A pot roast recipe that makes you feel comfy cozy just thinking about it
April 6, 2020 7:11 PM Subscribe
It's no longer comfort food season for most of us, but let's be honest, it's still comfort food season for most of us. On a whim I bought (while strictly observing all best social distancing practices) a pot roast, some red wine, onion, carrots, celery, rosemary and thyme on my trip to the store, and am looking for favorite preparations for a pot roast that will help my family, you know, deal with everything.
I think Kenji from Serious Eats has braises and stews nailed. Here’s his.
posted by supercres at 7:21 PM on April 6, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by supercres at 7:21 PM on April 6, 2020 [1 favorite]
Clove is an important part of the flavor of a good pot roast for me.
posted by Candleman at 7:39 PM on April 6, 2020
posted by Candleman at 7:39 PM on April 6, 2020
There are a couple minor variations you can search for, but America's Test Kitchen's Simple Pot Roast has treated me right.
posted by hankscorpio83 at 7:52 PM on April 6, 2020
posted by hankscorpio83 at 7:52 PM on April 6, 2020
Kenji's version is kind of a lot, and you may have to make do with whatever umami devices you have at home since Marmite and anchovies might not be things you have on hand, but the general idea and methodology is sound. Even if you don't have gelatin, you end up with an amazing gravy, which is a big deal. I like pot roast with garlicky slightly herby scones for a quick side, but if you have time on your hands and really want to do some baking I recommend pretzel rolls or gougeres.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:16 PM on April 6, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Lyn Never at 9:16 PM on April 6, 2020 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I make pot roast a lot, and - not to blow my own trumpet - but mine is pretty awesome. The meat must be chuck or a similar cut, nothing lean, and I prefer a solid piece rather than cubes because when you brown cubes of meat, you lose a lot of moisture. The first few steps can and should be done semi-simultaneously.
1. Take the meat and brown it on both sides on high heat in a frying pan. I use a non-stick pan because I'm a philistine, but if you're using cast iron or whatever, deglaze any bits using liquid (red wine).
2. I like to fry the onion because I think it softens the flavor and gives it a real depth, but I guess it's not strictly necessary. When I use mushrooms, I also fry them at this stage.
3. Cut the potatoes and carrots, and par-boil them. This prevents them from remaining hard with the low heat of the slow cooker.
4. Put a tiny bit of olive oil at bottom of slow cooker, and spread it over the whole bottom (this prevents any sticking).
5. Place meat at bottom of slow cooker, then potatoes and carrots, then celery, then onion. (Slow cooker should be more than 1/2 but no more than 2/3 full.)
6. Add a generous amount of rosemary, plus other herbs (I use thyme, sage, and black pepper).
7. Add red wine, balsamic vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce in something like a 8:4:1 ratio. You can also add a spoonful of marmite if you have it.
8. Turn slow cooker to low (this is important for beef: it needs to cook for a long time on low to be soft). Cook for 8-12 hours, depending on slow cooker, pounds of meat, etc. It's done when meat falls apart when you poke it. Try to avoid opening the slow cooker lid to peek, because it adds hours to the cooking time each time you do.
9. This step is annoying but I think it really improves things, especially if you're watching your carbs and don't want to add flour. Take a slotted spoon and remove all the solid ingredients in the slow cooker, and then pour the liquid through a sieve into a pan. Replace solid ingredients to slow cooker, and set to "keep warm". Cook the liquid on medium heat until it is reduced by 2/3. Turn the heat down to low and whisk butter into the liquid (I use a lot of butter - 4 ounces of butter for a stew containing about 1.25 pounds of meat - and in ideal circumstances I prefer Kerrygold grassfed because I think it gives a much richer flavor). If liquid starts to separate, whisk in a bit of cream to emulsify.
10. You can either pour the resulting gravy over the meat in the crockpot and then serve, or plate the meat/veg and then pour a bit of gravy over each one while on the plate. Either way, delicious!
posted by ClaireBear at 11:29 PM on April 6, 2020 [2 favorites]
1. Take the meat and brown it on both sides on high heat in a frying pan. I use a non-stick pan because I'm a philistine, but if you're using cast iron or whatever, deglaze any bits using liquid (red wine).
2. I like to fry the onion because I think it softens the flavor and gives it a real depth, but I guess it's not strictly necessary. When I use mushrooms, I also fry them at this stage.
3. Cut the potatoes and carrots, and par-boil them. This prevents them from remaining hard with the low heat of the slow cooker.
