90 Minute Beer-Brined Pot Roast
"This recipe is by Don Mauer, a syndicated food columnist. The technique used here makes for a fast yet tender pot roast. The 90 minutes refers to time in the oven, there is additional time needed for brining and cooking. Do not cook vegetables with the pot roast - cook them separately or parboil and add to the gravy as it cooks. Prep times are estimated, as I have not made this yet, but am looking forward to doing so. Please note that the sodium count is off - the sodium is principally in the brine, which is discarded."
- Ready In:
- 2hrs 40mins
- Ingredients:
- 13
- Serves:
-
6
ingredients
-
Brine
- 1⁄4 cup kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon fresh coarse ground black pepper
- 1 large bay leaf, crumbled
- 1 (12 ounce) can beer, lager is suggested
- 1⁄2 cup water
-
Roast
- 3 lbs chuck roast, 7-bone recommended
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- fresh ground black pepper
- 2 medium-large onions, halved and sliced thin
- 1⁄2 cup dry red wine
- 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
directions
- The success of this recipe relies on two things: the use of a Dutch oven or similar heavy pot with a heavy bottom; and that you use a very large piece of aluminum foil to cover not only the roast, but also go up the sides of the pot and over the pot's edge. The cover must make contact with the foil all around the edge. This is what permits the pot roast to cook quickly.
- Brining: Put all of the brine ingredients into a zippered gallon-sized plastic bag. Seal the bag and shake it until the salt and sugar are dissolved and the beer has lost most of its carbonation.
- Add the pot roast, seal and shake to coat the roast.
- Open an inch long section of the zipper, expel as much air as you can, reseal. Place on counter for 45 minutes.
- Roast: Place the oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F.
- Remove the roast from the brine and pat dry. (Discard the brine).
- Put the Dutch oven over medium high heat and add the oil. Brown both sides of the roast, about 5 minutes per side.'.
- Remove to a platter and season with salt and pepper.
- Add onions to the pot and saute until golden. Add the wine and simmer about 1 minute.Turn off the heat.
- Return the meat to the pot. Protecting your hands with oven mitts, place a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil over the meat, pressing down until it is covered from edge to edge, letting the excess foil drape over the edge of the pot. Press the foil against the pot.
- Cover the pot with its lid, raise the heat to medium-high, and cook until you hear the liquids bubbling.
- Place the pot in the oven and cook for 90 minutes - the roast should be dark brown at this point. Remove and let rest covered for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Carefully remove the foil - steam will billow up, I suggest that you pull away the foil from the side farthest away from you first - and remove the roast to a platter.
- Skim fat from the liquid, then place the pot over medium high heat.
- Whisk the flour into the chicken broth and stir into the liquid in the pot. (You can add parboiled veggies at this point to the gravy, according to the chef).
- While the gravy thickens, slice the roast against the grain into slices. Cover with gravy and serve.
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Reviews
-
I hated to give this such a low rating because in the end I had a delicious pot roast but the technique just didn't work. After 90 minutes it wasn't anywhere near cooked and the liquid and onions had cooked so far down if I continued to cook it at the given temperature it would have burned. I added more wine and some beef broth turned my oven down to 330 degrees and cooked it about 2 more hours. It was too late for dinner when it was done so put it in the fridge and the next night I took out the meat and added more beef broth with water and flour to make the gravy then added the meat back in to heat it up and served it with the mashed potatoes I had also made the night before. The high heat at the start with less liquid than I usually use for pot roast made a nice base for a dark rich gravy. Fortunately it was only my DH and me expecting dinner that night and I had something else I could serve. Made for PRMRT
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
duonyte
United States
My screen name is a diminutive in Lithuanian for bread, so you won't be suprised to learn that I love to bake bread. In recent years I have been baking a lot of sourdough breads and have several starters sitting in my refrigerator. But I like to cook a lot of other things, as well, especially from various cultures. The cat wishes I would concentrate on meat and fish... I joined a few years ago but started posting recipes and participating in forums just recently - I wish I had done so earlier. Recipezaar is a great community! Right now I am a co-host for the Breads and Baking and the Eastern Europe forums - I hope to see you there!
