POT ROAST
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Recipe type: Comfort Food
Cuisine: American
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 1 (4-5 pound) prime boneless beef chuck roast, tied with kitchen string
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • All-purpose flour
  • Olive oil (regular not virgin)
  • 2 cups carrots (4 carrots), cut into big chunks
  • 2 cups yellow onions (2 onions), cut into big chunks
  • 2 cups celery (4 stalks), cut into big chunks
  • 2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2-4 leeks)
  • 5 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
  • 2 cups good red wine (the kind that you like to drink)
  • 1 can (28 oz.) whole plum tomatoes in puree
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 chicken bouillon cube
  • 3 branches of fresh thyme
  • 2 branches of fresh rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 325 °F.
  2. Pat the beef dry with a paper towel. Season the roast all over with 1 tablespoon salt and 1½ teaspoons pepper.
  3. Dredge the whole roast in flour, including the ends.
  4. In a large Dutch Oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the roast and sear until nicely browned on every side including the ends. This should take 4-5 minutes for each side.
  5. Remove the roast to a large plate. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the Dutch Oven (or a pot). Add the carrots, onions, celery, leeks, garlic, 1 tablespoon salt and 1½ teaspoon pepper and cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned.
  6. Add the wine and bring to a boil (Ina's recipe has 2 tablespoons of Cognac or Brandy but I don't have it so I skip it). Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, bouillon cube, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
  7. Tie the thyme and rosemary together with kitchen string and add to the pot. Put the roast back into the pot, bring it to a boil, and cover.
  8. Place in the oven for 2½ hours, until the meat is folk tender or about 160 degrees internally. Turn the heat down to 250 °F. after about an hour to keep the sauce at a simmer.
  9. Remove the roast to a cutting board. Remove the herb bundle and discard. Skim off as much fat as possible from the sauce.
  10. Transfer half the sauce and vegetables to a blender or a food processor and blend until smooth. Pour the puree back into the pot, place on the stovetop over low heat and return the sauce to simmer.
  11. Place 2 tablespoons flour and butter in a small bowl and mash them together with a fork. Stir into the sauce and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring until thickened. Taste for seasoning.
  12. Remove the strings from the roast, and slice the meat. Serve the Pot Roast warm with the sauce spooned over it.
Notes
Please don't worry, if you don't have a Dutch Oven, any large oven proof pot will do just fine.
Recipe by Let's Cook Some Food at https://www.letscooksomefood.com/pot-roast/