Bavarian Pot Roast

•3 pounds of a roast, trimmed well so there is little fat

•1 tablespoon oil

•4 carrots cut according to your liking

•2 onions diced

•2 celery stalks, sliced

•3/4-1 cup chopped dill pickles

•1 cup beef broth

•1/3 cup German Style Mustard ( I used Dijon)

•2 bay leaves

•coarse black pepper to taste

•1/4 teaspoon ground cloves ( I used only a pinch)

•2 tablespoons flour

•2 tablespoons water

1.Trim fat from roast. Brown in large Dutch oven, in hot oil. Cover with vegetables and pickles.

2.In a small bowl, combine broth, mustard, pepper, cloves and bay leaves. Pour over meat.

3.Bake in a 325 F oven for 4 hours or in a slow cooker on low for 8-10 hours/high for 4-5 hours. Remove meat from cooker and place on plate to keep warm.

4.Gravy: Transfer veggies to another bowl. Put cooking liquid in a sauce pan or leave it in the dutch oven. Skim fat. Remove bay leaves. Stir flour and 2 tablespoons water or broth together. Stir in to pan and cook till thickened and the raw taste of the flour is gone, about 2 minutes or so.

5.Serve sliced meat, surrounded by veggies, over mashed potatoes  or noodles. Garnish with crisp bacon if desired.