Old-Fashioned Pot Roast
Every time I fix this recipe for friends, its asked for and usually by the husbands! As a new mom, who works full-time, I also like how easy it is to prepare. Its one of our favorites. Some people Ive shared the recipe with have used a beef brisket in place of the regular roast. For a bit different taste, I at times add red wine vinegar.
Every time I fix this recipe for friends, its asked for and usually by the husbands! As a new mom, who works full-time, I also like how easy it is to prepare. Its one of our favorites. Some people Ive shared the recipe with have used a beef brisket in place of the regular roast. For a bit different taste, I at times add red wine vinegar.
- Carbohydrate 27.38553460135 g
- Cholesterol 92.9864625 mg
- Fat 19.1640817079 g
- Fiber 4.18992001781947 g
- Protein 52.06074518685 g
- Saturated Fat 7.44389274022 g
- Serving Size 1 1 (458g)
- Sodium 575.565396163502 mg
- Sugar 23.1956145835305 g
- Trans Fat 2.6030935371275 g
- Calories 499 calories
Step-by-step
- Place roast in an ungreased roasting pan.
- Combine the chili sauce, water and onion soup mix; pour over roast.
- Cover and bake at 350 deg for 2 hours.
- Cut roast into 1/2-in. slices; return to pan.
- Top with the potatoes, carrots and celery.
- Cover and bake 1 hour longer or until meat and vegetables are tender, stirring the vegetables once.
Unlike a quick-seared skillet steak that relies on high, direct heat to build a brown crust, pot roast belongs to the tradition of long braises designed to soften connective tissue in tough cuts like an eye round roast. Culinary history traces this method directly to European immigrants who adapted traditional pot-au-feu techniques to cheaper cuts available in American markets. Covering the roasting pan tightly with foil or a heavy lid traps steam inside, creating a moist cooking environment at 350 degrees Fahrenheit that breaks down tough collagen over two hours before the root vegetables are added.
Achieving fork-tender meat requires slicing the roast against the grain into half-inch pieces after its initial bake, which shortens the muscle fibers so every bite yields easily under a fork. Stirring the cut potatoes, carrots, and celery halfway through their one-hour cooking window ensures they absorb the savory liquids evenly without turning to mush.
Leftovers stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator will actually improve by the second day as the starches in the vegetables thicken the surrounding sauce further. Swapping the water for dry red wine or adding a splash of red wine vinegar provides an alternative acidic profile to balance the natural richness of the beef.
