Laurie Colwin's Pot Roast

There is nothing better than the oven warming the house, along with the aroma of Laurie Colwin's Pot Roast in the oven...come and see how it's done!

My search for her second cookbook, is over!

I have been cooking from Laurie Colwin's Home Cooking, a writer in the kitchen for a few years now. And while I had been on the lookout for More Home Cooking, a writer returns to the kitchen, I no longer need to look! Because happily while my husband was searching for replacement books for his collection, he also came across a copy of the book I have been looking for. Needless to say, we we ordered it immediately! When it arrived, I thumbed through, but all I found this time, was a pink bookmark...

Yes, beef is high priced at the market, but you will love this roast!

Even with the current price of beef, this Pot Roast recipe is without a doubt worth the cost that five pounds of pot roast will set you back. Why? Because it is flavorful, tender and will fill not only your belly with a wonderful dinner, but will also fill your senses as you complete the preparation to put this in the oven. Now don't take that sentence to mean this is difficult to make, because honestly it is not. Plus the five pound weight is not mandatory, you can certainly cook a smaller roast. But this is a real bonus, you get leftovers! 

A Pot Roast is true home cooking, cook with what you have!

My little corner market was out of red bell peppers, I picked out the ripest I could find. But even with half ripened peppers this was still delicious! Feel free to serve the pan juices as they come from the oven, or you can go a touch rogue and thick the juices into one of the best bowls of gravy you will ever eat. I usually choose to thicken, we are died in the wool gravy fans in this house and there is always a bowl of mashed potatoes waiting for some of the gravy to be poured over the top!

Some additional thoughts on this recipe:

If you have concerns regarding the cost of a five pound pot roast, feel free to cook a smaller one. You will have extra gravy, but that my friends is never a bad thing!

You will have leftovers! Pot roast is exactly one of those meals that is just as good if not better the next day.

This recipe is perfect for large gatherings. Also you can serve a lot of folks with this roast or package it up for future meals in your freezer, perfect for those busy days. You could easily get 16 servings from this dinner.

While I sliced this roast, you may also use two forks to break the meat up into chunks, arrange on a large platter and drizzle with gravy to serve.

Ingredients needed for this recipe:

• pot roast
• paprika
• red bell peppers
• onions
• carrot
• garlic
• salt 
• pepper
• olive oil
• tomato sauce
• red wine
• whole wheat flour

You will also need the following:

• Dutch Oven
• frying pan
• vegetable peeler
• kitchen knife
• cutting board
• large kitchen fork
• can opener
• small bowl
• whisk

Now we are ready to begin!

  

Laurie Colwin's Pot Roast

Adapted from:  HOME COOKING a writer in the kitchen.

300-degree oven                 

5-pound chuck roast

paprika

olive oil

3 red bell peppers, sliced

2 yellow onions, cut into chunks

1 carrot, peeled and sliced 1 inch thick

6 cloves garlic

1 8 oz. can tomato sauce

1 glass of red wine

salt and pepper to taste

whole wheat flour

Tie a string around the outside of the roast to keep it stable. Sprinkle well with paprika.

In a large skillet, sear the meat, turning to brown all sides. While the meat is browning, peel and chop the onion, carrot and the garlic. Core and slice the bell peppers.

Place the roast into a Dutch oven. Using the same skillet, add the peppers, onions, carrot and garlic, sauté in olive oil. Spoon the vegetables over meat in the Dutch oven.

Add the red wine and the tomato sauce to the skillet, simmer to cook down slightly, pour over roast.

Season with salt and pepper to taste, then cover.  

Cook 3 – 5 hours. When the meat is tender, carefully remove the roast from the Dutch oven and place on a platter, covered loosely with foil or a clean tea towel.

Remove the vegetables from the broth with a slotted spoon. Place them into a sieve, push the vegetables through the sieve. You may also use a food mill if desired. Do Not Use a Blender. The goal is to remove any fibers and seeds from the puree.

Return the soft pureed vegetables to the meat broth (discarding the rest left behind in the sieve) and simmer to reduce and thicken slightly. 

Serve immediately or thicken with flour if desired, as shown below.  

PLEASE NOTE: Ms. Colwin did not thicken her pan juices with flour, this will be a personal choice to thicken or not...

I choose to thicken the sauce with a bit of flour, about 2 - 3 tablespoons. 

Spoon some of the pan juices into a small bowl, let cool slightly, add the flour and stir to mix well and smooth out any lumps. 

Stir the flour mixture back into the pan with the pan juices, bring to a boil, and cook until thicken.

Slice the pot roast, arrange on a platter. Spoon some of the gravy over the top and serve the remaining gravy in a gravy boat to pass at the table.

Storage options for Laurie Colwin's Pot Roast. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to three days. To store for a longer period of time, you may freeze the recipe. 

UPDATE:  For your convenience, a "copy and paste" version of Laurie Colwin's Pot Roast has been included below. 

You may also enjoy:

Laurie Colwin's Broccoli Sauce for Pasta.

#wholefoodingredients

#scratchmadefoodforyourfamily

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Printable "copy and paste" version:

Laurie Colwin's Pot Roast

Adapted from:  HOME COOKING a writer in the kitchen.

300-degree oven                 

5-pound chuck roast

paprika

olive oil

3 red bell peppers, sliced

2 yellow onions, cut into chunks

1 carrot, peeled and sliced 1 inch thick

6 cloves garlic

1 8 oz. can tomato sauce

1 glass of red wine

salt and pepper to taste

whole wheat flour

Tie a string around the outside of the roast to keep it stable. Sprinkle well with paprika.

In a large skillet, sear the meat, turning to brown all sides. While the meat is browning, peel and chop the onion, carrot and the garlic. Core and slice the bell peppers.

Place the roast into a Dutch oven. Using the same skillet, add the peppers, onions, carrot and garlic, sauté in olive oil. Spoon the vegetables over meat in the Dutch oven.

Add the red wine and the tomato sauce to the skillet, simmer to cook down slightly, pour over roast.

Season with salt and pepper to taste, then cover.  

Cook 3 – 5 hours. When the meat is tender, carefully remove the roast from the Dutch oven and place on a platter, covered loosely with foil or a clean tea towel.

Remove the vegetables from the broth with a slotted spoon. Place them into a sieve, push the vegetables through the sieve. You may also use a food mill if desired. Do Not Use a Blender. The goal is to remove any fibers and seeds from the puree.

Return the soft pureed vegetables to the meat broth (discarding the rest left behind in the sieve) and simmer to reduce and thicken slightly. 

Serve immediately or thicken with flour if desired, as shown below.  

PLEASE NOTE: Ms. Colwin did not thicken her pan juices with flour, this will be a personal choice to thicken or not...

I choose to thicken the sauce with a bit of flour, about 2 - 3 tablespoons. 

Spoon some of the pan juices into a small bowl, let cool slightly, add the flour and stir to mix well and smooth out any lumps. 

Stir the flour mixture back into the pan with the pan juices, bring to a boil, and cook until thicken.

Slice the pot roast, arrange on a platter. Spoon some of the gravy over the top and serve the remaining gravy in a gravy boat to pass at the table.

Storage options for Laurie Colwin's Pot Roast. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to three days. To store for a longer period of time, you may freeze the recipe. 

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