Pot roast is one of my very favorite dishes. Over time, I’ve experimented with different ingredients and finally feel like I’ve landed on the winning combination. It is extra special making it in Vince’s grandmother’s roasting pan...a speckled, blue enamel roasting pan. That has been reason enough for me to perfect my pot roast recipe. The most important part is to cook [the roast] all day and not rush it. Pot roast is Southern comfort food at its finest, so it’s the perfect meal to deliver to a friend in need. Before you get overwhelmed by the portion size, let me say, I like to cook BIG meals; partly, because I love leftovers, but mostly because that gives me the chance to pack up a take-home meal for whoever might drop by. This is a great dish to make on a day I know I’ll be staying home.
How to Make It
Step 1
Do NOT shower before you start this process, because you will definitely need one once you've finished. Now the fun begins! Put two large skillets on the stove, with the burners on high heat. Unwrap the meat and cover liberally with Montreal Steak Seasoning. Drizzle olive oil into the skillets a minute before the meat is added.
Step 2
Sear the beef (I almost blacken it). While the meat is searing, prepare the roasting pan by quartering the onions and filling the bottom of the roasting pan. (Vince HATES onions, but doesn't mind these because they cook away to nothing and leave a natural sweetness.) Lay the seared meat on top of the onions, and add enough beef broth to partially cover the chuck roasts. In my roaster, it takes about 4 cans.
Step 3
Stir in garlic and wine. Salt and pepper the mixture to taste. (This tastes pretty bad, because nothing is blended, but the salt and pepper value is important because it will cook into the met. Make the salt level taste good to you.) Speaking of salt and pepper – I keep a bowl of finely ground kosher salt and black pepper (in a 3:1 ratio) on my kitchen counter at all times. Rather than measure in spoons, I use big finger pinches as a measue. This requires a lot of tasting.
Step 4
Place the roasting pan into a 400˚ oven. Cook for about 4 hours, checking liquid levels every hour or so. When the meat pulls apart easily, add the last two cans of beef broth, a can of cream of mushroom soup, and the maple syrup. Blend in the pot.
Step 5
Add carrots and potatoes, as many as the pot will hold, spooning liquid over the veggies. Cook for another hour, until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. Serve, and enjoy!
