Colonial Pot Roast Recipes

PERFECT POT ROAST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
• Generously salt and pepper the chuck roast.
• Heat the olive oil in large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the halved onions to the pot, browning them on both sides. Remove the onions to a plate.
• Throw the carrots into the same very hot pot and toss them around a bit until slightly browned, about a minute or so. Reserve the carrots with the onions.
• If needed, add a bit more olive oil to the very hot pot. Place the meat in the pot and sear it for about a minute on all sides until it is nice and brown all over. Remove the roast to a plate.
• With the burner still on high, use either red wine or beef broth (about 1 cup) to deglaze the pot, scraping the bottom with a whisk. Place the roast back into the pot and add enough beef stock to cover the meat halfway.
• Add in the onions and the carrots, along with the fresh herbs.
• Put the lid on, then roast for 3 hours for a 3-pound roast. For a 4 to 5-pound roast, plan on 4 hours. The roast is ready when it's fall-apart tender.

COLONIAL POT ROAST

Steps:

• Dry meat with paper towel.
• Combine flour salt and pepper; dredge meat in seasoned flour reserving leftover flour.
• Brown meat in oil. Pour off drippings. Add 1/4 cup water and the onion; cover tightly and cook slowly for 10 1/2 hours.
• Dissolve bouillon cube in 1/2 cup of hot water.
• Add the bouillon mix, squash, and apples to meat. Cover tightly and cook 30-35 minutes or until the meat and vegetables are tender.
• Remove the meat and vegetables to heated platter.
• Thicken cooking liquid with reserved flour dissolved with a small amount of water; serve with roast.

GRANDMA'S BEST POT ROAST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Trim excess fat from roast, leaving about 1/4 inch fat. Liberally season all sides with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Place roast, fat-side up, in a Dutch oven. Place onions on and around the roast.
• Cover and bake until aromatic, about 1 1/2 hours. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and continue to bake, turning the meat every 30 minutes and keeping covered, until roast is browned and cooked through, about 3 hours more. An instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the roast should read 145 degrees F (65 degrees C).
• Check tenderness of roast with a fork; if not tender enough, add additional cook time in 30-minute increments until meat easily falls apart.
• Remove from the oven and transfer roast to a cutting board. Tent with foil and let rest for at least 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk water and flour together in a small bowl.
• Place the Dutch oven, uncovered, on the stovetop over medium heat. Smash the remaining onion pieces and stir, being careful not to let the gravy burn. Slowly add water-flour mixture, whisking until cooked through and desired thickness is achieved.
• Slice roast and serve alongside gravy.

COLONIAL PORT-BEEF PIE

Steps:

• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot; cook and stir until softened, about 5 minutes. Add port and thyme; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook until sauce is reduced to 1/2 cup, about 35 minutes.
• Bring chicken broth to a simmer in a small saucepan. Turn off heat and add half the mushroom slices. Let mushrooms soak, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Use a slotted spoon to transfer soaked mushrooms to a small bowl. Strain the chicken broth from the saucepan into a separate bowl, pouring it through a coffee filter or cheesecloth to remove any sediment.
• Dice the soaked mushrooms and transfer to the port sauce. Add the strained chicken-mushroom broth.
• Bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook and stir until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes.
• Mix cornstarch with 1/4 cup cold water in a bowl. Whisk cornstarch slurry rapidly into the simmering sauce until thickened, about 3 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.
• Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute beef until meat is still slightly pink in the center, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Saute remaining mushrooms and onion in the beef drippings until tender, about 5 minutes. Add to the bowl with the beef.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Combine flour and salt in a bowl. Cut 2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter into the flour using 2 knives or a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Add 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons cold water; mix until dough pulls away from edges of the bowl. Divide dough in half; set 1 portion aside and roll the other half onto a floured surface. Press dough into a 10-inch pie pan to form the bottom crust.
• Spread the vegetable-beef mixture over the crust in the pie pan. Pour sauce on top, spreading to the edges. Roll out the other half of the dough and cover pie with the crust; seal the edges.
• Bake in the preheated oven until flaky and golden, about 45 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes.