All-Spiced-Up Beef Pot Roast with Cherries & Prunes

All Spiced Up Beef Pot Roast with Cherries and Prunes

I adore spices. All kinds of spices. You might even say I’m a spice fanatic. I am constantly collecting them. Every time I see a new spice I haven’t tried before I must have it. And when I get it home I use it in everything I can think of. Spices can take any boring run-of-the-mill piece of meat or vegetable and turn it into something flavorful and delicious.

This roast is made with a fascinating combination of spices and slow-cooked until tender and juicy. If you don’t have all the spices called for in the recipe, omit some or replace with something else. Use your nose to test your combination. Cooking is a lot about experimentation and spices are the adventure!

Ingredients:

2 ½ lb beef top round roast, trimmed of all visible fat

1 Tbsp whole allspice

1 Tbsp whole cloves

2 cinnamon sticks

2 bay leaves

½ cup dried cherries, pitted

½ cup prunes, pitted and halved

½ cup red wine

1 cup water

Spice Rub Mixture*

*Spice Rub mixture:

1 tsp each of smoked sea salt, black pepper, cumin, paprika, ground cardamom, garlic powder, yellow curry powder & fennel seed

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:

Combine spice rub mixture and rub all over beef roast. Place the roast with the other ingredients in a crock pot or slow cooker and set on low for 8 hours. To save time later fishing out the allspice and cloves from the juice, tie them in a cheese cloth before placing in the cooker. (I learned this the hard way!)

Remove the roast and place on a large platter. Slice it thinly across the grain or use two forks break it into smaller pieces. Remove the allspice, cloves, cinnamon sticks and bay leaves from the cooking liquid. Pour the liquid with the cherries and prunes over the roast or serve on the side.

Servings: 7      Serving Size: 4 ounces*

Calories: 284               Fat: 5.5g          Sat. Fat: 1.4g   Carbs: 16.3g

Sodium: 355.4mg        Fiber: 1.8g       Sugar: 9g         Protein: 36.5g

*Nutrition facts are calculated including the liquid but the 4 oz serving size is weighed before the liquid is added.