Beef pot roast

Braised Beef Pot Roast

3 pound bottom round(you can use other cuts, this was just on sale)

2 small-medium onions, cut into eighths

2 carrots, cut into thick rings and quartered

2 celery stalks, sliced

1 8oz package white mushrooms, quartered

6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

½ bottle red wine(I used cabernet)

2 cups beef stock

1 tbsp tomato paste(I freeze mine in saran-wrapped roll, so it’s easy to cut off a piece)

Fresh herbs – 3 sprigs time, 1 sprig oregano, 1 small sprig rosemary, 1 small sprig basil, 1 sprig parsley

1-2 tbsp. Brandy

1/3 cup half and half

Olive Oil

Butter

Flour

Garlic powder

Salt & Pepper

Instructions:

Chop all the vegetables and set aside.

Bring a 6qt pot or dutch oven to medium heat. Put some olive oil and 1tbs butter in the pot. Season the beef with salt, pepper, and garlic powder and dust with flour, then place in the pot. Sear on all sides then remove from heat. I then wiped up the oil left in the pot, but left the brown bits in there.

Put some oil and a tbsp. of butter in the pot, and put the carrot, celery, and onion in. Season with pepper(Salt? Be careful of adding salt because of the beef stock). After 4-5 minutes, put the garlic and mushrooms in. Sauté for another 4-5 minutes, then deglaze the pan with brandy. After about 1 minute, add the wine, beef stock, and tomato paste. Bring up to a simmer. Add the herbs(tied together in a bundle) and cover. At this point, I transferred to a crock pot. You could also cover and put in a 300-350 degree oven. Let simmer for 3 hours. Check for salt and pepper.

When finished, take out the beef and vegetables. Pour juice into a saucepan. Mix half and half with 2 tbsp. flour and pour into the sauce. Reduce until desired consistency.

Serve over mashed potatoes with sauce.

Comments: I didn’t put enough salt in during cooking so it tasted a little bland. I added some salt to my plate on top of the food and mixed it up, and it fixed it and tasted great. Also, the meat was still a little tough. It could have been the cut of meat I had, but I think simmering it on low for a longer time could have made the meat fall apart as I intended. It still turned out good though, because the dryness of the meat was hidden by the sauce and the mashed potatoes.
Also, it made for a great lunch meal the next day.