Peppery Rump Roast with Cider Jus

While looking for some Italian sausage in the freezer I realized I had two rump roasts in there that probably needed to be used soon. I decided I wanted to cook it low & slow in the crock pot. I found this recipe on All Recipes & thought the mixture of spices would give the beef a nice kick. I felt the recipe didn't have enough liquid in it & was afraid the meat would dry out so I added quite a bit more. I also used apple cider as my cooking liquid to give the juices a little sweetness to play against the peppery spices.

The meat got nice & tender with just the right amount of spice. It did need the jus to add a little more juiciness. Matt would have liked the juice to actually be more of a gravy so next time we may cook it down a bit after removing the meat & add a thickner.

We served the beef with steamed Delicata Squash which we'd never had before (it so fits its name with its delicate sweet taste) & some greens sautéed with garlic chips. It was such a warming meal to have after standing outside on a cold evening watching the Coen brothers film their new movie "A Serious Man" in our neighborhood.

Peppery Rump Roast with Cider Jus

1/2 T ground black pepper
1/2 T paprika
1 t chili powder
1/4 t celery salt
1/4 t ground cayenne
1/4 t garlic powder
1/8 t mustard powder
1 lb rump roast
1 c apple cider
1 c water

Mix the pepper, paprika, chili powder, celery salt, cayenne, garlic powder & mustard powder. Rub all over the outside of the roast. Place the roast in the crock pot. Add water & cider. Cover & cook on low for 5 - 6 hours. When meat is tender remove from the pot. Serve with juices.

Serves 2 - 3