Making A Good Old Fashioned Pot Roast

Every time I make a pot roast, I always do something different. I try to figure out how to improve it. I've done it so many ways, in a roasting pan, in a plastic bag in a roasting pan, in a crock pot...I could go on but won't.

All the previous times before, I would cook the carrots, celery and potatoes together with the meat. But, in doing that they're more mushy or like boiled vegetables, I'm not too big on that. I like my potatoes actually roasted with a little bit of olive oil, thyme, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper - can't do that while it's in with a pot roast.

So, this is what I tried this time - it was delicious!


Of course you have your basic mirepoix (mixture of diced carrots, celery and onion - some chefs call this the holy trinity - kinda sacrilegious - so Mirepoix it is). I've also added leeks to this, because there were some amazing looking leeks in the store and they begged to come home to my kitchen :)

Paul bought me an awesome large pan, that can go from the stove top to the oven. I recommend getting one for your kitchen http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/283150/?cm_src=hero I recommend this type. I have several key pieces I need for my kitchen and they're amazing!

Ok - So I preheated my pan with some olive oil and canola oil, tied my meat up added a little kosher salt and pepper, browned each side 3-5 minutes, then I also browned the edges. I moved the meat to the side and slightly sauteed the mirepoix and leeks with a little bit of butter and a clove of garlic, minced. Deglazed the pan with some chicken stock. Added the roast back into the pan on the bed of veggies with some fresh thyme sprigs. Covered and cooked in the oven at 375 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.

The last half hour I put in the oven on the bottome rack a baking sheet loaded with large cubes of potatoes which were peeled and lightly covered with olive oil, sea salt, thyme and freshly cracked pepper. After I took the roast out of the oven, I shifted around the potatoes and put them back in the oven while the roast rested for another 10 minutes.

I took the roast out of the pan along with the sprigs of thyme and placed it on a serving platter covered it with foil. For the gravy, I used my awesome everyday food blender http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/sku9968108/?pkey=celectrics-cuisinart|eltcuifod which Paul got me for my half birthday to blend up the mirepoix and leeks. I put all the left over liquid in a bowl so I could make my roux in my awesome pan added the liquid back in with the last of my chicken stock. I then added the blended up mirepoix and leeks to the gravy for a bonus thickener. Tasted it for salt and pepper.

So, I finally got my wish: lovely roasted potatoes, yummy real roasted pot roast, freshly made rice and gravy that's so deliciously flavorful. Now, to try to beat perfection - next time I'm gonna try to sneak in parsnips or turnips with the potatoes, carrots and summer squash....mmmmmmmm.