This Pot Roast is not just any pot roast, it is by far the best pot roast I’ve ever had and made. It’s from Ina Garten’s cook book and one of her episodes on her cooking show, she’s one of my favorite cooks ever. I love her show and wish I was her neighbor so I could bring her herb pots and she would make me lobster rolls in return. She could also have the key to our house and would surprise us with her food in our fridge when we come back from our vacation.
Whelp, that’s all in dreams, but her Pot Roast recipe is real and I made it today for our Sunday dinner.
Let’s cook some food!
Preheat the oven to 325 °F.
Pat the beef dry with a paper towel. Season the roast all over with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper.
Dredge the whole roast in flour, including the ends.
In a large Dutch Oven
Remove the roast to a large plate. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the Dutch Oven
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.
Add chicken stock.
Add the bouillon cube, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
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.
Cover the pot with the lid. Place in the oven for 2 1/2 hours, until the meat is folk tender or about 160 degrees internally. Turn the heat down to 250 degrees F. after about an hour to keep the sauce at a simmer.
Remove the roast to a cutting board. Remove the herb bundle and discard. Skim off as much fat as possible from the sauce.
Transfer half the sauce and vegetables to a blender or a food processor.
Blend until smooth.
Pour the puree back into the pot, place on the stovetop over low heat and return the sauce to simmer.
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.
Remove the strings from the roast, and slice the meat. Serve the Pot Roast warm with the sauce spooned over it.
This is really an amazing Pot Roast recipe. I like to serve it with some Basic Mashed Potatoes. It’s even better the next day as leftover and you can use it in many other recipes, such as Pot Roast Pasta and Pot Roast Shepherd’s Pie. I hope you give them a try. The Pot Roast recipe is below.
- 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
- Preheat the oven to 325 °F.
- Pat the beef dry with a paper towel. Season the roast all over with 1 tablespoon salt and 1½ teaspoons pepper.
- Dredge the whole roast in flour, including the ends.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Remove the roast to a cutting board. Remove the herb bundle and discard. Skim off as much fat as possible from the sauce.
- 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.
- 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.
- Remove the strings from the roast, and slice the meat. Serve the Pot Roast warm with the sauce spooned over it.
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