Ah…roast beef.  There are about a million “traditional” roast beef recipes out there.  I grew up not knowing that any roast beef existed except for my mom’s.  When I would occasionally order roast beef at a restaurant, I was invariably disappointed by a greasy, dry, stringy roast with weak gravy.  Mom’s roast ruled.  I’m pretty sure this roast originally came from one of my grandmas, but which one is a bit of a mystery.  Either way, it became a staple in my house, and since growing up and getting married, it’s become a staple in my in-law’s house as well. 

 So, imagine my surprise when, talking to a friend in graduate school, I told her about my favorite, family secret roast beef….and was greeted with, “Oh, you guys make white trash beef roast too?!”   I was a bit confused.  I knew my roast was easy to prepare…but I’d never thought of it as “white trash.”  Now that I’ve tested and made a number of other “real” roast beef recipes, I admit it: this is a White Trash roast.  But, I defy you to make a more tender roast, or a more flavorful gravy.  And, in terms of work, it’s no contest.  Now, as my food tastes have “matured,” I’ve tweaked this recipe and played with it.  Ultimately, as good as the innovations are, I come back to the original.  I lovingly embrace the white trashiness of it.  I’ve included a couple variations below, but I suggest you try the original first. 

For ideal preparation you’ll need either a roasting pan and some heavy duty aluminum foil, or a slow cooker.  Using the foil does two things – it makes cleanup a lot easier, and it keeps the liquid up around the beef, so the meat becomes very tender and flavorful. 

Traditional (White Trash) Beef Roast
Ingredients:
1 – 3lb beef bottom round roast (not the flat roast, the hill shaped roast)
2- 14.5 oz. cans condensed Cream of Mushroom soup
1 pkg. dry onion soup mix

To Prepare: Line a heavy roasting pan with enough aluminum foil to completely enclose roast.  Place roast in the middle of the foil.  In a small bowl, mix mushroom soup with dry onion soup mix; pour over roast.  Seal foil around roast.  Bake, in a 350 degree oven for 3-5 hours.  The longer the roast cooks, the more tender it will become.  When the roast is finished, place on a platter to cut.  Drain the gravy into a container by poking a hole in the bottom of the foil and allowing it to drain.  This will also strain the gravy somewhat. 

In a slow cooker, prepare as above, except pour soup mixture into slow cooker, then add roast.  You may want to add additional liquid (water or low sodium broth).  Cook on low for 8-10 hours.  This is wonderful if you start it in the morning before work…when you get home the house will smell wonderful and you’ll have a perfect roast. 

*Variations: Add one bottle of dark beer (I like using a cream stout or a porter) when cooking.  You can also add a large sprig of fresh rosemary to the mixture, which will flavor the gravy nicely.