Classic Pot Roast
October 26, 2004
Many of us have made pot roasts before, but so often they end up dry and tasteless, while the braising liquid is delicious. The secret is not to add too much liquid and to braise at a low enough temperature so that the liquid doesn’t bubble, but just steams. In this recipe, I used a delicious spice rub from Palette Fine Foods to add more flavour to the roast. While I used their Porcini Wild Mushroom Rub, I think their Cinnamon Chili Spice Rub would be excellent. Give it a whirl!
Ingredients
1 ½ tsp. Palette Fine Foods Porcini Rub
¾ tsp. salt
¾ tsp. pepper
½ tsp. dried thyme
2 cloves garlic, slivered
3 pound Chuck Top Blade Roast, or other roast suitable for braising
Olive oil
½ onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 rib celery, finely chopped
2 bay leaves
white wine
3 – 4 red potatoes, cut into quarters
fresh parsley, chopped
salt
pepper
Directions
1. Combine the porcini rub, salt, pepper, and dried thyme. Toss the slivers of garlic in the spice rub and insert the garlic into the roast by making slits in the roast with a paring knife. Rub the roast with the remainder of the spice mixture.
2. Sear the roast on all sides in a little olive oil, browning well, but being sure not to burn the brown bits that accumulate on the bottom of the pot. Once browned, remove the roast to a plate and set aside.
3. Add the onion, carrot, celery and bay leaves to the pot and sauté briefly (5 – 8 minutes). Add enough white wine to cover the bottom of the pan and reduce the heat so that the liquid does not bubble when the lid is on. Return the roast to the pan along with any juices that have accumulated. Cook for 2 ½ - 3 hours or until the juices run clear when pierced with a fork, rotating the roast every ½ hour or so.
4. Add the potatoes and continue to cook for another hour.
5. When the roast is done, remove and set aside. Cover with aluminum foil. Skim the fat off the liquid that remains and puree the liquid and the vegetables together. Dilute this puree with some beef stock so that it is of the desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add parsley for colour.
After you sear the roast and remove it from the pan, when you return
it and add white wine to cover the bottom of the pan do you add water
to cover roast?
Elaine,
No, do not add water to cover the roast. If you covered the roast with water, you would boil the meat, rather than braise it, and your braising liquid at the end of the meal (which becomes your sauce) would be watery and lacking in flavour. Just add the wine and make sure that it is NOT bubbling/boiling, but steaming while the meat braises. The roast will release more juices which will combine with the wine to make a delicious sauce. Of course, if you accidently boil away the liquid, feel free to add a little stock or water, but not too much, and keep the liquid at a steam, rather than a boil.
Best of luck,
Meredith