WRIC Richmond News and Weather - Company Pot Roast

Company Pot Roast

COMPANY POT ROAST
6 to 8 servings

• 1 (3 to 4-pound) boneless beef chuck roast
• About 1½ cups flour, divided
• 2 to 3 tablespoons cooking oil (corn, canola, or safflower oil)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 to 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1 small onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 (10½-ounce) can beef broth or consommé, undiluted
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1 to 2 fresh or dried bay leaves, torn into small pieces
• 3 to 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 6 to 8 medium potatoes red-skinned or gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 3 to 4 carrots, peeled, cut in half lengthwise, and then cut into 1 to 1½ -inch pieces 
• 3 to 4 parsnips, peeled and cut in half lengthwise, and then cut into 1 to 1½-inch pieces
• 3 to 4 turnips, peeled and quartered
• 2 ribs celery, cut into 1 to 1½-inch pieces
• 1 beef bouillon cube, mashed
• ½ cup cold water
• 1 (15-ounce) jar boiling onions, drained
• Sprigs of thyme and parsley or minced parsley (no stems) for garnish

Dredge meat in about 1 cup flour, coating roast lightly.  In a Dutch oven or medium heavy stockpot, heat oil over moderate heat; brown roast, all sides, in hot oil.  Season meat with salt and pepper to taste.  Add garlic, chopped onion, beef broth or consommé, tomato sauce, wine, bay leaves, and thyme sprigs.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer over low to moderate heat for 2 hours.  Add potatoes, carrots, parsnips, turnips, and celery; continue cooking, covered, for 45 to 60 minutes or until meat and vegetables are fork tender.  Transfer meat to a plate and vegetables to a warm platter; cover vegetables and keep warm in a very slow oven (250 degrees F.) while preparing gravy.  Remove bay leaves and thyme stems from pan liquid. 

To prepare gravy, skim off fat from hot pan liquid.  Add bouillon cubes to pan liquid.  In a 1-cup measure, blend cold water into ½ cup flour with a wire whisk until smooth; stir flour mixture into pan liquid, blending well.  Cook, stirring constantly, over moderate heat until gravy is slightly thickened and bubbly hot.  Adjust seasoning to taste.  Return meat to gravy; add boiling onions and continue to cook over low heat, uncovered, for 20 minutes. 

To serve, cut roast across the grain into thin slices; arrange roast and boiling onions on the platter with vegetables. Garnish with sprigs of thyme and parsley or minced parsley.   Pass gravy in a gravy boat.