Sunday Pot Roast for Two

This recipe will probably feed 4 people with appetites like ours. We just can’t ”pack it in” like we used to!

The star of the show is a nice, little 1 1/2 pound chuck roast. Braised in stock and a little red wine, the supporting characters are onions, celery, carrots, mushrooms, and a few herbs. You can braise it on the stove, but put it in the oven and not worry about it burning on the bottom.

You don’t to use a bouquet garni…just throw the herbs into the pot. Also, I have a great small (3 quart) enameled cast iron Dutch oven. The little chuck roast fit perfectly.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 (1-2 pound) chuck roast, excess fat trimmed

• 1-2 tbsp olive oil

• Kosher salt

• Black pepper

• 1 medium onion, peeled, cut into 8 large chunks

• 2 celery ribs, large chop

• 2 medium carrots, peeled, large chop

• 1 1/2 cup white mushrooms, quartered

• 3 medium garlic cloves, peeled, thin sliced

• 1 tbsp tomato paste

• 1/2 cup dry red wine

• 1 tbsp Worcestershire

• 1 cup beef stock

• 1 cup chicken stock

• 3/4 pounds baby red potatoes

• Bouquet garni – 1 sprig fresh rosemary, 3 sprigs fresh thyme, 1 bay leaf

• Cornstarch for a slurry

• Chopped parsley

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

• Season the chuck roast on both sides with Kosher salt. I held off on the pepper until after browning as it tends to burn. Heat a Dutch oven over medium high heat and add 1-2 tbsp of olive oil. When the oil is hot, place the roast in the pot and let it brown (about 3-4 minutes per side). Remove from the pot and set aside on a plate.

• Add the onions, celery, and mushrooms to the pot and cook about 4-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic for 30 seconds.

• Add the tomato paste and stir for about 1 minute.

• Deglaze the pot with the wine, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to release any brown bits. Add the Worcestershire.

• Place the browned chuck roast back in the pot. Add the stocks until they level almost covers the roast, but not completely. Add the carrots and the bouquet garni and tuck into the liquid. Bring to a simmer.

• Place in the oven for 2 hours, covered.

• Add the baby red potatoes and cook another 45 minutes or so, until the potatoes are done and the roast is fork tender.

• Remove from the oven.

• Remove the roast to a platter and keep warm. Using a slottd spoon, remove the vegetable to the same platter. Discard the bouquet garni.

• Optionally, stir 2 tbsp of cornstarch into 2 tbsp of cold water. Place the pot over medium heat and bring the liquid to a simmer. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and allow to thicken. Taste and reseason with salt and pepper if necessary. Spoon some of the gravy over the meat and vegetables and pass more of the gravy at the table. Garnish with chopped parsley.