Pot Roast

               There is nothing like an old fashioned 3 hour pot roast in the dead of winter. Deep and  rich and luscious. The pan juice is sweetened with carrots and onions. Garlic, red wine and herbs de Provence add character and complexity. The meat is a chuck or blade roast( same thing), which requires hours of cooking in order to become tender. It is perhaps the most flavorful cut of beef because of the amount of fat and connective tissue, which melts and dissolves during the roasting process. Done correctly, the meat is tender and juicy and melts in your mouth. The rich broth is great on the vegetables and for dunking artisanal bread.

Ingredients for roast: feeds 4 to 6 people

chuck roast - 3 to 4 lb
salt and pepper
3 cups water
1 cup red wine
4 cloves garlic, smashed
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons herbs de Provence
oil for browning meat
             1) Salt and pepper the meat and brown on both sides in oil in a black cast iron pan.
             2) Add water, wine, garlic, bay leaves and herbs de Provence.
             3) Cover pan with foil and place in 350 degree oven. Check every hour and add water as necessary. You do not want the broth to boil dry. Add cut up vegetables after 2 hours.

Vegetable ingredients:
              4-6 quartered potatoes
              2 med large yellow onions, quartered
              4-6 med large carrots, quartered
              mushrooms - 1/2 lb or more, halved
Method for vegetables
               1) Salt and pepper vegetables and add to roasting pan after 2 hours, checking broth level. Add water if necessary. Cook 1 more hour, remove pan from oven and test meat and vegetables with a fork to ensure tenderness. Remove what is done and cook what is not done until done.
                2) Serve family style with artisanal bread or hard rolls and butter to dunk in the pan jus.

Classic midwestern goodness .An all time favorite recipe.
















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