Tin Plate Special

This is the kind of meal that fed ranch hands and cowboys, a whole roast and a pot of beans cooked together until everything falls apart and you can barely tell where the meat ends and the beans begin.

A six-pound rump roast gets browned hard in a dutch oven, then nestled in with soaked pinto beans, green peppers, sliced onions, tomato juice, tomato sauce, and a sweet-tangy mix of brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and dry mustard. Thyme ties it all together.

It bakes covered for two to three hours, and the whole house fills with that deep, beefy, slow-cooked smell that makes everyone start hovering around the kitchen.

This feeds ten people and then some. Bring it to a potluck and watch it disappear.

Pro Tips

• Soak the beans overnight and boil them for a full hour before adding to the roast. Undercooked beans won’t soften properly in the oven
• Brown the roast on all sides until it has a dark, crusty sear. That caramelization builds the flavor base for the entire dish
• Use a heavy dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid. You want steam trapped inside to braise the meat tender
• Check after 2 hours. The beans should be creamy and the meat should pull apart easily with a fork. If not, give it another 30 minutes