Sunday, February 20, 2011

Not Your Mama's Pot Roast

I love pot roast as much as the next person, but the recipe I made today was not your crock pot meat and tater dish that we all grew up with. I tried a new recipe today that hands up swear to God was so good I almost cried.

It took time, I won't lie. It wasn't the kind of time that you could leave it alone and come back to a finished meal. Chopping, browning, sauteing, braising, reducing - the list goes on. But what you end up with is so damn good. The sauce is silky smooth and velvet texture. The flavors that come through is amazing.

The recipe called for Zinfadel, but said you could substitute Cabernet. I used Pinot Noir. And if that made a difference, I will use Pinot from now on.


Come on, any recipe that starts with pancetta bacon can't be bad?
This is the point where you cover it and bake it for 3 hours, turning every 45 minutes. At least that is what the recipe said. My roast was only 2 lbs. so I checked it at 2 hrs and 25 minutes and pulled it out. Covering with the tent for the next 20 minutes while I finish the sauce and make the prosciutto mashed potatoes (yes, pancetta and prosciutto on the same plate - it is heaven), let the juices go back in the roast and it was very tender. I also used a rump roast because that is what I had in the freezer. It has less fat so I didn't want to dry out the roast and cook it too long.

After removing the roast to rest, boil the sauce down and stir with a whisk. You want to get out every last ounce of flavor those vegetables have to offer. Then strain it.
What you have left is gorgeous and tasty. Season and boil some more to reduce it and make thick.
I think I may have just found my next dinner party entree.

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