ATK's Simple Pot Roast
From America's Test Kitchen. Serves 6 to 8.
The original recipe is at the Cook's Illustrated website but it also is printed in ATK's American Classics.
Allow 4 or more hours for complete preparation.
NOTES:
1. This recipe calls for a boneless chuck-eye roast. Most markets sell this roast with twine tied around the center. If necessary, you have to tie it yourself. If using a top-blade roast (see Note 4), tie it before cooking to keep it from falling apart (see illustrations at end of post).
2. We have silicon reusable "rubber bands" that worked great!
3. For removing the fat towards the end of the recipe, if skimming it off doesn't work or takes too long, carefully pour (or ladle) the juices through a strainer into a special measuring cup that allows you to pour off the juices but keeps the liquified fat from running off.
4. According to ATK, seven-bone and top-blade roasts are also good choices for this recipe. Remember to add only enough water to come halfway up the sides of these thinner roasts when preparing the meat to go into the oven.
5. Begin checking for doneness after 2 hours, though it's more likely to take 3 to 3-1/2 hrs. ATK points out that what's important is for the meat to reach its cooking temp (210 degree) and remain at that temp for an additional hour.
6. For easier stovetop clean-up, cover the surrounding burners with aluminum foil. Searing the meat in the early part of the recipe splatters a bit of oil around!
7. Combine beef broth and chicken broth in one 2-cup measuring cup to save a dish.
8. Trader Joe's sells a red wine nicknamed "Three Buck Chuck." The first time we made this recipe, we used a Charles Shaw merlot.
INGREDIENTS:
chuck-eye roast (about 3 1/2 pounds), boneless and tied
salt and pepper for seasoning the roast
2 Tbl vegetable oil
1 medium onion
1 small carrot
1 small rib celery
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp granulated sugar
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 to 1-1/2 cups water
1/4 cup dry red wine
PREPARATION:
1. Thoroughly pat the roast dry with paper towels; sprinkle generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
2. Cut onion, carrots, and celery in similar medium-sized pieces. Set aside.
3. Heat oil in large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Brown roast thoroughly on all sides, reducing heat if fat begins to smoke, 8 to 10 minutes. It will splatter so cover surrounding burners with stove if clean-up is a concern.
4. While the roast is browning, mince the garlic and set aside.
5. When browned on all sides, transfer roast to large plate; set aside.
6. Reduce heat to medium; add onion, carrot, and celery to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
7. Add garlic and sugar; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
8. Add chicken broth, beef broth, and thyme, scraping bottom of pan with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits.
9. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees.
10. Return roast and any accumulated juices to pot; add enough water to come halfway up sides of roast. Bring liquid to simmer over medium heat.
11. Place large piece of foil over pot and cover tightly with lid; transfer pot to oven. Cook, turning roast every 30 minutes, until fully tender and meat fork or sharp knife easily slips in and out of meat. NOTE: After about 2 hours, the meat will pull away from lines of fat, but keep cooking. Most likely, the roast will cook between 3-1/2 to 4 hours, but start poking at it after 2 or 2-1/2 hours.
12. Transfer roast to carving board; tent with foil or metal bowl to keep warm.
13. Allow liquid in pot to settle about 5 minutes, then use wide spoon to skim fat off surface; or use strainer and special measuring cup to pour off liquid from melted fat. Also find and discard the thyme sprig.
14. Boil the remaining liquid over high heat until reduced to about 1-1/2 cups, about 8 minutes. Add red wine and reduce again to 1-1/2 cups, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
15. Using chef’s or carving knife, cut meat against the grain into 1/2-inch-thick slices, or pull apart with two dinner forks. Transfer meat to warmed serving platter and pour about 1/2 cup sauce over meat. Serve, passing remaining sauce separately.
The original recipe is at the Cook's Illustrated website but it also is printed in ATK's American Classics.
Allow 4 or more hours for complete preparation.
NOTES:
1. This recipe calls for a boneless chuck-eye roast. Most markets sell this roast with twine tied around the center. If necessary, you have to tie it yourself. If using a top-blade roast (see Note 4), tie it before cooking to keep it from falling apart (see illustrations at end of post).
2. We have silicon reusable "rubber bands" that worked great!
3. For removing the fat towards the end of the recipe, if skimming it off doesn't work or takes too long, carefully pour (or ladle) the juices through a strainer into a special measuring cup that allows you to pour off the juices but keeps the liquified fat from running off.
4. According to ATK, seven-bone and top-blade roasts are also good choices for this recipe. Remember to add only enough water to come halfway up the sides of these thinner roasts when preparing the meat to go into the oven.
5. Begin checking for doneness after 2 hours, though it's more likely to take 3 to 3-1/2 hrs. ATK points out that what's important is for the meat to reach its cooking temp (210 degree) and remain at that temp for an additional hour.
6. For easier stovetop clean-up, cover the surrounding burners with aluminum foil. Searing the meat in the early part of the recipe splatters a bit of oil around!
7. Combine beef broth and chicken broth in one 2-cup measuring cup to save a dish.
8. Trader Joe's sells a red wine nicknamed "Three Buck Chuck." The first time we made this recipe, we used a Charles Shaw merlot.
INGREDIENTS:
chuck-eye roast (about 3 1/2 pounds), boneless and tied
salt and pepper for seasoning the roast
2 Tbl vegetable oil
1 medium onion
1 small carrot
1 small rib celery
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp granulated sugar
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 to 1-1/2 cups water
1/4 cup dry red wine
PREPARATION:
1. Thoroughly pat the roast dry with paper towels; sprinkle generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
2. Cut onion, carrots, and celery in similar medium-sized pieces. Set aside.
3. Heat oil in large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Brown roast thoroughly on all sides, reducing heat if fat begins to smoke, 8 to 10 minutes. It will splatter so cover surrounding burners with stove if clean-up is a concern.
4. While the roast is browning, mince the garlic and set aside.
5. When browned on all sides, transfer roast to large plate; set aside.
6. Reduce heat to medium; add onion, carrot, and celery to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
7. Add garlic and sugar; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
8. Add chicken broth, beef broth, and thyme, scraping bottom of pan with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits.
9. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees.
10. Return roast and any accumulated juices to pot; add enough water to come halfway up sides of roast. Bring liquid to simmer over medium heat.
11. Place large piece of foil over pot and cover tightly with lid; transfer pot to oven. Cook, turning roast every 30 minutes, until fully tender and meat fork or sharp knife easily slips in and out of meat. NOTE: After about 2 hours, the meat will pull away from lines of fat, but keep cooking. Most likely, the roast will cook between 3-1/2 to 4 hours, but start poking at it after 2 or 2-1/2 hours.
12. Transfer roast to carving board; tent with foil or metal bowl to keep warm.
13. Allow liquid in pot to settle about 5 minutes, then use wide spoon to skim fat off surface; or use strainer and special measuring cup to pour off liquid from melted fat. Also find and discard the thyme sprig.
14. Boil the remaining liquid over high heat until reduced to about 1-1/2 cups, about 8 minutes. Add red wine and reduce again to 1-1/2 cups, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
15. Using chef’s or carving knife, cut meat against the grain into 1/2-inch-thick slices, or pull apart with two dinner forks. Transfer meat to warmed serving platter and pour about 1/2 cup sauce over meat. Serve, passing remaining sauce separately.
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