Pot Roast

Fork tender pot roast served with rich gravy and sprinkled with some fresh parsley and garlic for a bright pop of flavor

One of my Mom’s favorite meals is pot roast so I thought that would be a great old school dish to prepare for Mother’s Day

And even though I also happen to love pot roast, I do believe that this classic meal can use a little update

If you have read our blog you will know that I favor marinades, especially with tougher cuts of beef

This is no exception

Typically, pot roast is made with either chuck roast which can be tough but has a lot of fat to render down or a bottom round roast which needs a bit of help (like a marinade)

My Mom always used a bottom round so that’s what I’m going to do here

We have a 4 pound bottom round roast

Again we are going a little old school

We are using 3 garlic cloves to stud the roast

Cut the garlic into thin slices

Using a sharp thin knife make deep cuts through the fat cap of the roast and slide the garlic strips into the cuts (studded)

Now as I pointed out above, I believe all beef, especially tough beef can use a marinade to help tenderize the meat

This also makes a fantastic base for a gravy

For the marinade we will need 2 cups of dry red wine (like a cabernet), 1 cup of beef stock, 2 tablespoons of Gravy Master, 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire Sauce, kosher salt and ground black pepper

Click on the link below to make your own beef stock

Homemade Beef Stock

Put all of these ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk to incorporate

Place the roast in a resealable bag and pour in the marinade

Force the air out and seal the bag, refrigerate overnight (you can also do this a couple days ahead for maximum flavor)

Once the meat has marinated long enough strain and reserve the liquid

Now I’m going to slow cook this in an Instant Pot

If you’re going to use a normal slow cooker, sear the meat in a pan on all sides prior to adding to the slow cooker for more flavor

Why sear the roast first?

Searing will render any excessive surface fat and caramelize that sugars that are in the meat giving it a great color and flavor

Set the instant pot to saute and place the roast in fat side down

Sear for 2-3 minutes

Give it a flip and sear another 2-3 minutes

Sear the sides for 1-2

Wow he house is just filled with this wonderful aroma of beef , a promise of a delicious meal

YUM

Ok, I’m back

So next up we will need 1 medium onion, 1 celery stalk and 3 carrots

Peel and slice the onion, dice the celery fine, they will be used as a base for flavor

Peel and cut the carrots on an angle

Remove the meat from the instant pot and add in the onions and celery

Next add in the carrots and sprinkle with kosher salt and ground black pepper

Place the roast fat side up on top of the carrots

Why do you place the meat fat side up?

As the fat (also called the fat cap) continues to render down it will naturally baste the roast

Now it’s time to add the reserved marinade

She is sitting pretty now!

I’m going to cover this and cook on high for 4 hours

You can choose to cook on low for 8 hours if you have the time

Now normally I would let this go untouched

However my daughter just loves pearl onions (or pearled onions as she calls them)

So at the 2 1/2 hour mark I’m adding in 1 cup of frozen pearl onions

Then I’m going to seal everyone back up and go for another 1 1/2 hours

Time’s up!

Let’s take a look

Remove the meat and set it aside to rest while we work on some gravy

Strain the veggies in a colander over a medium saucepan and reserve them, then bring the meat juices to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 5-6 minutes

In a separate pan melt 2 tablespoons of butter and whisk in 1/4 cup of flour to make roux which will help thicken the gravy

Keep whisking and cooking for 2-3 minutes or until you have a smooth lightly browned roux

Whisk the roux into the liquid to thicken it into a gravy, simmering another 2-3 minutes

Now that meat has rested it is time to slice

Remove the fat cap and then starting at one end cut thin slices off of the roast

We like to serve this with the gravy, a little freshly grated garlic and fresh chopped parsley for a nice bright pop

We served the reserved veggies and some mashed potatoes on the side

Enjoy!!!

Tools used to make this recipe

ZELITE INFINITY Boning Knife

Architec Gripperwood Gourmet Sheesham Cutting Board, 10 by 15-Inch

Wilton Recipe Right 3 Piece Cookie Pan Set

Pyrex 3-Piece Glass Measuring Cup Set

OXO Good Grips Flat Wire Whisk

Mini Prep Glass Bowl

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