Growing up, one of the first memories I can recall is our family Sunday dinners. If you were lucky enough to stay the night at my Grandparent’s house on Saturday night, you woke to the wonderful smell of eggs, pancakes, and either sausage or bacon. My grandpa’s breakfast specialty was sausage gravy and biscuits. I was never a fan of this dish, but the smell was always amazing!
The scents of home-cooked breakfast quickly transitioned to Sunday Dinner. In the early days, everyone knew to be at the house by noon for a filling dinner. Filling of food but also of family. I remember chasing my cousins around the house, inside in the winter and outside in the yard, when it was warmer. The lively chatter of everyone catching up on their week carried throughout the house. And, of course, the delicious smells of Sunday Dinner warmed the house and, whether we knew it or not, our hearts.
Typically, the menu consisted of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, and yes, more biscuits. It was also the one day of the week where we could have “pop” or soda with our dinner. That was cool.
As we grew older, everyone spread out and the Sunday Dinners became less and less frequent. Eventually, they fizzled out after my grandmother passed away and my grandfather remarried and eventually moved away. I entered college and we all were busy with our own lives but I always loved the memories of these weekly meals.
Ever since I got married, Sundays were a day to revisit these special meals. To also prepare for the next week and to have a delicious home-cooked dinner. I always enjoy cooking but it’s the one day of the week that I really love putting extra effort into a meal. I guess you could say that it’s my version of Sunday Dinner.
Since my kiddos are still at home, they are subjected to this extra effort. Sometimes they love the meal and sometimes, well, not so much. Kids!!!
This past weekend, I had a chance to experiment with a different way to make a Sunday favorite - Pot Roast. Let me tell you that it was a hit!
We invested in a Traeger Smoker Grill over the summer and it is the most awesome piece of cooking equipment I have ever used. And I have tried a lot! To be honest, I have never been a fan of grilling. I always left that to others. However, this smoker-grill changed that. I love using it. I love the smell of the wood pellets mixed with the meat cooking and I especially love that it is easy to use and makes every dish taste amazing!
This past Sunday was a perfect fall day. The sun was out, there was a cool breeze and you could definitely tell that autumn had arrived. I wanted to be outside and it inspired me to cook my Pot Roast a little differently - on the Traeger. The beauty of the convection style smoker method of this grill is awesome. So awesome in fact that I can’t wait to share my recipe with you. Now, if you have seen any of my other recipes, I tend to like things easy. Aside from a little chopping and searing the meat, this meal is super easy. Easy like Sunday morning. Sorry. I couldn’t resist.
Side note before I explain the recipe- the ingredients can be used for a classic oven roast. It will still taste delicious! However, I am a firm believer in investing in a cast iron Dutch Oven. The beauty of the Dutch Oven is the coated cast iron that prevents sticking along with special design of the lid. The lid has little bumps all over the inner side. This is done to encourage the steam droplets rom the broth to reabsorb into the dish. It is something that can be purchased between $75 up to $200+ but it will last you a lifetime. I tend to give these as gifts (hello, to any bridal registries!) because they are perfect for any cooking level. Hard to burn and easy to clean!
Ok, now on to the good stuff!
What you’ll need:
What you need to do:
This recipe is excellent if served with fresh bread to soak up the delicious broth (recipe coming soon!)
** If using an indoor oven, sear meat in the Dutch Oven on the stovetop. Be sure to add a generous coating of oil and heat the oil before adding meat. Preheat indoor oven to 325 degrees and add veggies, spices and broth mixture to Dutch Oven after searing. Place in oven and bake, as listed above.**
Whether you make this roast in the traditional oven or have the chance to experiment with outdoor cooking, I hope you enjoy the delicious flavors of this roast.
Cooking is always a pleasure for me and adding the memories of Sunday dinner is a bridge that I am happy to share with you.
Until our next journey - enjoy!
Xo,
B.