Beef Brisket Roast with Potatoes and Carrots

History of the Beef Roast

Yankee pot roast is a natural evolution of colonial-era New England Boiled Dinner, a meal generally composed of the same ingredients. The difference? Cooking technique (boiling/stewing vs. roasting in a pot) and type of meat (corned beef vs. fresh rump or round). The hallmarks of classic New England (aka Yankee) cuisine are frugality, sensibility, and simplicity. As such, Yankee pot roast fits the bill perfectly.
Most 17th and 18th century British and American cook books contained recipes for roast meats, including beef. Classic recipes instruct the cook to dredge the meat in flour and spices, and ancient practice for tenderizing. It was not until the 19th century we find recipes for pot roast, as we know it today. This is presumbaly due to advancements in cooking technology. The difference between pot roast and Yankee pot roast is the latter recipe adds vegetables half-way through. The vegetables are similar to those in New England Boiled Dinner: potatoes, turnips, carrots, beans, onions, corn. They are steamed in a combination of natural juices exuded from the cooking meat and other liquid additions (water, cider, wine, etc.). Delicious! And very efficient. One pot to clean!
"Pot roast. A meat that is browned and cooked with vegetables and gravy in a deep pot or saucepan, usually covered. The term dates in print to 1881. Pot roast was once an appetizing way to cook beef from beasts that have been working animals rather than food animals or other inferior cuts of meat. Today, the availability of good beef makes pot roast a delicious hearty dish, though lesser cuts of meat are still used for the cooking. Beef brisket, bottom and top round, and chuck are the usual choices."
The Perfect Beef Roast

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 lb of  Beef Brisket, Beef Shoulder or boneless Chuck Roast (look for a piece that is well marbled with fat for best results)
• 2 Tablespoon olive or grapeseed oil
•  Kosher Salt, Black Pepper to taste
• 1 large Onion, chopped or sliced
• 4 cloves of Garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup of Red Wine * Use wine that you would drink
• 3 Carrots, peeled and cut lengthwise
• 4-5 Meduim Red Skin Potatoes - Cut into bite size
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 Large fresh or dry Bay Leaf
• 2 Cups Beef Broth
• 2 Celery cut lengthwise
• 1/2 Teaspoon Thyme fresh or dry
• 4 Tablespoons Butter




• 4 Tablespoons Flour 
• 1 Use a thick-bottomed covered pot (oven-proof if you intend to cook in oven), 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 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.
• 2 When roast is browned, lift up the meat and add garlic and chopped onion to the bottom of the pan. Let the roast sit on top of the onions. Add 1/2 cup of red wine, beef broth, worcestershire sauce, bay leaf and thyme. Cover. Bring to simmer and then adjust the heat down to the lowest heat possible to maintain a low simmer when covered (we cook our roast on the warm setting of our electric range)*. Alternatively, you can cook the pot roast in a 175°F-200°F oven, once you have browned it on the stovetop, and brought the liquid to a simmer (make sure to use an oven proof pan).
  3 Cook for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, until meat is tender. (If you are using a pressure cooker, cut the time by half). Near the end of the cooking, add carrots and potatoes, cook until tender, about an additional 10 - 15 minutes. What to do with the pan dripping? Make gravy!
• After removing the roast from the pot let it rest before cutting for about 10 - 15 minutes. Using a meduim sauce pan on medium heat. Add 4 tablespoons butter after it is melted stir in 4 tablespoons of flour cooking for 1 minute.take the pan dripping adding to the flour and butter mixture, if you do not have enough you can add 2 cups of beef broth and stir with an whish and cook until it become thick. Add salt and pepper to tast. 
• *If you don't want to leave your office for lunch give The Bag Lady a call or email us for our menu selections. We do delivery great tasting and home made meals from our kitchen to your office.
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