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Classic Pot Roast

Source of Recipe

From "The Home Cook: Recipes to Know By Heart" by Alex Guarnaschelli


Recipe Introduction

"A classic pot roast honestly makes its own case. I like chuck or rump roast. My daughter always requests this on the first chilly fall night as the ultimate comfort food. It also makes tasty sandwiches. While I certainly never want to overcook meat, it's also important the vegetables retain some texture (and taste) as well to round this dish out."

List of Ingredients

â—¦  2 tablespoons canola oil
â—¦  1 boneless beef chuck roast (4 to 5 pounds)
â—¦  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
â—¦  ½ cup cognac
â—¦  3 medium red onions, halved and cut into 1-inch-thick slices
â—¦  1 medium carrot, cut into 1-inch pieces
â—¦  2 celery stalks, cut into 1-inch pieces
â—¦  2 cups dry red wine
â—¦  8 cups beef stock
â—¦  2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
â—¦  ½ cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 375° F.

Brown the pot roast:
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add the canola oil. Season the roast generously on all sides with salt and pepper. When the oil begins to smoke lightly, add the roast carefully to the pan and brown it on all sides over medium heat, 18 to 20 minutes. Do not rush this step. Browning the beef creates a ton of flavor for this dish. Add the cognac and reduce it over medium heat until no liquid remains, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer the meat to a medium bowl.

Build the braise:
Add the onions, carrot, and celery to the Dutch oven. Season the vegetables with salt and cook until they are translucent and slightly tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the red wine and simmer to reduce the liquid by about half, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the meat and the beef stock, cover the Dutch oven, and put it in the center of the oven. Check the meat after 1 ½ hours. The pot roast will likely need 2 to 2 ½ hours to become completely tender.

Finish the dish:
Put the Dutch oven on top of the stove. Remove the meat and put it on a cutting board to rest. Season the meat with salt. Stir the mustard into the cooking liquid and vegetables into a blender and purée until smooth. Stir the purée back into the sauce. Taste for seasoning. Stir in the parsley. Slice the meat or break it into pieces and return it to the Dutch oven.

Serves 8 to 10