pot roast for recuperating

My dad had shoulder surgery to repair his rotator cuff last Friday. He has been recuperating at our house. His favorite meal is pot roast. Since his every wish and need is my command, I made it for him.

The big difference with this particular pot roast is the liquid I used to cook it in. I had nearly a full quart of buttermilk in the fridge, so I decided to see what its addition would do to the roast. Since buttermilk is rich in acid, I thought it might make a good meat tenderizer. Then, just to zip it up a bit more, I added a little horseradish to the sauce, once the meat was done cooking. It was a hit with my dad!

Buttermilk-Horseradish Pot Roast Dinner

• 2 tablespoons whole-grain Dijon mustard
• 1 boneless beef chuck roast (about 4 pounds)
• 2 tablespoons onion soup mix (about 1/2 package)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 6 medium gold potatoes, peeled and halved
• 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal into 2-inch pieces
• 1 large fennel bulb, halved, cored, and then quartered
• 2 medium onions, peeled and each cut into 6 wedges
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon creamy prepared horseradish

Spread mustard over roast; place in a slow cooker. Sprinkle with soup mix and pepper.

Arrange vegetables around roast; sprinkle on minced garlic and then pour buttermilk over the top.

Cover and cook on HIGH for 5 ½ to 6 hours or until meat is tender. Transfer meat and vegetables to a platter and keep warm. Let beef stand for 5 minutes before slicing.

Transfer liquid in the slow cooker to a saucepan, skim off any fat and then bring to a boil. Whisk in the horseradish and continue to boil until liquid is reduced to about 1 ½ cups; serve with sliced beef and vegetables.

Serves 8