Method
1 Use a thick-bottomed covered pot (oven-proof if you intend
to cook in oven), such as a dutch oven, just large enough to hold roast
and vegetables. Heat 1 Tbsp of oil on medium high heat (hot enough to
sear the meat). Sprinkle and rub salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning
all over the meat. Brown roast in pot, all over, several minutes on
each side. Don't move the roast while a side is browning, or it won't
brown well.
2 When roast is browned, lift up the meat and add garlic and
chopped onion to the bottom of the pan. Let the roast sit on top of the
onions. Add 1/2 cup of red wine. Cover. Bring to simmer and then
adjust the heat down to the lowest heat possible to maintain a low
simmer when covered (we cook our roast on the warm setting of our
electric range)*. Alternatively, you can cook the pot roast in a
225°F oven, once you have browned it on the stovetop, and brought the
liquid to a simmer (make sure to use an oven proof pan).
3 Cook for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, until meat is tender. (If you
are using a pressure cooker, cut the time by half). Near the end of the
cooking, add carrots, cook until tender, about an additional 10
minutes.
After cooking 3 1/2 hours, before adding the carrots. Note how much
liquid has been released by the meat. This comes from slow cooking at a
very low temperature. If your pot roast is too dry, make sure the pan
you are using has a tight fitting lid and that you are cooking at the
lowest possible heat to maintain the low simmering.
Serves 4-5. Suggest serving with green beans and potatoes
*If you use a gas range, you may find difficulty getting the
flame low enough. A tip I recently read in Cook's Illustrated suggests
tightly rolling up some aluminum foil, shaping it into a skinny donut,
and putting that on top of the burner to create a little more distance
between the range and the pan. If your pot roast is turning out too
dry, you might want to try this tip.