4. Put a tiny bit of olive oil at bottom of slow cooker, and spread it over the whole bottom (this prevents any sticking).
5. Place meat at bottom of slow cooker, then potatoes and carrots, then celery, then onion. (Slow cooker should be more than 1/2 but no more than 2/3 full.)
6. Add a generous amount of rosemary, plus other herbs (I use thyme, sage, and black pepper).
7. Add red wine, balsamic vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce in something like a 8:4:1 ratio. You can also add a spoonful of marmite if you have it.
8. Turn slow cooker to low (this is important for beef: it needs to cook for a long time on low to be soft). Cook for 8-12 hours, depending on slow cooker, pounds of meat, etc. It's done when meat falls apart when you poke it. Try to avoid opening the slow cooker lid to peek, because it adds hours to the cooking time each time you do.
9. This step is annoying but I think it really improves things, especially if you're watching your carbs and don't want to add flour. Take a slotted spoon and remove all the solid ingredients in the slow cooker, and then pour the liquid through a sieve into a pan. Replace solid ingredients to slow cooker, and set to "keep warm". Cook the liquid on medium heat until it is reduced by 2/3. Turn the heat down to low and whisk butter into the liquid (I use a lot of butter - 4 ounces of butter for a stew containing about 1.25 pounds of meat - and in ideal circumstances I prefer Kerrygold grassfed because I think it gives a much richer flavor). If liquid starts to separate, whisk in a bit of cream to emulsify.
10. You can either pour the resulting gravy over the meat in the crockpot and then serve, or plate the meat/veg and then pour a bit of gravy over each one while on the plate. Either way, delicious!
posted by ClaireBear at 11:29 PM on April 6, 2020 [2 favorites]
Before I turned vegan, Ina Garten's brisket recipe was always a winner.
posted by essexjan at 6:02 AM on April 7, 2020
posted by essexjan at 6:02 AM on April 7, 2020
You have a nice roast full of connective tissue and fat that will dissolve and melt out with long slow cooking. It's hard to screw up. I brown the meat in the Dutch oven, with plenty of fragrant olive oil, then deglaze with red wine. I layer in the onions next so they'll mostly dissolve. Another option is to caramelize the onions separately and add them on top. Then carrots because carrots cooked to much in meat are delicious and in my family, there are never enough, then potatoes. Salt, pepper, rosemary, a bay leaf if you have one. Worcestershire sauce is a nice addition. Cover. Slow (275) oven until done. I do not add extra liquid or flour. If you prefer thicker gravy, make a roux, and make gravy from the pan juices. The potatoes and onion will thicken the juices a bit.
If you have a spare red onion, or any onion, make quick-pickled onions as a condiment, along with mustard or horseradish, though condiments are not necessary.
posted by theora55 at 7:03 AM on April 7, 2020 [2 favorites]
If you have a spare red onion, or any onion, make quick-pickled onions as a condiment, along with mustard or horseradish, though condiments are not necessary.
posted by theora55 at 7:03 AM on April 7, 2020 [2 favorites]
Not sure how to 'deglaze' but then, I din't know what 'reduce' meant either until I learned this recipe which I've used with success now many times.
posted by Rash at 8:01 AM on April 7, 2020
posted by Rash at 8:01 AM on April 7, 2020
Add red wine, balsamic vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce in something like a 8:4:1 ratio.
Can confirm: balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire sauce really brings it up a notch.
posted by sjswitzer at 10:05 AM on April 7, 2020 [1 favorite]
Can confirm: balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire sauce really brings it up a notch.
posted by sjswitzer at 10:05 AM on April 7, 2020 [1 favorite]
Rash, deglazing a pan just means that after you take out the browned meat, you add wine or water or stock and turn up the burner so that it lifts all the nice browned crunchy bits off the bottom and starts to make you a broth. Once it has mostly simmered off, add the onions and turn it back down, then proceed with whatever recipe you are using.
Mine is from Fannie Farmer, if you have it, but I tend to tinker with it. I think that the important thing is not to rush - don't burn the onions, add things in their proper order. I like to add a bit of tomato paste either to the browning meat or to the onion step, and cook until it turns darker brown.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 12:11 PM on April 7, 2020
Mine is from Fannie Farmer, if you have it, but I tend to tinker with it. I think that the important thing is not to rush - don't burn the onions, add things in their proper order. I like to add a bit of tomato paste either to the browning meat or to the onion step, and cook until it turns darker brown.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 12:11 PM on April 7, 2020
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by HotToddy at 7:20 PM on April 6, 2020 [1 favorite]