort food. Enter a kitchen filled with the scent of ginger and cloves and all seems right with the world. Spicy Apple Pot Roast needs a cold January night and a loaf of homemade bread for “sopping” the gravy to bring the diner just this side of heaven.

Spicy Apple Pot Roast

2 cups apple juice

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 (5 pound) boneless chuck roast

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large, shallow container. Add roast, turning to coat. Cover and marinate overnight in refrigerator.

Remove roast, reserving marinade. Dredge roast in 1/4 cup flour. Brown roast on all sides in hot oil in a Dutch oven. Add reserved marinade and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 2 1/2 hours or until roast is tender.

Remove roast to serving platter, reserving pan drippings. Combine 3 tablespoons flour and 1/2 cup pan drippings; stir until smooth. Pour flour mixture into remaining pan drippings. Cook, stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly. Serve gravy with roast. Yield: 8 to 10 servings.