Pot Roast Recipe
Ready in 3-5 hours
Serves 6-8 people generously
Ingredients
Coarse salt & black pepper
3-5 lb Chuck roast
3 TBSP neutral cooking oil
1 whole large onion, peeled and halved.
1 cup red wine
1 TBSP tomato paste
2 Qts of beef stock OR 2 boxes of beef stock
4 whole dried shiitake mushrooms
1 bunch carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
2 fennel bulbs, topped, halved, and cut into chunky half moons.
1 bunch of beech mushrooms, cut off bottom, and separated.
A few sprigs of sage and rosemary, tied in a bouquet garni.
6 whole, peeled garlic cloves
2 packages of egg noodles
1-2 TBSP of cornstarch or AP flour.
for the roast
Preheat the oven to 350F. Generously salt and pepper the roast
Place neutral cooking oil In a large heavy bottomed pot (like a dutch oven), over medium high heat.
Once oil is shimmering and hot, add in your roast and sear. Brown on all sides.
Take the roast out and set it to rest. Add in the onions to caramelize and cut side down.
Lower your burner and add in the red wine & tomato paste.. Deglaze the pot ( scrape bottom and loosening any browned bits)
Return the roast and onions to the pot. Add in your stock, dried mushrooms. It should cover half way up your roast. Cover the pot with a lid and roast in the oven for 2-4 hours depending on size. The roast should be tender to the touch when ready.
Meanwhile, prepare your carrots, fennel, and mushrooms and set aside. Then prepare your bouquet garni.
With the last hour remaining, add in carrots, fennel, mushrooms, sage, rosemary, and garlic. Cover your pot and return it back to the oven for the last hour.
When the roast is done, pull from the oven, and let cool slightly.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Separate the roast, garlic and onions on a cutting board and tear to separate, incorporating the onions and garlic into the meat. Reserve the fennel, carrots, and mushrooms in a separate bowl. Discard the aromatics / bouquet garni.
Arrange the roast in the center of the platter with the mushrooms, fennel, carrots surrounding the meat. Cover with foil and place in a warm oven.
Prepare the gravy. Reserve enough gravy in a gravy boat for serving.
Once the water comes to a boil, add in the noodles and cook till al dente. Then drain noodles and toss with the remaining gravy in the pot. Add some fennel fronds to the noddles and toss again.
Pull your warmed platter from the oven and gravy boat. Drizzle gravy on the top. Crack fresh black pepper on top, serve and enjoy.
For the gravy
Prepare your slurry, 1:1:1 ratio (flour : water : gravy). Mix thoroughly to combine. Bring your gravy to a boil, add in slurry while whisking to incorporate. The thickness of the gravy is entirely your preference. Taste and adjust for salt. Reserve enough gravy for serving.
Tips
Take the meat out a good hour before so it can come to room temp.
When resting your meat in the fridge, take it out of the packaging a few days before. The fridge will dry out the exterior, lending a better crust when searing.
When browning, take note not to flip the roast too many times. Let it sit and the brown crisp crust.
