5 Mistakes to Avoid When Cooking Pot Roast

Meghan Splawn

Mar 29, 2017

• BEEF
• MEAT
• TIPS & TECHNIQUES

How To Cook Classic Beef Pot Roast in the Oven

(Image credit: Lauren Volo)

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I did not grow up eating pot roast, a fact much lamented by my husband who puts pot roast on his long list of favorite foods from his childhood. In the early years of our relationship, I tried regularly to impress him with a luscious, fork-tender recipe like the one he grew up eating. Many mistake=riddled dishes of mushy vegetables and stringy meat followed before I finally learned a proper technique for this beloved dish.

I tell you this only to disprove the folks who swear that pot roast is something you can't screw up and to share the mistakes I made over many years so you never have to make them yourself.

1. Using the wrong roast.

Tough, inexpensive cuts of beef are best for pot roast, which means you can use almost any cut of beef, right? Unfortunately the cuts of beef without sufficient connective tissue will either be too tough or turn to mush in a long, slow oven braise.

Buy these roasts instead: Look for a chuck, brisket, or round roast for pot roast. They each contain enough connective tissues that will slowly break down into rich collagen, tenderizing the beef and flavoring the gravy as they cook.

Read more: The Best Cuts of Beef for Pot Roast

2. Not browning the roast.

Browning a relatively large roast feels like an arduous task, and since many argue that searing does nothing to make a roast juicer, it is tempting to skip the step all together.

Do it for the browned bits: Browning, not searing, is a pure flavor enhancer that costs you nothing more than a few extra minutes at the stovetop. Plus the browned bits are the culinary equivalent to gold — just a little bit goes a long way to make the overall dish even better. Brown the roast in the same pot you'll braise the beef in after deglazing.

Or try this tip: A Smarter, Better Way to Brown Meat for Stew

3. Deglazing with just broth.

Deglazing releases all those lovely browned bits created while browning the roast, but while a pot roast built entirely on beef broth will be beefy, it will also taste a bit flat and one-note after braising.

Use broth plus this instead: Use red wine (or even red wine vinegar) for the first phase of deglazing. Add beef broth, a bit of tomato paste, and fresh herbs before covering the pot roast and cooking the beef.

Skip the wine with this hack: The Best Non-Alcoholic Substitutes for Red & White Wine

4. Cooking the vegetables too long.

I long thought of pot roast as a one-pot wonder in which I could throw all my ingredients into a pot and the right amount of time would magically make my pot roast and its vegetables fork-tender at the same time. Many mushy vegetables later I learned that the beef should swim solo for a while in the braising liquid before the vegetables go in to cook.

Timing is everything: Cook the beef roast for 1 1/2 to 2 hours before the carrots and potatoes (or parsnip, turnips, or other hearty vegetables) go into the pot.

5. Not thickening the gravy.

Gravy, I think, is one of the great distinctions between beef stew and pot roast. The liquid from pot roast should be thick and velvety — not just slightly thickened like stew. The challenge is finding a method for thickening the gravy post-braise that won't cause lumps or dirty another pan.

Try this instead: Make a paste of softened butter and flour and whisk it into the braising liquid after braising. This paste is similar to roux — the butter coating the flour prevents lumps — but goes by the name beurre manié.

Learn more: Word of Mouth: Beurre Manié

Recipe: Weeknight Skillet Lasagna

A layered lasagna is a true labor of love that requires slow cooking a sauce, boiling noodles, and layering the ingredients all before it even goes in the oven. While I appreciate a well-constructed lasagna, it's not feasible for weeknight dinners.

Here's how you can skip the oven entirely and still have a lasagna that's loaded with a savory sausage and mushroom red sauce, tender noodles that are cooked right in the sauce, and, of course, three kinds of cheese to meld and hold everything together. Cooked in just one skillet on the stovetop, this is truly a weeknight lasagna that you can add to your dinner rotation.

Cottage Cheese to the Rescue!

Since this recipe doesn't make the usual large pan of lasagna, buying a whole tub of ricotta cheese (which seems to be the only size it comes in) seems like a waste if you don't really need to keep extra ricotta on hand. Cottage cheese to the rescue! It has tender curds, a creamy texture, and, best of all, can be found in single-serving containers.

Make sure the cottage cheese sits out and warms up slightly while you prepare the lasagna so it'll meld and melt into the rest of the lasagna. Trust me — you won't even miss the ricotta and will probably fool most of your guests with this substitute.

(Image credit: Lauren Volo)

As much as I love the calming feeling of putting together the layers on a traditional lasagna, it requires extra time that I don't have on a busy weeknight. Skip the layering by starting a meat sauce that has chicken broth in it. The broth helps to cook the dry lasagna noodles; as the noodles cook, they in turn release starch to thicken the sauce. It's a win-win situation. This lasagna is so tasty you won't miss the distinct layers.

I MADE THIS

Weeknight Skillet Lasagna

Serves 4 to 6

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
8 ounces uncooked Italian sausage, casings removed
8 ounces white or cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 (24- to 26-ounce) jar marinara sauce (about 3 cups)
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
8 ounces dry lasagna noodles (about 10)
1 cup cottage cheese (about 8 ounces), at room temperature
Salt
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Coarsely chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)

If you'd like a browned lasagna top, heat the oven to broil to now and use an oven-safe skillet.

