malley0221
Assistant Cook
- Joined
- Jun 3, 2005
- Messages
- 4
We are seeking the best way to make pot roast. Ours ALWAYS comes out dry and leathery. thank you, sue & mike 
Pot Roast
- Thread starter malley0221
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
We are seeking the best way to make pot roast. Ours ALWAYS comes out dry and leathery. thank you, sue & mike 
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
There are several factors that could be causing your problem. The cut of meat you chose, how you cooked it and how long you cooked it.
Could you provide some more info?
In the interim, you should be buying roasts that are suited to braising. Chuck roasts are one good choice.
You should be braising the meat. That is, sear the meat on all sides then cook it slowly in a covered container partially submerged in a flavorful liquid. Then it should be cooked slowly until the internal temperature reaches 200-210 F.
Could you provide some more info?
In the interim, you should be buying roasts that are suited to braising. Chuck roasts are one good choice.
You should be braising the meat. That is, sear the meat on all sides then cook it slowly in a covered container partially submerged in a flavorful liquid. Then it should be cooked slowly until the internal temperature reaches 200-210 F.
Barbarainnc
Senior Cook
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2005
- Messages
- 108
Carolina's Pot Roast
Take a 3-4 lb.Chuck Roast,and brown it in a oven proof Dutch Oven. Add salt,pepper and garlic to taste. Add 1 can of each: French Onion Soup, Cream of Celery,Cream of Chicken. Add 1 can of water. Cover and bake at 350*for 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Check every once and a while to see if it is tender, and if it needs some water added to the gravy. It makes its own gravy. I like to put in the vegetables the last hour the roast is cooking. I like carrots, onions, and potatoes. It is sooo goood, wish I had one cooking now!!!
Take a 3-4 lb.Chuck Roast,and brown it in a oven proof Dutch Oven. Add salt,pepper and garlic to taste. Add 1 can of each: French Onion Soup, Cream of Celery,Cream of Chicken. Add 1 can of water. Cover and bake at 350*for 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Check every once and a while to see if it is tender, and if it needs some water added to the gravy. It makes its own gravy. I like to put in the vegetables the last hour the roast is cooking. I like carrots, onions, and potatoes. It is sooo goood, wish I had one cooking now!!!
i made my first pot roast last week. i followed this recipe from Food TV's show How To Boil Water to THE LETTER and it came out amazing!!! I have added this to my regular rotation of must eat dinners... 
Pot Roast:
1 (4-pound) beef chuck roast
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, sliced
2 carrots, peeled, thinly sliced
2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
5 cloves garlic, smashed
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup red wine
1 (15-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, in juice
2 cups beef broth, homemade, or low-sodium, low-fat
3 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
2 bay leaves
1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, optional
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar Roasted Vegetables:
5 carrots, peeled, cut into thirds
3 medium turnips, peeled and cut into 6 wedges
2 medium red onions, peeled, cut into 6 wedges
2 medium parsnips, peeled, cut into thirds
About 5 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat a large Dutch oven, with a lid, over medium-high heat. Season the meat generously with salt and pepper. Add the oil to the pot, lay the meat in the pan and sear on both sides until brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer the meat to a plate. Pour all but about 2 tablespoons of the oil from the pan.
Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic to the pan, and cook until vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. Add the flour and with a wooden spoon scrape up any browned bits that cling to the bottom of the pot Add wine and tomatoes and cook until liquid has thickened, about 5 minutes more. Add broth, thyme, and bay leaves, bring to a boil. Return the roast to the pot, nestle it in the liquid, cover, place in the oven and cook until the roast is just tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove the lid and continue to cook, uncovered until tender about 1 hour more.
Meanwhile, put the carrots, turnips, onions, and parsnips on a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper. Roast on a shelf under the pot roast for the last hour, stirring occasionally, until tender throughout.
Transfer the roast to a plate and cover loosely with foil. Skim the fat off the surface of the liquid and discard. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook until thickened. Stir in the parsley and vinegar, salt and pepper, to taste. Keep the roast warm in the sauce until ready to slice.
Slice the pot roast across the grain and lay on a platter, surround with the vegetables. Pour some of the sauce on top and serve the remaining in a sauceboat on the side.
Pot Roast:
1 (4-pound) beef chuck roast
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, sliced
2 carrots, peeled, thinly sliced
2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
5 cloves garlic, smashed
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup red wine
1 (15-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, in juice
2 cups beef broth, homemade, or low-sodium, low-fat
3 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
2 bay leaves
1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, optional
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar Roasted Vegetables:
5 carrots, peeled, cut into thirds
3 medium turnips, peeled and cut into 6 wedges
2 medium red onions, peeled, cut into 6 wedges
2 medium parsnips, peeled, cut into thirds
About 5 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat a large Dutch oven, with a lid, over medium-high heat. Season the meat generously with salt and pepper. Add the oil to the pot, lay the meat in the pan and sear on both sides until brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer the meat to a plate. Pour all but about 2 tablespoons of the oil from the pan.
Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic to the pan, and cook until vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. Add the flour and with a wooden spoon scrape up any browned bits that cling to the bottom of the pot Add wine and tomatoes and cook until liquid has thickened, about 5 minutes more. Add broth, thyme, and bay leaves, bring to a boil. Return the roast to the pot, nestle it in the liquid, cover, place in the oven and cook until the roast is just tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove the lid and continue to cook, uncovered until tender about 1 hour more.
Meanwhile, put the carrots, turnips, onions, and parsnips on a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper. Roast on a shelf under the pot roast for the last hour, stirring occasionally, until tender throughout.
Transfer the roast to a plate and cover loosely with foil. Skim the fat off the surface of the liquid and discard. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook until thickened. Stir in the parsley and vinegar, salt and pepper, to taste. Keep the roast warm in the sauce until ready to slice.
Slice the pot roast across the grain and lay on a platter, surround with the vegetables. Pour some of the sauce on top and serve the remaining in a sauceboat on the side.
Aurora
Senior Cook
malley0221 said:
Pot roast is normally large and tough cut of meat usually with connective tissue which is always cooked well done. After braising or sealing the meat by browning on all sides, I nearly always cook my pot roasts in the pressure cooker. They come out very tender, falling apart and with plenty of gravy. Because the meat will always require more cooking time than the vegetables you will need to add the vegetables half way through the cooking process so that they will not be over cooked.
Constance
Master Chef
I've posted this before, but I couldn't find it, so here it is again...the best pot roast and gravy you will ever taste.
GRANDMA SNARR’S POT ROAST
Chuck roast
Canola oil, or your lipid of choice
Flour
Salt & pepper
Water
Carrots
Russet potatoes
Celery
Onion
There are no amounts given on the ingredients, as that is up to you.
The most important part of this recipe is searing the meat. It must be done at a high temperature, and, as grandma said, you must “burn the meat”. Don't be a wimp about this...you know it’s right when the smoke detector goes off. That caramelization is what makes the gravy so delicious.
Salt and pepper the meat. Season the flour (about 1 ½ cups), and dredge the meat in it.
Heat heavy Dutch oven on high heat, add enough oil to cover bottom of skillet, and add meat. Lower the heat just a tiny bit, then let meat brown, uncovered, without turning until it’s very dark brown, like a chocolate roux. Turn meat and let it brown on the other side.
Add about 2 cups off water, turn heat down to med/low, and place meat on trivet if you have one. Cover and let cook, adding more water if needed, until meat is tender, but not falling apart. Lift up meat, remove trivet, and put vegetables on the bottom, then re-cover and let simmer until vegies are tender. (My mother used to get it going and let it cook on low while we were gone to church, then put in the vegies and turn the heat up after we got home.)
Remove meat from pot, place on platter and keep warm. Spoon out vegetables, and put in a separate serving bowl. Estimate how much liquid you have in the pan and make a slurry out of one tablespoon of flour and one tablespoon of water for each cup of drippings. Whisk into liquid in pan, turn heat up to medium high, and cook until thickened. Adjust seasoning, and pour into gravy boat.
GRANDMA SNARR’S POT ROAST
Chuck roast
Canola oil, or your lipid of choice
Flour
Salt & pepper
Water
Carrots
Russet potatoes
Celery
Onion
There are no amounts given on the ingredients, as that is up to you.
The most important part of this recipe is searing the meat. It must be done at a high temperature, and, as grandma said, you must “burn the meat”. Don't be a wimp about this...you know it’s right when the smoke detector goes off. That caramelization is what makes the gravy so delicious.
Salt and pepper the meat. Season the flour (about 1 ½ cups), and dredge the meat in it.
Heat heavy Dutch oven on high heat, add enough oil to cover bottom of skillet, and add meat. Lower the heat just a tiny bit, then let meat brown, uncovered, without turning until it’s very dark brown, like a chocolate roux. Turn meat and let it brown on the other side.
Add about 2 cups off water, turn heat down to med/low, and place meat on trivet if you have one. Cover and let cook, adding more water if needed, until meat is tender, but not falling apart. Lift up meat, remove trivet, and put vegetables on the bottom, then re-cover and let simmer until vegies are tender. (My mother used to get it going and let it cook on low while we were gone to church, then put in the vegies and turn the heat up after we got home.)
Remove meat from pot, place on platter and keep warm. Spoon out vegetables, and put in a separate serving bowl. Estimate how much liquid you have in the pan and make a slurry out of one tablespoon of flour and one tablespoon of water for each cup of drippings. Whisk into liquid in pan, turn heat up to medium high, and cook until thickened. Adjust seasoning, and pour into gravy boat.
