Magnolia Table Sunday Pot Roast Recipes

BRAISED SUNDAY POT ROAST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a casserole large enough to hold the meat, heat the butter. When foaming subsides add the onions and carrots and saute for about 10 minutes or until they take on some color. With a slotted spoon remove them and reserve for later.
• Add the oil to the casserole and heat over high heat. Add the beef and brown the meat on all sides; this should take 15 minutes to get a deep golden color. Return the vegetables to the casserole, stuffing them underneath the meat. Add the garlic, tomatoes, bouquet garni. Heat the casserole until you hear it sizzle, drape the meat loosely with aluminum foil, cover the casserole tightly and place it in the lower third of the oven.
• Cook for 1 hour, turn the meat over, lower the heat to 325 and continue to cook until the beef is tender, another 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Remove the meat to a platter. Strain cooking juices into a saucepan, pressing down hard on the vegetables to extract their liquid. Let liquid settle for a minute, then skim off surface fat. Heat the liquid and reduce slightly; adjust seasoning. Slice the roast and spoon the gravy over the top. Serve with braised carrots and boiled parslied potatoes (make extra for cold potato salad and beef salad next day).

LAZY SUNDAY POT ROAST WITH CARAWAY AND GREEN APPLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• In a 5-inch-deep Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Dry the meat with paper towels, sprinkle it generously with salt and pepper, place in the pot, and brown well, about 8 to 10 minutes per side. When the meat is well browned, transfer it to a platter.
• Pour off fat or add oil to the pot as needed so you have about 2 tablespoons in the pot. Add the onions and saute, stirring, until translucent, 7 to 9 minutes.
• Add the vinegar and bring to a boil, scraping up any brown stuff from the bottom of the pan. Put the meat back in the pot and add the bay leaves, caraway seeds, brown sugar, marjoram, and enough stock so that the liquid comes halfway up the sides of the meat. Bring just to a simmer and skim any scum off the surface then cover, put in the oven, and cook until the beef is fork-tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. After 2 hours and 15 minutes, add the apples to the pot; after 2 1/2 hours, remove the apples with a slotted spoon, set aside, and begin checking the meat for doneness. To check for doneness, plunge a fork straight down into the meat and try to pull the fork out. If the fork slides out easily, the meat is done; if the meat hangs on to the fork, give it more time.
• When the meat is done, remove it from the pot, cover it loosely with foil, and let it rest for at least 10 minutes. Skim the fat from the braising liquid and taste the liquid. If it needs more flavor, place the pan on the stove over medium-high heat and simmer to reduce the liquid. For a thicker sauce, reduce it until it coats the back of a spoon. Season with salt and pepper. (You can also strain the liquid and pass it and the cooked onions separately.)
• Cut the meat into thin slices and serve accompanied by the apples, braising liquid, and onions.