Heat the oil in a 12-inch or larger regular or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and sausage and cook, breaking the meat up into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until the sausage is cooked through, about 6 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the marinara and broth, stir to combine, and bring to a simmer. Using your hands, break the lasagna noodles into 1 1/2- to 2-inch pieces and add to the pan. Stir to combine and spread into an even layer, making sure as many of the noodles are submerged in liquid as possible. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer briskly uncovered (small bubbles all over), stirring occasionally, until the noodles are just tender and the sauce has thickened slightly, about 25 minutes (add water 1/4 cup at a time as needed if the noodles have absorbed all the liquid before they're cooked). Make sure the noodles are always submerged in sauce.

A minute or 2 before the noodles are ready, dollop the cottage cheese over the lasagna with a small spoon and do not stir anymore. Taste and season with salt as needed.

Remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle with the mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover and let sit until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. (Alternatively, for a browned top, place the pan under the broiler for a few minutes until the cheese is golden-brown in spots.) Sprinkle with the parsley if using and serve.

Recipe Notes

• Vegetarian option: This lasagna can be made vegetarian. Skip the sausage, use 1 pound of mushrooms rather than 8 ounces, and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
• Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
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• source: http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-weeknight-skillet-lasagna-242460?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=managed&utm_content=photo

How to Make McDonald's French Fries Recipe at Home | Get the Dish

Apple Tarte Tatin from Emile Henry

Ingredients

• For 8 servings:
• Shortcrust pastry:
• 250 g (9 oz) plain flour
• 125 g (4 ½ oz) butter
• 5 g (1 teaspoon) salt
• 5cl water
• 1 egg yolk
• Filling:
• 6 - 8 apples (depending on size)
• 200 g (7 oz) caster sugar
• 80 g (3 oz) butter

Shortcrust pastry :

Cut the butter into small pieces and mix it into the flour and salt using your fingertips in order to get a fine breadcrumb mixture.

Add the egg yolk and water, and bring the mixture together to make a smooth ball of pastry. Knead the pastry with the palm of your hand to avoid over-handling it.

Leave it in the refrigerator wrapped in film for 1 hour.

Making the tart :

Heat the dish for a few minutes over a low flame. Pour 170 g (6 oz) of sugar in the bottom and leave to caramelize. Still on the heat, add 50 g (1 ¾ oz) of butter, cut into small pieces.

Remove from the heat and place the apples cut into large quarters over the bottom, rounded-side down in the caramel, squeezing them together. Add a second layer of apples, rounded-side up, so that they fit snugly between the first ones.

Sprinkle 30 g (1 oz) of sugar over the top and dot 30 g (1 oz) of butter cut into small pieces over the apples.

Roll out the pastry and cover the apples, tucking the edges inside the dish.

Place in a pre-heated oven at 180°C (350°F) and cook for 40 minutes.

Once removed from the oven, leave to stand for 10 minutes before turning out onto the serving platter.

Tips: you can also use puff pastry instead of shortcrust pastry.

source: http://www.emilehenry.com/en/recette-11

TIPS for using Tarte Tatin Set from EMILE HENRY

How to get the best results from your Tarte Tatin set

You can use your Emile Henry Tarte Tatin set to bake delicious tarts, starting on the stove top and finishing in the oven.

Preparation and cooking

Pre-heat your Tatin dish on a very low heat for two minutes (the lowest possible). Do not exceed this time if possible.

For a sweet tart, pour in the sugar, spreading it out over the surface of the pre-heated dish. The caramel will gradually form. Do not use a spoon, hold your dish by the handles and spread out the sugar using circular movements.

When the caramel is ready, take the dish off the heat and add the filling (apples for traditional Tarte Tatin). Then place the pastry on the top. The diameter of the dish is designed for the ready-made puff pastry and shortcrust pastry you can find in the shops.

The Tarte Tatin is completely cooked after cooking a second time in a preheated oven.

After taking your Tarte Tatin out of the oven, leave to cool for 10 minutes.
Place the serving platter on top of the dish and turn out the tart. To do this, hold the handles and the serving platter at the same time. Turn it towards you in one quick movement, and remove the dish to reveal your tart.

Instruction for use

Before using it for the first time, remove all the labels from the product, if necessary using a mild detergent, then clean carefully.

Your set contains two pieces: the dish you will bake in and the serving platter used to turn your tart out after cooking and serve it on the table.

The Tatin dish can be used on all types of hob, with an induction disk for induction hobs.

The serving platter cannot be used directly on the stove top. Do not place it in contact with a source of direct heat. You can, however, use it in the oven to warm up your tart if necessary.

Always use a low heat for the first five minutes so that the temperature builds up gradually.

Do not heat the empty Tatin dish for more than two minutes, and always use a very gentle heat.

Cook on the burner most appropriate to the size of the dish (usually the largest one).

Thanks to its highly resistant glaze, you can use metal utensils when cooking, without scratching the surface.

When the dish is hot, do not place it in contact with anything cold, such as cold water or a cold surface. When you take it out of the oven, place it on a neutral surface, such as a wooden board or cloth.

If, when cleaning it, you find that some residue will not come off, soak it in hot water and white vinegar before placing in the dishwasher.

The Best Roast Potatoes Ever

http://www.seriouseats.com/2016/12/the-food-lab-the-best-roast-potatoes-ever.html

The Best Roast Potatoes Ever
When The Food Lab says "the best roast potatoes of your life" you stop everything and run to the kitchen. Read up on the technique and get the full recipe: http://bit.ly/2fOLA6H
Posted by Serious Eats on 2 Decembrie 2016