Actually - a pot roast is brasied at a simmer just below a boil - usually somewhere between 190º-200ºF ... and the meat only has to reach an internal temp of 190ºF since collagen melts around 170º-180ºF. That's why you can cook one to perfection on either the stove top or in the oven.
Michael, seems you may be right but oddly enough, everthing I ever read said that collagen melts at 300 degrees. I googled "beef collagen melting point" and came up with this really interesting piece of information. I printed out a hard copy so I can keep it handy.
Temperature Scale
For the explanatory post about the list,
click here.
All temperatures are Fahrenheit.
30-40F - Ideal Storage Temperature for berries, apples, pears, onions, lettuce, broccoli
32 - Water Freezes
36-40 - Refrigerator’s usual temperature
42-55 - White Wine’s Ideal Serving Temp
50 - Ideal Storage Temperature for bananas, tomatoes, lemons, sweet potatoes
58-68 - Butter has ideal consistency for making pastry
60-68 - Red Wine’s Ideal Serving Temp
65-70 - Chocolate’s Ideal Storage Temp
76-80 - Average Desired Dough Temperature for bread doughs at the end of mixing
85 - Butter begins to melt
86 - Gelatin Soluble
87-91 - Average working temperature for tempered Dark Chocolate
90-95 - Yeasts in bread most active (proof boxes are often set to 90F and 80% humidity)
93.2 - Beta crystals in chocolate melt
94 - Butter’s final melting point
105 - Agar sets
105-115 - Gelatin completely dissolves
115-120 - All fat crystals in Dark Chocolate are melted
120 - Dense-fleshed fish are succulent
120-130 - Collagen in most fish dissolves into gelatin
120-125 - Beef, rare
120-140 - Starches generally begin to gelate
125-140 - Beef, medium rare
130-140 - Most fish are firm but still moist
138 - Yeast’s thermal death point
140 - Chilis & Black Pepper become volatile b/c of active ingredients
140 - Animal proteins generally begin to coagulate
140 - Fructose’s apparent sweetness is cut nearly in half
145 - Egg whites begin to thicken
145-155 - Beef, Medium
149-152 - White Meat Chicken succulent
150 - Egg whites become a tender solid
150 - Gelatin denatures if heated above
155 - E. Coli killed
155 - Chicken breast begins to get dry and tough
158 - Egg yolks set
160 - Beef, well-done
160 - Collagen in meat begins to dissolve into gelatin
160 - Salmonella’s Instant Kill Temp
165 - Whole eggs set
165-175 - Dark Meat Chicken succulent
170 - Protein-eating enzymes in many tropical fruits (except coconuts, but including figs) are broken down
170-185 - Custards coagulate
180 - In cakes, egg proteins begin to coagulate, and starch granules begin to absorb water, swell and gelate; actual setting temp depends on ratio of sugar
185 - Water simmers
185 - Agar must be heated to this temp to remelt
185-195 - Enriched Dinner rolls, internal temp doneness
190 - The highest temp an egg can reach without coagulating, regardless of the presence of other ingredients
190-200 - Ideal brewing temperature for coffee
200-210 - Hard, Crusty Bread, internal temp doneness
212 - Water boils
212 - Steak cooked dry
212 - Sweetened condensed milk undergoes Maillard browning
215-235 - Sucrose’s thread stage
217-221 - Fruit Preserves cooked to this temp, indicating 65% sugar concentration
220 - Fructose begins to melt and caramelize
235-240 - Sucrose’s Soft Ball Stage
245-248 - Sucrose’s Firm Ball Stage
250 - Maillard Browning Reactions occur
250 - Butter browns
250 - Extra Virgin Olive Oil’s Smoke Point
250-265 - Sucrose’s Hard Ball Stage
270-290 - Sucrose’s Soft Crack Stage
300-310 - Sucrose’s Hard Crack Stage
300 - Peanuts heated to this internal temp to develop flavor before being blanched and ground for commercial peanut butter
300 - Glucose begins to melt and caramelize
320-350 - Sucrose Caramelizes
375 - Animal fats’ smoke point
400 - Bread crust, straight out of the oven
400 - Clarified Butter burns
410 - Corn, Olive, Peanut, Sesame, and Soybean Oil’s Smoke Point
437 - Canola Oil’s smoke point
446 - Grapeseed Oil’s smoke point
520 - Avocado Oil’s smoke point
1,600 - Solid salt crystals melt
3,000 - Solid salt crystals evaporate
The information on the scale comes from (the absolutely extraordinary book) On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen by Harold McGee; Cookwise by Shirley Corriher; The Bread Baker’s Apprentice by Peter Reinhart; The Bread Builders by Daniel Wing and Alan Scott; Chez Panisse Desserts by Lindsey Remolif Shere, and my notes from CIA-Greystone.