Test 1 - Neck of Beef

For Christmas my dear heart gave me the classic "Food in England" by Dorothy Hartley. Now, French food is my passion, but I love food and food history and ethnography no matter what it is. This book is an amazing compendium of English food history! I am reading it with rapt attention, savouring every bit of it. Most recipes are written for wood fire or coal stove cooking, but Hartley often gives indications of how an electric or gas oven can be used to try and replicate these recipes. I've tried only one, so far, adding a few elements to please my palate. Here's a draft of the first attempt, which was very successful.

2 - A few years later. I remember the first attempt working, but mostly I remember that I used the clay pot Tina gave me and the dough seal damaged the finish. Harumph! I made it again this Feb 2021 with beef we bough with Roz and Michael in one of the new stainless steel pots I bought from Costco to replace the damaged non-stick pots we used to have. Generally, the vegetables turn out like mush from the long cooking time, but the meat is very tender. I'm going to try using the veg to make soup. It also occurs to me that this a good recipe for wood cook stoves in the winter, but in terms of using electricity or gas, it would make more sense to use a slow cooker.

3 - If it does make more sense to use a slow cooker, I still have to figure it out. The vegetables were uncooked and the meat was done. Hmmm...

Any chuck beef, boneless
Bacon fat (or beef drippings if you're so lucky)
Cut in matchsticks all of the following or whatever you have on hand, enough for a 2" layer on the bottom and to fill the empty spaces around the roast, sides and top :
- Carrots
- Turnips
- Parsnips
- Onions
- Rutabaga
- Fresh beans
- Peas
Salt and pepper
2-3 sprigs thyme
1 Tbsp brandy
? 1 cup flour
? 1/2 cup water

1. With about a Tbsp fat, sear all the sides of the beef until brown.
2. Liberally coat the inside of a Dutch oven or clay cooking pot with the bacon fat.
3. Layer the 2" of veg at the bottom.
4. Set the seared beef in the middle of the pot, seasoning liberally with salt and pepper.
5. Tuck in the vegetables around the side, along with the thyme sprigs, and cover the beef with the remainder of the veg, until the pot is nicely filled but the lid still fits.
6. Add 1 Tbsp brandy over all.
7. Mix the flour and water, kneading just enough to get a consistent, stiff and pliable dough. Use this dough to seal  the pot by running it under the join of the pot lid and pressing the lid down enough to create the seal. Do not open the pot while it's cooking.
8. Place in a 325F oven for 2-4 hours, depending on the size of the roast...