How to make the best tender 2 lb pot roast for two
Learn how to make the best tender 2 lb pot roast for two. Here the classic 17thcentury French boeuf á la mode gets an update, maintaining its status as an elegant dish a cut above a simple pot roast.
Servings: 3 servings
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless beef top blade roast or chuck roast
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium red onion quartered
- 2 carrots peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces.
- 2 celery stalks cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 small rutabaga about 8 ounces, peeled and cut into 12 pieces
- 1 head garlic top trimmed to expose the cloves
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig rosemary
- ¾ cup red wine preferably cabernet
- 2 cups beef broth or stock add name
Garnish
- prepared horse radish sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Thoroughly pat roast dry with paper towels; sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
- In a large Dutch oven or other heavy oven-proof pot with a lid, heat the oil over medium high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the meat and sear until a dark crust forms, reducing heat if fat begins to smoke, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium and add the butter to the now empty pan. Melt the butter, add all vegetables and the garlic, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom of the pot until the vegetables start to color, about 8 to 10 minutes
- Add tomato paste and cook stirring frequently, until darkens slightly about 5 minutes. Add the bay leaves, rosemary, and wine, cooking until the liquid is reduced to a thick gravy, stirring consistently. This should take about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Return roast and any accumulated juices to pot; add broth until halfway up sides of roast. Bring liquid to simmer over medium heat, then place foil over pot and cover tightly with lid (this makes for easy clean up), transfer pot to oven. Turn the roast after 1 hour. Continue to cook until the pot roast is very tender and starts to fall apart. Begin checking the doneness at 2 hours.
- Transfer roast to carving board, tent with foil to keep it warm. Let it rest for at least 10 minutes. Let the liquid in the pot settle for about 5 minutes, then use a wide spoon to skim fat off the surface. Discard the bay leaves and rosemary stems. Squeeze any garlic cloves remaining in their skins into the sauce and discard the skins.
- Using chef’s or carving knife, cut meat against the grain into ½-inch-thick slices, or pull apart into large pieces. To serve, lay slices of pot roast in a shallow bowl along with the vegetables and a generous amount of cooking liquid ladled over the top. Dollop with a teaspoon of prepared horseradish sauce. Serve with mashed potatoes or a simple green salad.