No Ordinary Pot Roast

(playing catch up!)

Ahhhh, pot roast, what can I say?  I have never really like it due mainly to the fact that I do not really like beef enough to want to eat it.  Growing up we had pot roast a few times, and I can remember not being to keen on it because it was always so basic: salt, pepper, onions.  Living on my own has expanded my mind in regards to herbs, spices, veggies, meats, etc...  I found out that I crave seasonings and herbs rather than the regular salt and pepper; additionally, I don't want just plain salt or plain ole pepper.  I like kosher salts, sea salts or flavored salts and all kinds of whole peppercorns and mixes to freshly crack on   my own: the spicier, the better!

After 20+ years of cooking, learning, researching and tasting, I decided it was time for me to come up with the ultimate pot roast experience.  I crave juicy, tender meat with earthy and slightly sweet flavors and a nice sauce; this is what I came up with (let me add that a Dutch oven is the best creation on the face of the planet for this):

2-1/2 lb pot roast

3 carrots, peeled & quartered

3 leeks, sliced

1 onion, halved & sliced

8 garlic cloves

2 shallots, sliced

½ lb baby Yukon potatoes, quartered

¾ cup red wine

2 cups water

2 tsp Better Than Bouillon Beef Base

2 bay leaves

2 tsp chopped rosemary
Kosher Salt & fresh cracked pepper (enough to sprinkle all over the meat)

Preparation:

First, let's talk about stock:  I opted to use my Better Than Bouillon beef base because I feel it has a richer flavor profile which I was thinking would help pull my pot roast together (and I was right).

When dealing with leeks, know that they are filled with dirt and grit so after you slice them, throw them into a colander sitting in a bowl and fill with water.  Run your hand a few times through the leeks, and leave them while you prep your veggies.

Chop and prep your veggies.

Pull the colander out of the water; you will notice all the dirt has settled in the bowl below. (dirt in bowl good, not in food, lol)

Pat the roast dry with paper towels.  Cut several pockets into the roast (stab it, lol) and put a garlic clove in each pocket.

Use a thick-bottomed, oven-proof covered pot, such as a dutch oven, just large enough to hold roast and vegetables. Heat 2 Tbsp of oil on medium high heat (hot enough to sear the meat). Sprinkle and rub salt, pepper, and rosemary 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.

When roast is browned, remove from pan and set on a plate. Add the onions, leeks, shallots & carrots to the pan and cook for about 5 to 10 minutes, until they begin to brown.  

Add the potatoes, red wine, beef base & water; stir well to combine.  Add the bay leaves.  Set the roast on top of the veggies.  Cover. 

Bring to simmer and then adjust the heat down to the lowest heat possible to maintain a low simmer when covered, then put in the oven: start the temp at 300°F for 15 minutes, then drop it to 225°F.

Cook for 4 to 4-1/2 hours, or longer, until meat is tender. 

***NOTE***  to thicken up the sauce a bit, take equal parts of cornstarch to equal parts of cold water; dissolve well, and mix into the liquid.  Simmer on the stovetop about 2-3 min for the activate the thickening agent in the cornstarch.  I would suggest to start with 1 tsp first and add more later to achieve your desired consistency.

The pot roast was an utter success: the mean totally fell apart and was so incredibly tender and juicy.  It had such an amazing flavor, and the sauce was perfect over the meat.  I think we ate this for 3 days, and it was even better (if you can believe that) the second time around.

I served this with peas, but it will go good with rice or a nice salad as well.

Ok, I am proud to have finally gotten my blog caught up; I hope you enjoy this as much as we did.

Until next time, Happy Eating!

Chili Night

Ok, so I made a decision to post in my blog everyday whether it be about a dish cooked and to share the recipe and ideas or whether it is to write about my favorite places to shop, have coffee, pizza, etc...

So there really isn't anything too exciting about dinner tonight.  I made chili, point blank.  I will share with you my all-time fave chili mix from Carroll Shelby

This is by far the best store-bought chili mix I have ever had, and I've tried a lot; plus you can find it at HEB (which as a matter of fact, tends to sell out quick).

Yes, I know I take the easy route on my chili, BUT I need to do some intense planning and testing before I go creating my own recipe for it because I plan on making a trip to Penzeys Spices in the Heights.  I absolutely LOVE Penzeys because they carry ALL kinds of spices, and not just plain ordinary spices, but all kinds of mixed spices and exotic ones as well.  PLUS, they have wide array or variety of them such as different types of salts, all kinds of pepper, all kinds of chili, the list goes on an on.  

In our household, we love sweet cornbread with our chili and have found Martha White to be our favorite so far.  Seriously give it a try with the chili because it adds a whole other contrast to your meal.

Oh and before I forget, the beans:  I like the Central Market Organic Dark Red Kidney Beans

These are great if you're watching your calories and fat intake because they have -0- fat and are low in sodium as well plus taste great! (Don't even get me started on my love of Central Market!)

Oh and I just wanted to add a little something outside of the whole chili making process:

This looks funny, I know, but it WAS shaped like a heart before we tore into it.  This is a Fig Almond Goat Cheese from Whole Foods (another love of mine), and it is incredibly yummy, slightly sweet and with a crunch from the almonds.  If you're not a fan of goat cheese's tartness, you should head on over to Whole Foods, and give it a try on crackers because the tartness is almost absent in this.  Total Homerun!

I want to end my post today with a great tip: COFFEE!  I have fallen in love with  SPECTACULAR little coffee house in Montrose called INVERSION COFFEE HOUSE.  I woke up one day and realized I was tired of the weak coffee from that major chain and came across INVERSION shortly after moving back into Houston.  My main object of affection was the Cortado which was the best I had along my coffee tasting way through Montrose and the Heights.  My addiction lately is the Steamy Meg with is an 8oz latte with nutmeg and Cane Sugar Syrup; it is slightly sweet but still very intense and powerful.  Everyone is great there: Brianna is a sweetheart, Ryan is cool and the creator of the Honey Badger (a cortado with honey & cinnamon which is to die for as well) and then there is Stephen who is ultra friendly and very knowledgeable AND who gets quite creative with his drinks:

He made the "cat"puccino for a customer

Another favorite drink of mine is called the Albino Haze which is a white chocolate mocha hazelnut; it is totally killer iced.

My other coffee love is Boomtown Coffee in the Heights.  They have this incredibly caffeine charged drink called the Crüd or you can have the Crüdy Mocha but you MUST get a CRACKROCK added to your iced drink.  This CRACKROCK is a huge cube of iced coffee which as it melts into your drink makes it even stronger, better and keeps you going for hours.  Check 'em out; I'm the one that shocked them by ordering a Double Crüd with Double Crackrock and survived, lol!  Oh yeah, and they have a drink called a Thundertow which is literally like liquid Heroin, lol and is served to you layered in two shotglasses.  So if your ever in the Heights, head on over to 19th St and stop by Boomtown Coffee; and btw, Penzeys is on the same street a few blocks up so make a day of it.

Happy Eating!!