Refining Pot Roast

Despite having been cooking for a half a century, I continue to look for ways to expand my cooking repertoire and improve the quality of what I make. Pot Roast has been on my radar screen for some time now. It is on the surface a fairly straight forward preparation. However, for a number of years, I have been less than ecstatic about the results I've gotten. Last weekend, I made another attempt with some significant tweaks to what I'd been doing. 

1. Seriously seasoning the meat (beef chuck) I was using before browning. I believe I have been too timid in the past.
2. Similarly, I upped the ante with the amount of aromatics (onions, carrots, celery, garlic) I used for the flavor base.
3. I doubled the amount of beef broth I used for braising. I've had issues with the fluid evaporating too fast in the past. 

One thing I do, is use a pressure cooker. It reduces the time many fold. This is especially true when cooking at altitude as we are here in Albuquerque. Also, I have found using the pressure cooker intensifies flavors. 

I have given another go at documenting my cooking process via self-video. While I am on the one hand vying to become the world's oldest digital nomad, I am simultaneously working to stake out a position as the world's worst self-videoing cooking demonstrator. Let's begin.

Prepping by getting the meat well seasoned, browned, and the aromatics ready to saute.

Next we saute our aromatics

Adding tomato paste gives depth of flavor. Then we deglaze with wine as certain flavor compounds are soluble in alcohol.

Now in goes the beef broth. Then some final herbs (thyme and rosemary). We add our browned meat last.

Now pop the lid on the pressure cooker.

Once it is up to heat, all it takes is an hour of cooking.

Next take out the meat and drain the cooking liquid to remove all the aromatics. Then we can cook our accompanying vegetables. In addition to the traditional potatoes and carrots, I have added celery and daikon. Seriously, if you are not adding these to your braised vegetables, you are missing out. Daikon in particular goes through this amazing transformation when braised. It absorbs all the flavors of the braise and gets very juicy.

We are ready to eat.

Bon  Appetit!

 I suggest a nice Rhone wine like a Gigondas, Cornas, or Chateauneuf du Pape