Significance

• Due to the long slow cooking period needed by pot roast, it makes an ideal crockpot endeavor. As the meat used for pot roasts is usually older and less tender beef, the grocery store price is much less than that of steak or other premium beef cuts. This makes the pot roast and economical way to feed a large family or gathering where meat is served as the main dish.
  
  

Types

• Pot roast can be any cut of meat, but is most often a lesser cut that is typically tougher with a higher fat content than other meat cuts. The terms are generally applied at the grocery store for a section of beef from the 'chuck' portion of the cow.
  
  

Identification

• Any roast sized cut of meat can be cooked by the pot roast method. The beef chuck roast and the beef brisket cut are the two most popular. Various locales have their own recipes for pot roast. The can include Yankee, New England and Southern versions of the dish.
  
  

Considerations

• A pot roast can be prepared using several different cooking methods. The meat browned and then placed in a large cooking pot. Root vegetables such as onions, potatoes and carrots are often added to the pot. A cup or more water or broth is then added and the roast is cooked. A pot roast is cooked by any means that produces a low, slow cook time. This can include the stovetop, the oven, a crockpot or over a slow burning open fire.
  
  

Benefits

• Any roast sized meat portion, including pork, venison, and mutton can be considered a pot roast. While most people identify a pot roast dinner to be beef, all tougher meats can benefit from this cooking method. During deer hunting season, many hunters gather around the campfire for that first taste of venison pot roast. Pork roasts prepared by this method are tender and juicy and the leftovers can be used for pulled pork sandwiches.