Make Pot Roast to Tenderize Cheaper Cuts of Beef

Wednesday is recipe day at CookingManager.Com.

We don’t buy beef often, but I make an exception for holidays. And I skip expensive cuts. Instead, I buy a cheaper one and cook it on top of the stove in liquid, a method known as pot roasting.

My mother taught me to “seal” moisture into meat before cooking, by browning it on all sides.  Apparently this has no effect on moisture. The real reason for browning is to add extra flavor, so skip that step if you’re in a hurry. The meat will still be tasty.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons oil.
• Two onions, peeled and sliced.
• Flour for browning.
• Approximately one kilogram (two pounds) of beef. I use shoulder or breast. In Israel, cuts are sold by number according to this chart. I used #3.
• 4 carrots.
• 1/2 cup tomato paste or chopped tomatoes.
• 1 sliced pepper.
• 3-4 cloves garlic, whole.
• 5-6 potatoes, optional.
• 1/2 cup dry wine, red or white.
• 1/2 cup water.

Instructions:

1. Remove visible fat from the meat, wash and dry it.
2. Saute the onions in the oil. Remove the onions to a plate.
3. Dip the meat into a bowl with a 1/4 cup of flour.  Or put the flour in a bag, add the meat, close the bag, and shake it. You can season the flour with pepper or paprika.
4. Brown the meat in the oil, on high heat, on all sides. You will need a good spatula to turn it over.
5. Take out the meat. Return the onions and add the other vegetables.
6. Return the meat so that it rests on top. It should be partially submerged in liquid; add more water if necessary.
7. Heat the mixture to boiling and lower the flame. Cook for two to three hours. Cooking longer won’t hurt, but the internal temperature should be at least 70° Celsius (160° F).

Pot-roasted beef is hard to slice when hot. Cook it in advance and chill in the refrigerator. Then remove the layer of fat from the top of the sauce. Slice the meat at an angle to get bigger slices. Position your knife to cut against the grain, in order to shorten the long strands of meat that are hard to chew. If you have extra, you can freeze the slices in small portions.

You can make this recipe in the crockpot or pressure cooker, with excellent results. Or bake the roast in the oven, in a covered pot or pan.

And don’t forget to save the pan drippings.

Photo credit: Califrayfray

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