Pot Roast delicious!

So I think that pot roast is an American classic. I don't think you can get any closer unless you start talking about breakfast and fast food. But we aren't here to talk about fast food and breakfast, although breakfast is amazing, we are to talk about simple foods made delicious. Thinking back to when I was a kid pot roast wasn't one of my favorites but now that I'm an adult I find that I love it! Especially since I don't have to do anything with it for 4 hours.

What you will need:
about 20 minutes prep
and depending on the size of your roast 3-4 hours cooking

Ingredients:
 3-5lb beef chuck roast, brisket or bottom rump roast. (I used chuck roast and I personally think it's most traditional)
2 small to medium yellow onions
4-6 carrots
1 head of garlic (I'm a garlic feen!)
kosher salt (Regular salt is fine but kosher or sea salt clings better)
fresh ground pepper (Again regular is fine but you get more flavor out of the fresh stuff)
3 cups or so of beef stock
1 cup of red wine (optional)
Fresh herbs you can use rosemar, thyme, sage or oregano, even bay leaves are a good addition. But for my recipe I didn't use any only because I had none of them at home and no car to go and get some.
oil any type will do but if you want to feel healthy you can use olive oil

Optional side dish: These are delicious mashed potatoes!
1 russet potatoe per person you are serving
1/4 cup sour cream
4 TBLS butter
1 clove of garlic chopped
some milk or heavy cream

Tools:
An apron! I have no clue why I have beeen neglecting to put this in my tools list. I have lost many shirts to the ravages that are grease.
A large pot or dutch oven. (I use a dutch oven)
If you are using the dutch oven please don't use metal in the dish.
Wood or plastic spoons
Plastic coated whisk
Tongs
Chef knife
Cutting board(s) use plastic
cheese cloth and twine


Now to get us started!

Preheat your oven to 275. Yes that's right 275. Your roast will be in the oven for a while so it will cook don't worry.

Season your beef with salt (liberally) and pepper on all sides. I go one step further and I cut about six slits into my roast. Then I take about three garlic cloves and cut them in half and push them into the slits. This makes for some really amazing flavor especially when you are cooking it at a low temperature for so long.

Cut your onions in half and your carrots into two inch or so sections. Also take about 6 cloves of garlic and peel them.

Place your dutch oven or pot over medium high heat and let it heat up for a minute or so then add oil so it's hot but not smoking.

Add onion till brown but not burnt on both sides. Remove those and place them on a plate or cutting board.

No add your carrots into the same pot and brown these the same way.

Take the carrots out of the pan once browned place them with the onions.

Now it's time to brown your pot roast. If you need to you can add more oil to the pan. Go ahead and place the meat in the pan be careful though because oil will splatter a bit. Let roast sit for about a minute per side. You will want to brown each side, that's including the skinny sides which you will use your tongs to hold it up. When we brown meats it's called searing and helps keep in all the yummy goodness of the meat flavor.

 

Now that the meat is browned we will remove it from the pan and place it on a plate or cutting board. Add about one cup of your beef stock or red wine into the pot. With your whisk you will want to scrap the bottom of the pan. This is called deglazing and it will help get all the stuff stuck to the bottom of the pan into the broth.

After you do this you will return the roast to the pot and add enough broth till it reaches the midway point of the pot roast. Return the the onions and carrots to the pot and add the garlic cloves.

Now if you opted for fresh herbs this is where the cheese cloth and twine or string come in. Make about a 8X8 square of the cheese cloth and about 3 layers thick and lay it down on the counter. Take your whole herbs and place them in the middle. Grab all the corners and bunch them up in the middle. Now take your twine and tie it up. I recommend doing it this way then you don't have to worry about big pieces of spice floating in your dish.

Now you can go ahead cover it and place it in your oven. If you got a small roast say a 2.5 lb - 3 lb you will cook it for about 3 hours. If you have a 4 lb - 5 lb roast you will cook it for about 4 hours or until the meat falls apart.

Please note that during your cooking time your house will fill with delicious aromas that may cause spiratic eating. I will not be held responsible ;-P.

Now that you've waited diligently you sould have some amazingly soft carrots and onions and a pot roast to die for!

My pot roast was perfect for two people plus one left over meal. I hope you like it!

Bet you thought I forgot about the mashed potatoes didn't you?

Get a large pot, fill it with water and put it on the stove to boil. Salt it liberally.

Cut your potatoes into large but fairly even chunks and you can do this with or without peel.

Place them in the boiling water for about 20 minutes or untill they stab easily with a fork.

Meanwhile you can do prep work. Go ahead and peel and finely chop your garlic up. Set it aside. (Oh I have a trick for you. Can't stand the lingering smell of garlic on your fingers? Is your sink stainless steel? Rub your hands on your sink and it will remove the smell. You can do this with anything stainless. Or you can use gloves like me.)

Measure out your sour cream, butter and have about 1/4 cup milk standing by.

Once the potatoes are stabable strain them and then return them to the pan.

Add your garlic, butter and sour cream. Mix together well either with a fork or a potatoe masher. I used a potatoe masher and a wood spoon.

Then add your milk one tablespoon at a time till you find the right consistency you are looking for. I like mine creamy with small small small chunks. The roommates like big chunks in their potatoes so it's really just a preference.

Well I hope you enjoy everything and you can thank Paula Dean for those lovely mashers!