Forget about cheffy burgers, artisanal farm-to-table pork buns or the progression of locally sourced, pastured and sustainably raised datum of dishes one must eat for culinary correctness and instead plunge your fork into the classic pot roast.
It’s so old-fashioned—but never out of style–it may rank as the perfect helping of comfort food. And the thing is it’s so easy to make at home as an especially good Sunday supper. All you need is some time for low and slow oven roasting in a covered pot.
A Dutch oven is the cooking receptacle of choice, and the best are those enameled cast-iron pots made by Le Creuset.
Traditionally the two best cuts for pot roast are the chuck roast or brisket. Other cuts such as shoulder, rump and top round don’t have the same marbling as the very fatty cuts of chuck.
Then there’s always confusion between pot roasting and braising. Aren’t they the same? Essentially but braising is done in a modicum of liquid such as wine or stock.
Pot roasting doesn’t rely on a liquid base but rather produces its own braising liquid from the large amount of chopped or sliced onions put on the bottom of the pot and on top of the meat.
So this pot roast that I offer is a 3- to 4-pound boneless chuck roast, rolled and tied. It’s lightly coated in seasoned flour (I use a mixture of kosher salt, black pepper and garlic salt). It’s browned on all sides, removed momentarily from the pot, to which you then add two layers of sliced onions: half on the bottom of the pot, and flavored with chopped garlic and rosemary or thyme ; the beef is placed on top and then covered with the remaining onions, herbs and garlic.
The final fillip is to add large chunks of peeled potatoes and carrots. Even after 3 hours of cooking the vegetables emerge perfectly done.
Since the roast will render a lot of fat it’s best to put the entire pot (once it’s cooled down) in the refrigerator to chill overnight. The fat will congeal and can be easily lifted off just before reheating. The sauce will have lots of body, but you can thicken it with a beurre manie–flour and softened butter worked together and blended into the simmering sauce to thicken nicely.
Note, you can use this method to cook similar cuts of pork or lamb for a delicious difference. And if you can find it (not easy) get a chuck roast on the bone; most butchers, however, bone the beef.
In Local sources: best cuts of chuck at the best price (about $4.99 per pound) are Bisson’s in Topsham; Pat’s Meat Market, Portland and Curtis Meats, Warren. It’s unnecessary to get expensive organic, pastured beef; you want a fatty cut and pastured beef tends to be leaner. Besides, all the beef at Bisson’s and Curtis Meats are raised on pasture at their own farms but finished off with grain.
Ingredients
- 3- to 4-pound boneless chuck roast (or 5 pounds with bone), rolled and tied
- Canola or olive oil
- Flour seasoned generously with kosher salt, black pepper and garlic salt
- 3 to 4 large onions, peeled and sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed, peeled and chopped
- Handful of chopped herbs such as rosemary and thyme
- 3 to 4 yellow-fleshed potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 3 to 4 carrots (mixed colors are good), peeled and cut into large pieces
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees
- Put about 1/2 cup flour on a large plate and mix in the salt, pepper and garlic salt. Lightly dredge the roast on all sides with the flour, shaking off excess.
- Heat about 2 to 3 tablespoons oil in a large Dutch oven (big enough to hold the beef, potatoes and carrots comfortably).
- Over medium high heat brown the roast on all sides. Remove to a platter. Wipe out excess oil and put half the onions on the bottom of the pot. Sprinkle on the chopped garlic and herbs; season slightly with salt and pepper.
- Lay the beef on top and cover it with the remaining onions, garlic and herbs. Add the potatoes and carrots around the roast. Cover the pot securely and put in the oven to roast for 3 hours, checking the meat after the first hour to make sure it’s not cooking too quickly. You want a moderately low simmer.
- When fork tender, remove the pot from the oven. Keeping it covered allow to cool to room temperature. Put in the refrigerator overnight.
- The next day, about an hour before serving, remove the roast from the pot and lift off the congealed fat. It’s OK if a little is left over. Put the beef back in the pot, and set it over low heat, covered, to reheat, about 30 minutes, stirring the vegetables around the sauce. Make sure that it doesn’t cook too quickly.
- Remove the meat to a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes; slice it against the grain. Arrange in the center of a platter and spoon the carrots and potatoes on either side of the meat. Ladle the pan juices over the meat and vegetables. If you want, thicken the sauce by mixing together 2 tablespoons softened butter and 2 tablespoons flour (beurre manie) and put into the simmering sauce, bit by bit, stirring until thickened somewhat. Serve with good crusty bread or homemade biscuits.