What's for Dinner?

Today, I want to talk about the dinner I love the most- POT ROAST. My little sister texted me this morning to say that she had pot roast simmered in red wine for supper last night. My mouth was watering just hearing about her nosh.

In celebration of my favorite dinner, I want to share my favorite pot roast recipe.

What you should remember when it comes to pot roast is that it requires slow cooking over low heat to ensure tender, flavorful meat. This is especially important because pot roasts typically use the tougher cuts of beef -like a chuck roast or shoulder roast, which tend to have the most flavor. It is the slow cooking at low heat that melts the tough connective tissue between the muscle fibers (gross to think about- I know), leaving you with tender meat that flakes apart with your fork.

Special note: for this recipe, I only add a half cup of liquid to the pot because I'm able to keep the heat very low and my slow cooker has a tight cover.

My Pot Roast Recipe

Ingredients

3 1/2 lb of beef shoulder or boneless chuck roast

1 Tbsp olive oil

Salt, pepper, italian seasoning to taste

1 large yellow onion, chopped or sliced

4 cloves of garlic, peeled

1/2 cup of red wine

Several carrots, peeled and cut lengthwise

Method

1. Use a thick-bottomed covered pot (oven-proof if you intend to cook in an oven), such as a dutch oven, just large enough to hold the roast and vegetables. Heat 1 Tbsp of oil on medium high heat (hot enough to sear the meat). Sprinkle and rub the salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning all over the meat. Brown the roast in the pot, all over, several minutes on each side. Don't move the roast while a each side is browning, or it won't brown well at all.

2. When the roast is browned, lift up the meat and add garlic and chopped onion to the bottom of the pan. Let the roast sit on top of the onions. Add 1/2 a cup of red wine. Cover. Bring to a simmer and then adjust the heat down to the lowest heat possible to maintain a low simmer when covered. Alternatively, you can cook the pot roast in a 225°F oven, once you have browned it on the stovetop, and brought the liquid to a simmer (make sure to use an oven proof pan).

3. Cook for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, until the meat is tender. Near the end of the cooking, add the carrots and cook until they are tender- about an additional 10 minutes.

After cooking for 3 1/2 hours, before adding the carrots- note how much liquid has been released by the meat. This liquid comes from slow cooking at a very low temperature. If your pot roast is too dry, make sure the pan you are using has a tight fitting lid and that you are cooking at the lowest possible heat to maintain the low simmering.

This recipe serves 4-5 people. I love serving this pot roast with green beans and delicious mashed potatoes.