Sunday, October 17, 2010

Not Yo Mama's Pot Roast


That's right fool.  This aint your mama's weeknight pot-luck special.  This is 2.5lbs of dry aged chuck roast seared and ready to be braised for about 5-6 hours along with a mirepoix of rough cut onions, celery, carrots, potatoes, and fresh herbs on a super low heat (215 degrees). 

For the braising liquid, a combination of about 1 cup of good red wine is used to deglaze the pan and then three cups of dark beef stock are added.  The secret to a good pot roast is really quite simple - a well taken care of and cut piece of chuck (preferably from the blade section), fresh veggies lightly browned to build a base of flavor, a quality braising liquid, and a slow emersion cooking method.  Add in herbs like thyme and rosemary for even more depth of flavor.  Searing the meat is an essential first step because it locks in those juices and adds a nice brown crust to the meat.  For cookware, I prefer a cast iron dutch oven over a crock pot as it heats from all directions, including from the top.  Add a bit of salt to taste. 

You can't mess this up if you follow these basic steps - enjoy!

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