pot roast and triple choklit fantasy

hey... it's a crappy sunday. cloudy, cool enough that pants are required, warm enough that i notice the humidity. not a good day in many respects, but things should be better once i've eaten.

pot roast has a way of doing that to me.

pot roast with braised root vegetables and mushrooms

1 4-5 lb 7-bone roast
10 cloves garlic, cut in half
2/3 of a bottle of zinfandel
3 c beef broth or stock
1 lg onion, cut in good sized chunks
12 small yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled
2 bunches carrots, peeled
12 oz button mushrooms, wiped with a paper towel
salt and pepper
2 T vegetable oil
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2-3 bay leaves
slurry made of cornstarch and water (about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of cornstarch in 1 c water)

preheat oven to 325. heat lg. dutch oven over med-hi heat with the oil. cut slits into the roast and insert garlic. season liberally with salt and pepper. turn roast over and repeat on other side, cutting slits, inserting garlic, salt & pepper.

sear on both sides in dutch oven, and remove to a lg. plate. lower heat and pour in the zinfandel, and using a wooden spoon, scrape all the crusty bits from the bottom of the pan. put roast back in pot, add the stock and onions, put the lid on and place dutch oven in 325 degree oven.

allow to braise for about 2 hrs. check doneness of meat by attempting to pick it up. if it's close to falling apart, add the potatoes and carrots and mushrooms and return to the oven for another 45-60 mins. if the meat is not yet to the lovely falling apart stage, give it another 30 mins and check it again.

when vegetation is done, remove it and the roast from the dutch oven and put the dutch oven over high heat on the stove. allow the liquids to reduce by about 20% and add the cornstarch slurry. bring back to a boil and serve immediately.



the dessert is storebought. i was thinking i'd bake this killer pie today, but it'll have to wait till next weekend. be sure to check back then for the recipe, cuz i'm thinking it's gonna be the bomb.

have a lovely sunday evening everyone!