German Style Beef Roast

Remove excess fat from meat. If necessary, cut meat to fit into a 3 1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker.

Cook meat in a large skillet with hot oil over medium heat until meat is brown on all sides. Drain off fat.

Place carrots, onions, celery, and pickles in a slow cooker. Place meat on top of mixture in cooker. Combine in a small bowl 1/2 cup wine, mustard, pepper, cloves, and bay leaves. Pour over meat. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours, or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours.

Remove meat to a serving platter. Cover meat with foil to keep warm.

For gravy, transfer vegetables and cooking liquid to a 2-quart saucepan. Skim off fat. Remove and discard bay leaves. Combine in a small bowl the flour and 2 tablespoons wine. Stir flour mixture into liquid in saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute.

Serve meat and vegetables with gravy. If desired, serve with hot cooked noodles and sprinkle with bacon.