Sunday is a day for hearty meals, and this first Sunday I decided to make a classic Pot Roast. This dish is something that, for me, conjures vague images of a housewife greeting her husband at the door, with the smell of a roast wafting from the kitchen; it is a quintessential staple of American cooking and has become a comfort food for many. The perfect Sunday food.
My reality is far from that of a mid-century housewife, but I reckon that my pot roast was up to snuff by any standard. Although, it took WAY longer than I was expecting. I don't know where I got the idea that it would be an easy thing to make when in all actuality this is the food with the longest cook time I've made yet. It was worth it though, because all of that time develops some pretty good flavors. My one disappointment with the dish, though, was that the sauce that was supposed to be left at the bottom was more of a chunky goo, because it seems I either didn't add enough stock or I cooked it for too long. However saddened I was with the outcome of my non-sauce, though, it was made up for by the popovers that I made to accompany the roast. A popover is basically a roll that is hollow, which is caused by the baking technique used, and this batch was beyond delicious. I mean, it's a warm, freshly baked bread product, so what isn't there to like.
I definitely recommend making a roast because not only does it teach a healthy dose of patience, it is also a pretty satisfying meal.
Recipe:
Pot Roast
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 boneless beef chuck or rump roast (3-4 lbs)
2 bay leaves
Salt and Pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
2-3 carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks
1/2 cup red wine
2 cups beef, chicken or veggie broth
1 lb small potatoes
1.) Cut the garlic clove into slivers; use a paring knife to poke small holes in the meat and insert the garlic into them. Crumble the bay leaves as finely as you can and mix them with salt and pepper. Rub this mixture all over the meat.
2.) Put the oil in a large pot over medium high heat. When it's hot, add the roast and cook, adjusting the heat and turning as needed so the meat doesn't burn, until it's nicely browned on all sides, about 20 minutes. Transfer the meat to a plate.
3.)Add the vegetables to the pot, turn the heat up to medium-high, and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and somewhat browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits off the bottom of the pan; continue cooking until the wine has just about evaporated, 5-10 minutes. add 1 1/2 cups of the stock, return the roast and its juices to the pot, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat so the liquid barely bubbles and cover the pot.
4.) Cook, turning the roast every 30 minutes, until the meat is tender enough to pierce easily with a fork. This will take anywhere from 1.5 to 3 hours, depending on the thickness of your roast and how low the heat is. Be careful no to overcook the meat or it will become tough. Add more stock or water if it at any point looks too low.
5.) Heat the oven to 200. transfer the meat to an ovenproof platter, loosely cover with foil, and put in the oven to keep it warm. Add the potatoes; they should be half submerged in liquid, if not add more. Turn heat to medium-high, cover and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom until the potatoes are tender. Slice the meat and serve with sauce and potatoes.
Popovers
1 tbsp melted butter
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup flour
1.) Heat over to 425. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin and put it in the oven while you make the batter.
2.) Beat together the eggs, milk, butter, sugar, and salt. Beat in the flour a little bit at a time; the mixture should be smooth. Fill the muffin tins at least halfway. bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 and continue baking for 15 minutes more. Do NOT open the oven to check on the popovers until they had cooked for at total of 30 minutes. Remove from pan immediately and serve hot.
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