January 20, 2012 | Meat & Poultry
There is something wonderfully relaxing about cooking on the weekends. It’s not at all like a weekday for me. Weekdays are full of work, appointments, commitments, busyness, and rushing. I love to cook (obviously), but even I often feel stressed about putting food on the table during the week. And that’s just for my husband and me – I know those of you committed to cooking real food for families feel even more pressure. But the weekends – well that’s when we take it more slowly, and that’s when slow cooked meats during the winter make for a perfect Sunday supper.
Making the perfect roast beef (technically this would actually be called braising) out of a cheap chuck roast requires only three things: first, a bit of sofrito, that aromatic blend of celery, carrots and onion…
…second, some liquids – I like to pour in a whole bottle of wine and then enough stock, usually a couple of cans, to just about cover the meat…
…and third, enough time. You can’t rush a good roast, but that’s ok on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. You’ll know it’s done when the meat can be easily pulled apart with a fork and all of the gristle has broken down. That’s usually 3+ hours, so give yourself time – and enjoy the way your house smells while it’s cooking. When the meat is cooked, all you need to do is to pull the meat out to a cutting board and slice it. Strain the liquid and discard the solids, then return the liquid to the pot and thicken it with a slurry of cornstarch and water. I like to return the slices of meat to the gravy to simmer for a couple of minutes before serving.
To round out your Sunday supper, simply toss a bunch of root vegetables with some olive oil, salt, and pepper and roast them in the same oven with the meat for the final 45 minutes or so. So easy, yet so delicious.Pin It
| Roast Beef with Gravy |
Category: Entree
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 15 mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 beef or bison chuck roast
- Salt and pepper
- 2 large carrots, roughly chopped
- 2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
- 1 large onions, roughly chopped
- 1 bottle red wine
- 2 cans beef broth or stock
- 2-3 tablespoons cornstarch
- Chopped parsley, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
- Heat oil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Season roast liberally with salt and pepper and sear on all sides until browned. Add carrots, celery, onions, wine, and stock to the pot, cover, and bring to a light boil. Transfer pot to the oven and cook until meat is tender, 3-4 hours.
- Remove meat to a cutting board. Strain braising liquid, discard solids, and return liquid to the pot. Combine cornstarch with a bit of water to make a slurry. Whisk in slurry and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until thickened. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Slice meat and, if desired, return slices to the gravy before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with roasted vegetables.
Google Recipe View Microformatting by Easy Recipe
Note: If your roast isn’t thawed completely it will still cook just fine. Simply proceed with searing the meat on all sides and then cooking per the recipe. The roast may take a little longer to cook, but will turn out great!
I think sometimes we get carried away with nouveau cuisine to the flaw of forgetting tried-and-true soul-warming dishes like this. This dinner completely conjures the warmth of a family supper to set everyone on the right course for the week upcoming. The photos are beautiful Michele. Thanks for sharing this.
That’s a great photo of the beef. Beef can be a tough subject. My mom used to make Roast Beef every Sunday. Before we’d go to church, she’d put it in the oven and we’d come home to a wonderful smelling house. And yes, I look forward to the weekend to cook up something wonderful … and not rushed.