Today’s recipe is one I think you will like. With all the wholesome, healthy fresh vegetables and fruits in our state during these summer days, you will need a basic meat dish to serve with them. You can’t get much more basic than pot roast, or an oven roast – and there is nothing that says “Sunday Dinner” more than a large platter of roast beef.
People have been known to change religious affiliations, to endorse a different political party, and to propose marriage after devouring a truly good pot roast.
There is a difference in the cooking methods of the oven roast and the pot roast.
For an oven roast, one selects a standing rib roast, tenderloin, sirloin strip or other very tender cut. The oven roast is most often set on a trivet or rack, in a pan with shallow sides, and baked uncovered, at 350 degrees about 18-20 minutes per pound or until the meat thermometer reaches 170 degrees. No water or liquid is added during the roasting. Remove the roast from the oven and let it sit about 10 minutes or so before slicing.
The pot roast is what the name says. It is cooked on the stove top in a pot. It has liquid added to it, and it’s covered. The cut of beef for a pot roast is usually a bit less expensive, but many say just as good or better, than those used for the oven roast. Top and bottom round roast, rump roast, chuck, arm, etc., may be used. The meat is cooked with a variety of seasonings, depending on taste, by moist heat until it is tender.
The classic way to prepare a pot roast is to add carrots, onions and potatoes to the pot about an hour before the end of the cooking time. They are served on the platter with the sliced pot roast.
There are a lot of varieties. In the recipe for the Indian Pot Roast, the liquid is wine. This can be the Burgundy listed or a cooking wine. Other liquids for other recipes can be canned beef broth, bouillon cubes dissolved in water, vegetable or beef stock (purchased or made at home), or just plain water.
In addition to (or instead of) the frequently used carrots, onions and potatoes, one can use celery, sliced white turnips, etc.
Seasonings that may be used include salt, pepper, onion salt, thyme, bay leaf, basil, oregano, garlic or garlic powder, vinegar, dry mustard, lemon juice, parsley, etc. Don’t use all these in the same dish. Usually two or three compatible flavors are enough.
If you don’t cook potatoes with the pot roast, I think it’s in the Constitution that you must serve mashed or creamed potatoes with the roast.
Today’s recipe is only one way to prepare a Pot Roast, a truly American food that you can enjoy any day of the week – but it’s always a good choice for … Sunday Dinner.
Indian Pot Roast
1 3-to-4-pound boneless chuck roast
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 large onion, sliced
12 whole peppercorns
12 whole allspice
1 bay leaf, crumbled
1 tablespoon grated fresh horseradish
½ cup water
½ cup Burgundy or other wine
6 carrots, scraped and quartered
Sprinkle the roast with the salt, then dredge it with the flour and set aside.
Heat the butter in a large pot, add the roast, and sear, turning to brown both sides. Remove roast from the pot. Add the sliced onions to the pot and place the roast on top of the onions.
Place on top and around the sides of the roast the peppercorns, allspice, crumbled bay leaf, horseradish, water and wine. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat. Cook on simmer for 2 hours.
Add the carrots, cover and cook on low another 30 minutes until the carrots can be easily pierced with fork tines. Transfer the roast to serving platter; let rest a few minutes, then cut into slices. Place carrots around the roast slices and pour on the drippings from the cooking pot. Serves 6-8.