How To Make Pot Roast, From A Prime Beef Expert
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Richard Turner, author of meat-centric tomes Pitt Cue and Hog, has a new book out dedicated to the art of beef. Craving tartare, Porterhouse or simply the best cheeseburger you can make? This cookbook is your one-stop shop. Let's learn an essential lesson how to make pot roast. Oh, and you'll need a mashed potato recipe.
An American pot roast is a beauteous thing. A variation on the French dish boeuf à la mode, it is a great way to prepare a tougher cut of beef. The dish is prepared by first browning the beef in meat fat, and then half-braising and half-roasting in a liquid composed primarily of red wine, with garlic and root vegetables.
How To Make Pot Roast, From A Prime Beef Expert
Let's learn an essential lesson from meat authority Richard Turner on how to make pot roast. You'll need a mashed potato recipe to go with it.
Prep Time
35
minutes
Cook Time
4
hours
Servings
0
servings
Ingredients
- 4 pounds 8 ounces beef brisket
- 1 1/8 cups red wine
- 2 tablespoons beef dripping
- 3 large onions
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1 liter beef broth
- 1 bunch herbs (thyme, rosemary and bay leaf)
- 3 large carrots
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- Maldon sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
- Mashed potatoes
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 8 large onions
- 1 pint Mustard gravy
- Maldon sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup English mustard
- 1 pint gravy
Directions
- :::mustard gravy:::
- Whisk the mustard into the finished gravy.
- :::onion gravy:::
- Heat the butter in a large heavy-based saucepan and add the sliced onions. Reduce the heat to low and leave the onions to cook gently for about 30 minutes, checking and stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. The onions should be soft and translucent, and slowly caramelizing to a dark golden brown.
- Stir in the Mustard Gravy, season to taste and serve.
- :::pot roast:::
- To prepare the brisket, using a sharp knife, score the fat in parallel lines, about ¾ inch apart, and repeat in the opposite direction to make a criss-cross pattern. Season well, place in a bowl, then pour the wine over the top and let the meat sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Heat the beef dripping in a large casserole, then pat the brisket dry (reserving the wine) and brown it gently, fatty side down, over a medium-high heat. When the fat side is nicely browned, turn the brisket over and cook for a few more minutes to brown the other side.
- Remove the brisket from the casserole and reserve. Add the sliced onions to the residue of rendered fat and sauté until they are lightly browned, then stir in the garlic and cook for a few more minutes.
- Move the onions and garlic to the sides of the pot and nestle the brisket inside. Add the reserved wine, then the beef broth and the faggot of herbs. Season well, bring the broth to a simmer, then cover and place in the oven for 3 hours. Carefully turn the brisket halfway through, so that it cooks evenly.
- After 3 hours, add the carrots and cook for another hour or until they are cooked through and the brisket is tender. Take the pot out of the oven, remove the brisket to a chopping board and cover it with foil. Take out and discard the herbs.
- Skim the cooking liquor to remove all the fat and return to a gentle simmer, skimming constantly. Taste and correct the seasoning, adding the mustard, if using. Notice the lines of the muscle fibres of the roast: this is the “grain” of the meat. Slice across this grain in ½ inch slices. Serve with the carrots, Onion Gravy and Mashed Potatoes.