Pot Roast
Pot Roast is a cornerstone of American home cooking, where a tough cut of beef is braised low and slow with vegetables and stock until it can be pulled apart with a fork. Chuck roast is the ideal choice - its abundant connective tissue and intramuscular fat break down over hours of gentle heat, converting collagen into gelatin that makes the meat moist and rich. Searing the beef on all sides builds a brown crust that contributes deep flavor, and adding tomato paste to the pan before deglazing creates an umami-rich foundation. Beef stock is poured to about two-thirds up the side of the meat, and the covered pot goes into a 160-degree oven for at least three hours, during which the liquid reduces and concentrates into a natural gravy. Carrots and potatoes are added in the final hour so they hold their shape while absorbing the braising liquid's flavor.
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Instructions
- 1
Season beef and sear all sides in a hot pot until browned.
- 2
Sauté onion and garlic in the same pot, then cook in tomato paste.
- 3
Add beef stock and scrape up browned bits from the bottom.
- 4
Return beef, cover, and braise on low heat for 90 minutes.
- 5
Add carrots and potatoes, then cook 25-30 minutes more.
- 6
Slice beef and serve with vegetables and braising sauce.
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Nutrition (per serving)
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