Pot roast
THE POT ROAST OF YOUR DREAMS. Literally, I dream about this. I have taken this cozy classic and perfected a healthier, cleaned-up rendition that is approved by all. Trust me.
Ingredients
- 2.5 pound chuck roast
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 3 onions (white or red) halved lengthwise and sliced
- 6-8 large garlic cloves, finely chopped (about 2-3 tbsp)
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 tbsp dijon
- 1 tbsp peppercorns
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 6-8 organic carrots peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 organic stalks celery sliced into 2 inch pieces
- 1 carton organic beef broth
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Put the oven rack in the bottom position and make sure the pot fits (as this will be heavy and hot). Preheat oven to 350°F. I use a le Creuset 12" dutch oven for this also. (See shop page for recommendations).
- Get everything prepped – mise en place is a must! When I organize everything I need, a recipe goes a lot smoother and is less stressful. Peel and slice the onions into thick pieces (1/4-1/3 of an inch), peel and cut the carrots into 2-inch pieces, cut the celery into 2-inch pieces, have the tomato paste and dijon out, measure out your apple cider vinegar, and have your bay leaves, thyme and peppercorns ready to go.
- Pat beef dry, remove the string if there is one, and season all over with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown meat on all sides, this should take about 10 minutes! You want to see dark brown parts. Remove it from the dutch oven and let it rest on a plate.
- Using the same pot and leftover oil and fat from beef, turn the heat to medium – add onions and let them brown for about 5 minutes stirring often so they don't burn. Add the Dijon and tomato paste stirring around constantly – you may notice some browning, but that is okay. Add the garlic and give that another two minutes. Add the carrots, celery, broth, bay leaves, thyme, and peppercorns, and apple cider vinegar.
- Raise the heat to high, and let this come to a simmer for 10 minutes total.
- Once it is bubbling, turn the heat off, return the beef to the pot, and nestle it into the veg making sure the liquid is coming up the sides. If everything isn't covered add more water of bone broth so everything is covered (like in the photo). Cover with the lid and put it in the oven.
- Leave it for 4-4.5 hours (you really can't mess this up).
- After about 4 hours the liquid should have reduced almost completely and the meat should be cooked through and tender.
- Remove the meat and about 1/3 of the whole veg onto a plate and set aside (remove most of the celery as it doesn't blend well. Also, remove the thyme stems and bay leaves and discard them!
- In the dutch oven, using a handheld immersion blender, puree the veg into a thick, chunky, gorgeous sauce- if you need to thin it out add some stock 1 tbsp at a time. This sauce or "gravy" is the magic of this recipe. No need for any butter, oil, or gravy to top onto this roast. This "veggie gravy" is actual heaven and I can guarantee you'll be eating it with a spoon!
- Return the chunky veggies and beef into the pot with the veggie sauce. Serve over some sweet potato and celery root mash or your starch of choice. FREAKING YUMMMMMMM
Notes
Some of my friends don’t like carrots – and want more celery. The carrots add substance to the final sauce and a savory sweetness that celery can’t achieve. If you want to add more celery, go for it, but you might need to add more broth to cover all the vegetables in the pot!
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @tinysalt on Instagram and hashtag it #tinysalt.