"For less than the cost of a Big Mac, fries and a Coke, you can buy a loaf of fresh bread and some good cheese or roast beef, which you will enjoy much more."
- Steve Albini
Rost beef and gravy is one of those things my mom kept in a weekly rotation along with bbq chicken, chicken and dumplings, spaghetti, and homemade pizza. She knew what my brother and I would eat, and she made sure we had it. My kids aren't quite as receptive to these comfort food dishes from my childhood, as evidenced by the fit they both threw when I made it for the first time two nights ago, though both have eaten it at my parents' house. My daughter declared it "yucky" without having tasted the first bite, and my son flat out refused to let it anywhere near his mouth - even disguised as an airplane. Once we finally coaxed my daughter to try it, she said, "Mmm! That's good!" No such luck with my son. At any rate, it was good, if a little bland (I've had bad luck with the salt shaker in the past), and after a sprinkle of salt it was 'licious!
Mom's Roast Beef & Gravy
4-5 lb beef chuck roast
water
1 tsp Kitchen Bouquet
Wondra flour
1. Cube the chuck roast in 1/2" chunks. Put in a pressure cooker. Add enough water to just cover the meat. Check your gasket before you turn on the heat, and then bring it to a steady "jiggle."
2. Once the "jiggler" is getting jiggy with it, turn the heat back to a steady ch-ch (like a heartbeat) for 20 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat. Release the pressure fully (make sure that red button pressure indicator is all the way down, people!), and then carefully and slowly open the lid. Set the lid aside, and using a slotted spoon (I used the Scoop 'n Drain #1622 from Pampered Chef), remove the meat to a separate bowl.
4. Place the pressure cooker back on the stove cap, and raise the heat to medium. Add the Kitchen Bouquet, and then begin to whisk in the Wondra flour. Even though this is superfine and a quick thickener, don't expect it to be completely lump free or to thicken instantly. You will need to bring it to a boil for a bit. Just make sure you whisk all the lumps out that you can. I really have no idea how much flour I added, because we always just shake it in straight from the canister. If I had to guess I would say between 1/4 and 1/2 cup total. Just keep checking the consistency by spooning some up and letting it drip back into the pan. Remember this does not need to be as thick as sausage gravy.
5. Once your desired consistency is reached, pour it over the meat in the separate bowl, stir to mix, and cover with foil.
Now, you need to wash the pressure cooker: Swing it through the air til the bottom has cooled enough you can touch it, then get your water screaming hot before you fill it up to wash it. Otherwise, you risk damaging the pot.
Mashed Potatoes
5 lb potatoes of your choice (I used Yukon Gold this time, but they are a little gummy once mashed)
water
salt
2/3 cup whole milk
1/2 stick butter or margarine
1. Wash, peel, and cut up the potatoes (these were quartered because they were golf ball sized to begin with). The size is not hugely important, but it does affect cooking time. Three-quarter to one-inch dice is about perfect for this method. If you do smaller, they will be mush; if you do larger, they will be crunchy.
2. Just barely cover the potatoes with water in the pressure cooker (please, note where the 1/2 and MAX fill lines are to be sure you are not going over the MAX). Generously salt the potatoes. If you think you've added enough, add a little more just to be on the safe side. Check your gasket and "jiggler" before putting the lid on and putting it on the heat.
3. Bring the heat up til the "jiggler" is giving you all it's got, and then turn the heat down so it is a steady medium-paced ch-ch-ch-ch for 3 minutes (sorry, this is an acquired sound, I don't know how else to describe it). Remove from the heat and release all the pressure before opening the lid. Believe me, my husband can testify to the fact that you do not want to open it before the red button has gone all the way down, especially when cooking potatoes.
4. Remove the lid slowly and carefully, then drain the potatoes. After this point, there are a few ways to mash the spuds:
- High speed stand mixer
- High speed hand-held mixer
- Old fashioned hand-held potato masher
My mom always uses the stand mixer with the wire whisk attachment, because you can get them much fluffier and it takes less time. I typically use the hand-held masher, but you get a lumpier potato (which my kids hate). This time I used my hand-held mixer, and they turned out pretty good. Whatever method you choose, dump your potatoes into the bowl of the mixer (or back into the pressure cooker), and get to work.
5. I do not melt the butter and warm the milk before adding it to the potatoes, but my mom swears by it because she does not want to cool off the potatoes before they are mashed. If you do this, put the milk and butter in a glass measuring cup that is microwave safe, and warm on medium power (50-60%) until the butter is just melted. Please do not boil the milk. If you prefer not to heat it first, just add it to the potatoes and start mixing. You can mix it to your preferred consistency, but smooth and fluffy win the game in our house.
6. Dollop the hot potatoes onto a plate, top with the beef gravy, and serve with a side of green vegetables and a Blue Ribbon Buttermilk Biscuit, and you've got yourself an award winning dinner (if your kids like meat and potatoes, that is)!
Be forewarned that cutting the meat and potatoes will take quite a while. You can freeze the meat for about half an hour before you cut it to make it a little easier, but I don't do that. Also, if you have an extra pair of hands in the house that can take care of the potatoes you won't be quite as long getting dinner on the table. Start to finish, including prep time, it took me about 2 hours. Of course, I was also documenting the process for you folks at home, so that took a little extra time as well. The actual cooking time and assembly is probably about half of that, and prepping the meat and potatoes was about a fourth of it. You can also pressure cook the entire roast at once and then shred the meat. If you choose to do that, you will need to increase the cooking time a little.
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