Two 3-4 pounds beef roasts OR one beef roast and one pork roastor one or two pork loins – really anything works, so just use what you have. (If you're starting with meat that is already thawed, you could first brown it on all sides in a frying plan with bacon grease or ghee for more flavor, but I rarely think ahead enough and just end up throwing them in frozen.) Again, if you can't find a good local source for safe pastured meats, click here to order online.
2Guinness or other dark beerIf you only have one beer, add a little water with it. Also, if you don't have a dark beer, any beer will do, but it won't have quite as much flavor.
Two hours before you want to eat, toss in the following:
Peel and chop carrots, potatoes, celery, turnips, etc. Anything your family will eat and as much as you can get down into the liquid in the crock pot where it will cook and get soft. I use organic as much as possible.
Note: If you'll be getting home just shortly before you want to eat, you can steam your veggies first to get them soft (it's faster than in a crock pot) and then add them to the juices in the crock pot to get them flavorful, or just serve them with gravy.
GRAVY:
When you're ready to eat, you can either eat it as it is, or if you want gravy (and who wouldn't?)…
Here's how to make gravy:
Remove the meat and vegetables to a serving platter and either put them into your warming drawer if you have one or cover with foil to keep warm. Run a strainer through the liquid to get any grizzly pieces out or smaller bones if needed.
Pour the juices into a frying pan on the stove. Bring to a slow boil. If it doesn't look like you'll have enough gravy you can add some of this organic beef broth in to make sure you have enough. (Made from pastured animals!)
In the meantime mix together 3/4 cup flour with 1/2 teaspoon sea salt in a bowl, then add enough water to make it a little bit thick, but still pretty easy to whisk. (I've read that adding the salt to the flour like that first helps prevent lumps.)
Start adding a little of the meat juices into the flour mixture, a ladle-full at a time and keep whisking -- this is called tempering, it warms up the flour mixture slowly instead of pouring it all into your boiling water quickly, which causes LOTS of lumps. Do this with 3-4 ladles full of juices or so, then take this mixture and pour the whole thing into the pan with the rest of the meat juices, and keep whisking. It should start to thicken quickly.
Start taste-testing as you add herbs and seasonings for flavor, such as parsley, onion powder or garlic powder, a little at a time, more sea salt and pepper, then more taste-testing until it's dreamy. Just salt and pepper is fine too if you're in a hurry.
By the way, some use arrowroot flour or organic cornstarch for thickening instead of flour, but the amounts will be different. I haven't done it enough to have the amounts down pat, so start with a small amount first and go from there.
Serve the gravy over the meat and vegetables and enjoy all the wonderful flavors!