Prairie Pot Roast Recipes

PERFECT POT ROAST

Steps:

• First and foremost, choose a nicely marbled piece of meat. This will enhance the flavor of your pot roast like nothing else. Generously salt and pepper your chuck roast.
• Preheat the oven to 275˚. Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Then add 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil (or you can do a butter/olive oil split).
• Cut two onions in half and cut 6 to 8 carrots into 2-inch slices (you can peel them, but you don't have to). When the oil in the pot is very hot (but not smoking), add in the halved onions, browning them on one side and then the other. Remove the onions to a plate.
• Throw the carrots into the same very hot pan and toss them around a bit until slightly browned, about a minute or so.
• If needed, add a bit more olive oil to the very hot pan. Place the meat in the pan 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 pan, scraping the bottom with a whisk to get all of that wonderful flavor up.
• When the bottom of the pan is sufficiently deglazed, place the roast back into the pan and add enough beef stock to cover the meat halfway (about 2 to 3 cups). Add in the onion and the carrots, as well as 3 or 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary and about 3 sprigs of fresh thyme.
• Put the lid on, then roast in the oven for 3 hours (for a 3-pound roast). For a 4 to 5-pound roast, plan on 4 hours.

CLASSIC PRAIRIE LAND POT ROAST

Steps:

• Season both sides of roast with salt and pepper. Brown meat in large heavy pot or Dutch oven on high heat in 1/4 cup of the Catalina dressing, turning to brown both sides. Add onions; stir to brown. Add remaining Catalina dressing, potatoes, carrots and enough water to come 3/4 way up meat (about 1 1/2 to 2 cups). Bring to boil; cover. Reduce heat to low. Simmer 2+ hours or until meat and vegetables are tender. Note:Potatoes can be browned with meat if desired. Remove meat from pan; slice meat thinly against the grain. Serve meat and vegetables topped with pan gravy. Sprinkle with chopped parsley just before serving. If thicker pan gravy is desired, stir 1/4 cup water into 2 to 3 Tablespoons flour in small bowl. Remove meat and vegetables from pan; bring liquid to boil on medium-high heat. Gradually whisk flour mixture into pan liquid until thickened to desired consistency. The original recipe said to put it in the oven to cook, but I like to make it on the stovetop. I find it cooks better. It's all in one pan and so easy to make. The trick is to make sure you brown both sides of the meat in the Catalina dressing.

PIONEER WOMAN'S PERFECT POT ROAST

Steps:

• preheat oven to 275. Heat large pot or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add olive oil and let it get really hot.
• Salt and pepper the chuck roast on both sides. Cut the onions from root to tip, cut the ends off, and peel the skin off. Brown onions on both sides in dutch oven, then remove to a plate. Thoroughly wash carrots, chop and add to dutch oven and toss them around until slightly brown, about a minute or so.
• Remove the carrots and allow pot to become hot again.
• Sear roast about 1 minute per side and then remove to plate.
• Turn heat to high and deglaze the pot adding one cup of the beef broth.
• Add Meat back to pot, followed by carrots and onions. Pour beef broth into pot to cover the meat half way. Tuck thyme and rosemary into the broth, if you are using them.
• Cover pot and roast for 3-5 hours depending on the size of your roast. For a 3 pound roast, allow 3-3 1/2 hours, for a 4 to 5 pound roast, cook for 4 to 5 hours.
• When cooking time is over, check for doneness; insert a fork into meat, the fork should go in very easily and the meat should be very tender.
• Remove to cutting board and slice against the grain.
• Serve.
• Congratulations, you're a hero.