Coffee Roast Beef

With a sharp knife, cut slits into the meat; insert onion slice and slivers of garlic, if used, into slits. Put the meat into a bowl and slowly drizzle one-half to a full cup of white vinegar over it. Cover tightly and refrigerate (marinate) overnight.

Before cooking, pour off the vinegar and wipe the meat with a clean, dry cloth. Place the roast in a heavy pot (a cast-iron Dutch oven is great) and brown it on all sides in 2 tablespoons of oil. Pour 2 cups of strong black coffee over the meat. Add 2 cups water, then cover with a lid and cook slowly on top of the stove for about 6 hours.

You may need to add more water at some point during the cooking process, so check the roast once in a while, but add only a small amount at a time. Do not add salt and pepper until about the last 20 minutes of cooking.

The roast will be fork-tender and the drippings will make a scrumptious gravy.