Lars’s Pot Roast

A Little Personal History

Description:

Cuts of beef that perform well for pot roasting go by many different names: Blade roast, cross-rib roast (or shoulder clod), seven-bone pot roast, arm pot roast, and boneless chuck roast are all acceptable cuts for this traditional recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp salt and ground pepper
• 1 tsp ground allspice

• 1 cup coarsely chopped onions
• 1 cup finely chopped celery (approx. three stalks)
  

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• 2 tsp thyme
• 3 garlic cloves, pressed
• 2 bay leaves
  

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• 3 cups Lars’s Beef Stock
• 1 cup dry red wine (½ cup if you’re using a nice red, like Merlot)
• ¼ cup ketchup
• 2 Tbs Lars’s Worcestershire sauce
  

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• 1 (3-pound) boneless Chuck pot roast
• 4 Tbs olive oil
  

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• Chopped fresh parsley

Vegetables

• 1 pound small red potatoes or similar (cut to bite sized). You may also use half parsnips, if in season, and half potatoes)
• 3 large carrots, peeled and cut lengthwise into ½ inch pieces

Gravy:

• 1 cup pot roast stock
• 2 tablespoons brown roux (or 1 tablespoon flour and 1 tablespoon Canola oil)

Procedure:

1. Mix salt, pepper & allspice in a small bowl
2. Chop onion & celery and put aside in small bowl.
3. Combine thyme, garlic and bay leaves in small bowl.
4. Combine beef broth, red wine, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce in 6 cup container and blend thoroughly. Set aside.
5. On cutting board, pat roast dry and season with salt, pepper, and allspice mixture all over the meat.
6. In a skillet, heat the 2 Tbs. olive oil & 1 Tbs. broth/wine mixture over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the roast and brown/sear on all sides, approx. 3 minutes on each side. Don’t move the roast while a side is browning, or it won’t brown well – 15-20 minutes total.
7. Transfer the roast to a cutting board or plate.
8. Use a thick-bottomed covered glass pot or Dutch oven, just large enough to hold roast and vegetables. On medium heat, add 2 Tbs. olive oil and 1 Tbs. broth/wine mixture, add the onions, and celery to the pot, stirring until onions are soft. Add the bay leaves, garlic and thyme. Mix thoroughly. Remove pot from heat.
9. Place the roast on top of vegetables. Add enough of the broth/wine mixture to cover 2/3 of the beef. .
10. Return to stove top over medium heat. Bring the pot roast to a simmer on top of the stove,
11. Skim off any fat, cover tightly (see tip for skimming off fat in notes)

In Oven (preferred method):

1. Set in the lower third of a 350 degree preheated oven.
2. Cover glass pot or Dutch oven with top or aluminum foil
3. Regulate heat so that the liquid remains at a gentle simmer for 3 hours, until the beef is tender. This might range between 300 – 350 depending on your oven.
4. Turn the roast over every half hour during its cooking time. During each turning, skim off any fat that has risen to top (see notes). For the last hour, add carrots and/or potatoes/parsnips .

On Stove Top:

1. Cook for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, until meat is tender. (If you are using a pressure cooker, cut the time by half).
2. Turn the roast over 1/2 hour during its cooking time. During each turning, skim off any fat that’s risen to top (see notes).
3. For last hour, add carrots and/or potatoes/parsnips, cook until tender.

After Cooking:

1. Transfer roast to a cutting board and let stand 10 minutes, covered with aluminum foil to keep warm.
2. Skim off any fat from the surface of the liquid. Strain the liquid. Pour liquid into container. The liquid can be saved as a Beef Stock for Au Jus or beef gravies.

Pot Roast Gravy:

1. For gravy, if you don’t have brown roux pre-made, for each cup of liquid, over medium high heat, heat 1 tablespoon canlola oil and whisk in 1 tablespoon flour. Whisk until roux just begins to brown. Reduce heat to medium low and slowly whisk in 1 cup of liquid, stirring constantly until thickened. .
2. Serve with parsley sprinkled on top and gravy in side dish.

Advanced Preparation:

Tips, Notes, and Variations:

• After cooking 2 hours, note how much liquid has been released by the meat. This 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’re cooking at the lowest possible heat to maintain the low simmering.

Skimming Fat:

• Roll a paper towel into a tube and sweep across top of juices to skim off any fat that has risen to top. Stale French bread works well also.

Leftovers:

• Pot Roast is great for Beef Au Jus (French Dip), Lars’s “Philly French Dip, Beef Burritos and just about anything you can imagine (i.e. Pot Roast burgers or sandwiches with sautéed sweet onions, cheddar cheese and creamy horseradish)