Clean Oven

 

Begin by preheating the oven to 60c (140f). While the oven is heating, put on a pot of water to boil. Once the oven has reached 60, turn it off and pour 1 cup of ammonia into a heat safe bowl or baking dish and place it on the top rack of the oven. Place the pot of boiling water on the bottom rack, close the oven door, and leave them both in the oven overnight.

The next morning, open the oven and remove both the bowl of ammonia and the pot of water, keep the ammonia – you’ll use it later. Remove the racks and leave the oven door open to air out for 15 minutes. Add 1-2 teaspoons of dishwashing liquid to the ammonia, along with 4 cups of warm water, and using a heavy-duty nylon scrubbing pad dipped in the ammonia mixture, begin to wipe away the softened grease and grime along the sides and bottom of the oven.

It should be a fairly easy job at this point. Wear some kitchen gloves, since ammonia can be caustic to skin. (Apparently the ammonia will be WAY LESS powerful smelling after having sat overnight in the oven). Rinse/wipe clean with a damp cloth.

Betty Watson's Basic Pot Roast

Betty Wason's Basic Pot Roast

 

Serves 6 to 8

• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 5 pounds rump of beef (or other roast suitable for slow-cooking, such as chuck)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons fat or oil
• 2 onions, sliced, or 10 to 12 small onions, peeled
• 1 to 2 carrots, scraped and cubed
• Herbs and seasonings, as desired (we used bay leaf and thyme)
• 1 cup liquid (wine, bouillon, tomatoes, vegetable broth, etc.)
• Other vegetables, as desired (we used baby red potatoes)

1. Season the flour with the salt and pepper and pound the mixture into the meat with the edge of a plate.
2. Brown meat on all sides in the hot fat or oil. Add the onions, cover and cook over low heat 10 minutes. Add the carrots, herbs, seasonings and liquid. Cover tightly and simmer 3 1/2 - 5 hours, until meat is fork tender. Add desired vegetables during the last 20 or 30 minutes.
3. Slow-cooker variation: After browning the meat, transfer to a slow cooker. Pour off excess fat from the pan. Saute onions in the same pan until softened slightly, then add to the slow-cooker. Pour liquid into the pan, scraping up the browned bits. Pour liquid and loosened bits into the slow-cooker, and add carrots and herbs. Cook on low 8 hours or more, adding desired vegetables during the last 20 or 30 minutes. 

I made this for Sunday dinner and must say it's pretty darn good.  Ms Watson knows her stuff!  I used a smaller rump roast about 3lbs, but the same amount of flour.  I added 2 tsp of both onion and garlic powder.  I used 1/2 cup of white wine (all that I had) and 1/2 cup of water.  2 bay leaves and a pretty good size of rosemary.  Using a crock pot I put the carrots in first then the roast on top.  Added the onions after tenderizing in the left over meat oils then put them on top of the roast.  Cooked on low for about 6.5 hours then added small red potatoes.  Cooked still on low for about 3 hours.


I made gravy from the liquid in the crock mixing 2 TBS of melted butter and 3TBS flour then adding to the liquid.  Mixed and let simmer while I cut the roast and served up the carrots, onions and potatoes.

I think Ms Watson's pounding methods really works as the roast had a nice tasty crust.