Perfecting Pot Roast
Have you noticed that in restaurants it’s becoming trendy to make gourmet versions of traditional foods such as mac and cheese, meatloaf and pot roast? I’m still not a huge fan of meat loaf, but I’ve been inspired to try to make delicious, perfect pot roast because one of my favorite restaurants in Washington, D.C., Firefly, makes the most amazing mini-pot roast that I’ve ever tasted. Every bite literally melts in your mouth. It is quite possibly one of my favorite meals. They also have a gluten-free menu with many other items, but I usually just stick with the pot roast because it’s that good.
I tried making pot roast last winter and it was a total failure. Dry meat and mush vegetables. No good at all. Everyone politely ate it but I knew it wasn’t good because I had to eat it too! Recently I went for my second attempt to make perfect pot roast and the final produce was a huge improvement. Still not the best meal I’ve ever made but a huge step in the right direction. At least this time people got seconds.
I used the recipe from Sara Foster’s Fresh Every Day cookbook. It’s relatively simple and easy to follow. She uses carrots and potatoes, seasonally fresh veggies, as well as lots of fresh herbs. I like her use of red wine in the liquids and of course I always love a reason to use the Dutch oven!
“Mom’s Pot Roast” from Fresh Every Day
- 1 3-pound beef chuck roast, at room temperature
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons canola or safflower oil (These are good for cooking at high heats, as opposed to olive oil, my usual oil of choice.)
- 1 large onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
- 6 carrots, cut into two-inch pieces
- 6 fresh thyme sprigs
- 6 fresh rosemary sprigs
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 4 to 6 cups beef broth
- 1 pound small red-skinned or fingerling potatoes
Preheat oven to 325.
Season the roast (very) generously on all sides with salt and pepper.
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or deep, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. (I think the D.O. is the way to go for this recipe.) Add the roast and sear to a rich, brown color, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Transfer the roast to a plate and set aside.
Add the onion, 2 of the carrots and the herbs to the pot you cooked the roast in. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are light brown and the onion soft, 3 to 4 minutes.
Return the roast to the pan, add the wine and enough broth to nearly cover the roast, and bring to a low boil over medium heat.
Cover with a lid or aluminum foil and place the meat in the oven, roasting for 2 hours and 30 minutes. Add the potatoes and remaining carrots and continue roasting for another 40 to 60 minutes, until the meat breaks apart easily and the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. (I actually put the potatoes and carrots in about 30 minutes earlier than the recipe said. I don’t think you can overcook them.)
Transfer the roast to a shallow serving bowl and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Remove the herb stems from the pot. Use a large spoon to skim the fat off the top of the pan juices, pour the juices and the veggies over the roast and serve warm.
Once you take the roast out of the Dutch oven, you want to serve it as soon as possible because it dries out quickly. If your guests are running late, just leave it in the DO, in the oven, still soaking in the juices.
Pot roast is best just served with the vegetables it cooked with and a simple salad. As you can see, the pot roast wasn’t the most photogenic meal I’ve ever made, but still a good recipe for a hearty winter dinner. I have room for improvement on this one, but definitely a step in the right direction.
