We don't eat a lot of red meat around here because, frankly, it's expensive. So when we do have a nice, plump, delicious roast - it's a real treat! Usually, I like to serve it on Sundays, because it's such a lovely day. But due to the long weekend, we celebrated a lovely Monday last night with this scrumptious feast.
So here we are.
Pot Roast.
I've made pot roasts 1,000 ways and 1,000 times and this recipe is my favorite.
You will need:
- 1 roast, 2-3 lbs.
- 2 whole onions
- 5-8 carrots
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup of red wine (substitute with beef broth if you don't have any)
- 2-3 cups of beef broth (more if you are substituting the wine)
- 1 tsp. dried rosemary (or fresh if you have it!)
- 1 tsp. dried thyme (or fresh if you have it!)
Step One: Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a dutch oven or pot. Slice onions in half, peel of the skin, and place face down in the warm oil. Saute for about two minutes. Flip over and saute for another two minutes (just enough to get the onions semi-brown and slightly juicy). Remove the onions from the pot.
Step Two: Dice the carrots into thick pieces. After the onions are removed from the pot, add the carrots. Let them hang out in there for 3-5 minutes, just until a little brown. This is just to get all the good juicing goin'. Remove the carrots from the pot and add them onto the same plate as the onions.
Step Three: Generously salt and pepper your roast. Add a few more tablespoons of oil, if needed, to your pan. Sear the meat on all sides. This usually takes about two minutes, per side. If the roast is thick, be sure to tilt it on it's side and sear the sides too. Once the roast is browned on all sides, remove to the same plate as your onions and carrots.
Step Four: Using your cup of wine (or beef stock), deglaze the pan. Pour the liquid into the hot pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape all little goodies off the bottom of the pan. We want alllll that goodness. Once you have worked all the little bits off the bottom of the pan, add the carrots, onions, and roast back to the pot.
And now add your herbs....
Step Six: Cover and let simmer, on low, for three hours. Or longer.
Step Seven: Serve! I like to serve ours on a bed of smooched potatoes (boiled red and sweet potatoes smooched with butter, salt, and milk until nice and creamy and delicious!). Upon a suggestion, I stopped putting my potatoes in with the roast (as they tend to turn out flavorless and grainy). Once I served this roast (and carrots, and onions!) on a nicely made dollop of buttery potatoes, it was all over with. I give in. Stick a fork in me.
Actually, stick a fork in this roast and break it apart in all it's tenderness and moisture.
I love tenderness. It's a wonderful trait. Especially in meat.
And men.
I am going to stop now.
The end.
