Sunday Essentials Braised Beef Roast Perfected Recipes

SUNDAY POT ROAST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Using paper towels, pat the roast dry to help get a great crust on the meat. Sprinkle the roast generously with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons oil and heat until glossy. Add the roast and brown on all sides. Remove and transfer to a cutting board or a large plate.
• Add more oil to the pot if needed, along with the carrots, celery and onions. Season with salt and pepper. Add the fresh herb bundle and cook until the vegetables start to brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking for another minute. Add 3/4 cup of the red wine and reduce by half, scraping up the seared bits and incorporating them into the juice. Then return the roast to the pot and add the beef broth. Bring the liquid to a simmer before covering with a tight-fitting lid and placing the pot in the oven. Allow the roast to cook until fork tender, 3 1/2 to 4 hours, turning once halfway through.
• Remove from the oven and transfer the roast to a large cutting board. Tent with foil while the roast rests. Placing the Dutch oven back on the stovetop over medium-high heat, add the remaining 1/4 cup of red wine to the liquid and reduce by half at a simmer, about 10 minutes. Strain the sauce and season with salt and pepper. Shred the roast into big chunks and toss with the jus.
• For the herb salad: Toss the watercress and picked parsley with the lemon juice and olive oil to taste. Season with salt and pepper and top with the toasted almonds
• Serve on top of the Risotto Cakes and top with the fresh herb salad.
• For the risotto: In a medium saucepan, heat the chicken broth to a simmer. In a separate saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the shallots to the butter, cooking until fragrant and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the Arborio rice and lightly toast, stirring to coat in the butter and shallots. Add the white wine, continuing to cook while stirring until the wine is absorbed. You should be able to run your spoon through the risotto and have the indentation stay.
• Using a ladle, add enough of the warm chicken broth to cover the rice, stirring constantly over medium heat until the broth is completely absorbed. Repeat the process 3 more times, adding the broth in stages while continuing to stir. Once all of the chicken broth has been added and the rice is tender, add the peas, lemon juice and lemon zest and stir to combine.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan, mozzarella and season with salt and pepper. Cool the risotto by spreading it evenly over a sheet tray. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Once the risotto is cooled, form the mixture into burger-size patties, about 1-inch thick. Set up a dredging station with the flour in one dish, beaten eggs in another and panko breadcrumbs in another. Dip the rice patties into the flour, then into the eggs and finally coat them in the panko breadcrumbs.
• In a large skillet, heat 1/2-inch vegetable oil over medium heat until a pinch of panko sizzles when dropped in the oil. Working in batches of 2 to 3, fry the risotto cakes until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side (use a fish spatula under the cake and the back of a fork on top to help stabilize while flipping). Transfer to a wire rack, which will help them stay crispy. Season with salt and they are ready to serve. Yield: 6 large cakes.

SUNDAY STASH BRAISED BEEF

Steps:

• Season beef on all sides with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature at least 45 minutes or up to 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 275°F. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Working in batches and adding more oil if needed, sear meat until browned on all sides, 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
• Add garlic and tomato paste to hot pot and stir to coat. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add vinegar and scrape up browned bits from bottom of pot. Stir in stock and bay leaves, then nestle short ribs back into pot. The liquid should just cover the meat; if it doesn't, add more stock or water until it does. Transfer to oven and braise until meat falls apart easily when shredded with a fork, 3 1/2-4 hours. Let cool in liquid.
• Do Ahead: Beef can be cooked up to 5 days ahead. Store in braising liquid (to keep it from drying out) in an airtight container and chill, or freeze up to 2 months. Before reheating, break off and discard fat cap that forms on top.
• Cooks' Note: To cook in a slow cooker, transfer to a slow cooker instead of oven and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.

SLOW BRAISED BEEF POT ROAST WITH POTATOES

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Trim the roast and remove any visible excess fat. Pat dry with paper towels.
• Rub the pot roast all over with the Cajun seasoning and then sprinkle lightly with pepper.
• Put the pot roast in a resealable food storage bag or bowl. Seal the bag or cover the bowl and refrigerate the roast for at least 1 hour.
• Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat; add the onions and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are tender and golden brown. Stir the onions frequently to keep them from scorching.
• Add the whole or sliced mushrooms and chopped bell peppers to the onions and cook for about 3 minutes longer.
• Remove the vegetables to a plate and turn the heat up to medium-high.
• Add the seasoned pot roast and sear it on all sides. Add the cooked vegetables back to the pan along with the wine and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the liquids have reduced by about one-quarter to one-third.
• Cover the pan and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for about 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours, or until the pot roast is very tender.
• Add the potatoes and carrots, if using, and continue cooking for about 30 to 45 minutes longer, or until the vegetables are tender.
• Serve the pot roast sliced or shredded.
• Enjoy!

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).