Slow Roasted Beef ~ On Sale!

In case you didn't know, one of the best ways to save money on groceries is to stock up when something is on sale.  I don't do much couponing because they are usually for processed foods I don't buy.  So I read the store flyers every week and decide where I will shop based on their sales.  

This week it was Kroger's and all because they had beef roast on sale for $1.99 a pound!  I can't buy hamburger that cheap.  I had been wanting to get some beef so I could can it.  $1.99 was too good to pass up.  There was one catch though, it was a limit of 2 packages with an additional $10 purchase.  Eh, that's ok, I can work with that.  So far I have been to Kroger 4 times in as many days, I may make one more run tomorrow before the sale ends.

So far I have 8 roasts ranging from 2.75 to 4.25 pounds.  I am slow roasting them in the oven so I get rich broth and very flavorful and tender meat.  I had a sandwich at lunch today and it was wonderful.

To slow roast you put the meat in a pan or pot, I use a glass, deep baking dish because it fits in my toaster oven.  (My regular oven does not work so I have a large toaster oven.)  I chop up a small onion and add that to the top & sides, liberally sprinkle garlic powder, seasoned salt and pepper, add water but don't fill to the top as the meat will make more juice.  I don't have a lid so I cover mine with foil.  In the oven it goes as I go to bed, on 175 degrees.  It will slow roast all night and get taken out in the morning.  

This makes the richest broth you have ever seen and the meat just falls apart, even if it was the cheapest and toughest cut.  I'm pressure canning my beef and broth since I don't have freezer room and don't want to lose it if the power goes out.  It also makes for quick meals, just heat and serve without all the preservatives and msg.  Serve over noodles or rice with a nice side vegetable, just like Sunday dinner at Grandma's!

I can my meat in pints as I am just one person, that's at least 2 servings, maybe 3.  Don't pack it too tight in the jars and cover with broth.  You can drain it when you open it and make gravy from the broth for those mashed potatoes.

Always check the clearance section of your grocery store too, I picked up 12 containers of fruit fresh/citric acid for 59¢ each!  And 3 packages of pickling lime for 79¢ each.  You never know what you will find.  Today I got 4 cans of Campbell's tomato soup for 39¢ each because they had dents.  I will use those this week for lunches to go with a sandwich, pretty cheap lunches.