Pot au Feu is a French pot roast made in a savory style with vegetables, chicken stock and water. It takes a while to finish cooking although a slow cooker saves time and trouble.

As a boy I recall a French neighbor serving the dish whenever our families gathered together on Sunday afternoons. It was considered a special meal which memorialized the warmth between our families. Sweet and sour ingredients give it a special something—        je ne sais pas.  Make it your meal as well. You won’t be sorry you did.

Sweet and Sour French Pot Roast
Serves 4-6 ( Cook 3 1/4 – 3 1/2 hours at a simmer)

Ingredients
6 pounds boneless Chuck roast
6 cups chicken stock
3-4 cups cold water just below the top of the roast.
6 medium size leeks, trim each end, cut in half and vertically and then cut into rounds; and rinse thoroughly
8 medium carrots, peeled and halved crosswise
6 stalks celery, halved crosswise
2 large onions, quartered and each quarter studded with 4 cloves
1 bouquet garni (Mix 3 parsley stems, 1 branch thyme and 2 bay leaves in a cheesecloth and tie with kitchen twine).
1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp light brown sugar
juice of ½ lemon
¼ cup each dried, diced apricots and prunes
¼ cup diced yellow raisins
2 bay leaves
2 large parsnips, peeled and quartered
1 pound small new potatoes, quartered
8 slices French baguette bread toasted with olive oil, plus additional for passing with marrow bones
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
Directions –

1- Brown 6 lbs of chuck roast on all sides and place in a large pot or slow cooker on top of sliced leeks, carrots, celery, onions and parsnips. Add bouquet garni, some sea salt. a few peppercorns and cayenne.
2—Add enough water and chicken stock to come to the top of the roast without covering. Then cover and bring to a boil over high heat, reducing the heat skimming any foam which forms on the top. Cover and simmer for 2½ hours.
3-Taste and adjust the sweet and sour broth to achieve the desired flavor.
4— Remove the beef, strain the broth and discard the onions and parsnips. Then return the broth and meat to a boil in the pot, add the bay leaves, leeks, carrots and potatoes.
5- Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, partially covered, for 45 more minutes.
6—Remove the meat from the broth and cut the twine. Carefully remove the remaining vegetables from the broth, placing them on a large serving platter, and moisten with some broth. Cover.
7—Strain the broth —reserving in the pot at low temperature— and carve half the meat in 1 inch thick slices moistened with hot broth. Then place on the serving platter with the vegetables. Cover and keep warm.
8- Place 2 slices of beef with vegetables and 2 tbsp hot broth on each plate.
9—Rub the bread with garlic, and lightly toast, before placing in the bottom of a shallow bowl. Pour equal amounts of broth over the baguette toast and serve as a first course. Serve the meat and vegetables as a main course with optional condiments such as grainy mustard, cornichons, small onions in vinegar, and thin slices of olives. Bon Appetite!

Hope you enjoy this version of American Pot Roast.
Note: Keep the remaining beef in the pot with warm broth, for seconds. Bon Appetite!