Pot Roast Creole

Servings: 4-6

 

Ingredients

 

Spice Mix

 

2 1/2 teaspoons paprika

 

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

 

1⁄2 teaspoon dried basil

 

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

 

1 1/4 teaspoons dried oregano

 

1 1/4 teaspoons dried thyme

 

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

 

1 teaspoon ground white pepper

 

1 teaspoon salt

 

 

Steps

 

1. Place in mortar and grind with a pestle to dust.

 

 

Mirepoix

 

1/2 cup diced carrots 

 

1/2 cup diced celery

 

1 cup diced onion 

 

Steps

 

1. Heat about 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan.
2. When the oil shimmers, add onions, celery and carrots in a single layer in the bottom of the frying pan. Depending on the size of the frying pan, this may take multiple batches.
3. When the bottom of the vegetables begin to caramelize (turn brown on the bottom) flip them over and caramelize on that side. Do not allow the vegetables to blacken. That is burnt!
4. Set the vegetables aside when all are caramelized.

 

 

Pot Roast

 

Ingredients

 

3 ¾ pound chuck roast

 

Spice Mix

 

4 garlic cloves – grated

 

1/4 cup red wine

 

2 cups beef or vegetable stock

 

2 medium-sized bay leaves

 

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

 

1 medium red bell pepper, diced

 

1 medium green bell pepper, diced

 

Mirepoix

 

 

Garnish

 

2 tablespoons parsley leaves removed from stems

 

 

Steps

 

1. Remove meat from icebox.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
3. Rub the seasoning into the meat on all surfaces and set aside for 30 minutes.
4. Heat a cast iron skillet large enough to hold the pot roast.
5. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil
6. When the oil shimmers, add the meat.
7. Sear meat on all sides until crusty. Depending on how hot the cast iron skillet is, this can take a minute or two per side. Do not allow the meat to burn.
8. Remove meat and deglaze the fond (fried bits remaining in the skillet) by adding the red wine and scraping the pan until the fond is loose in the bottom of the skillet.
9. Add the beef stock, bay leaves and garlic. Bring the mixture to a boil.
10. Continue to boil the mixture until the liquid is reduced to ¾ of the original volume (approximately 1 2/3 cups).
11. Place the mirepoix in the bottom of a Dutch oven or casserole dish with a tight fitting lid that is approximately the size of the pot roast. Place the meat on top of the vegetables. Pour the reduction (wine and stock reduction) over the top of the meat. Add bay leaves to liquid.
12. Cover with a tight fitting lid.
13. Place meat in oven and roast for approximately 4 hours until meat is tender. The amount of time will depend on the thickness of the roast.
14. Remove meat from oven.
15. Remove bay leaves.
16. Drain vegetables. Reserve stock for gravy.
17. Place lid over meat again.  Turn off oven and place meat in oven.
18. Make gravy (below).
19. Remove meat from oven.
20. Slice meat across the grain.

 

Side: Cardinals & the Pope Rice

 

 

Gravy

 

Ingredients

 

2 tablespoons flour

 

2 tablespoons butter

 

1 cup reserved meat stock

 

 

Steps

 

1. Measure reserved stock.
2. Determine the amount of flour and butter required when the ratio presented above is maintained. For example: for 1 ½ cups reserved stock, use 3 tablespoons flour and 3 tablespoons butter.
3. Heat a sauce pan.
4. Melt butter in saucepan. When butter bubbles, sift flour into butter and whisk until flour turns a light chocolate brown.
5. Whisk stock into flour.  Continue to whisk until thickened.
6. Place in gravy boat.
7. Serve.

 

Suggested Sides:

Cardinals & the Pope Rice; or

White Rice

 

 

Plating

 

1. Spread chosen rice on the bottom of the serving platter.
2. Place sliced meat on top of rice.  Serve gravy in a gravy boat on the side. 
3. Serve.