Merlot Pot Roast with Horseradish Smashed Potatoes From Sunset
Prepare the smashed potatoes as soon as the beef is tender; the meat can continue to cook until they're ready.
1 tied fat-trimmed boned beef chuck roast (3 to 3 1/2 lb.) Fresh-ground pepper 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil 3 carrots (about 1/4 lb. each), rinsed and peeled 1 onion (1/2 lb.), peeled and chopped 2/3 cup chopped celery 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns 1 dried bay leaf 1 cup Merlot or other dry red wine 1/3 cup canned tomato paste 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch Horseradish smashed potatoes 1 tablespoon minced parsley 1 to 2 cups watercress sprigs, rinsed and crisped (optional) salt
1. Rinse beef, pat dry, and sprinkle generously all over with fresh-ground pepper. Melt butter in a 10- to 12-inch nonstick frying pan over high heat. When hot, add beef and brown well on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes total. 2. Meanwhile, cut carrots into sticks about 3/8 inch thick and 2 inches long. In a 4 1/2-quart or larger electric slow-cooker, combine carrots, onion, celery, garlic, thyme, peppercorns, and bay leaf. Set beef on vegetables; add drippings. In a small bowl, mix wine and tomato paste; pour over meat and vegetables.
3. Cover and cook until beef is very tender when pierced, 8 to 9 hours on low, 5 to 6 hours on high. If possible, turn meat over halfway through cooking.
4. With 2 slotted spoons, transfer meat to a platter; keep warm. Skim and discard any fat from cooking liquid. Turn cooker to high. In a small bowl, blend cornstarch with 1 1/2 tablespoons water; pour into cooker and stir often until sauce is bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes.
5. With a slotted spoon, lift vegetables from cooker and arrange beside meat. Spoon horseradish smashed potatoes onto platter; sprinkle with parsley. Garnish platter with watercress. Spoon sauce over meat. Slice meat and serve with vegetables, potatoes, and sauce, adding salt to taste.
Nutritional analysis per serving without potatoes.
Hi Sher ... i look forward to your reviews!!! If I make any of the other recipes that are new-to-me, I'll report back too!
SHER5956 3/29/07 4:49 P
I want to thank all of you for your help. I can't beleive how this sparkpeople is so great as it is. Look at all the replys I've received already. I think I'll have to try each and evryone's receipe. That way I will have a chance to have many, many different tastes of pot roasts. Thanks again,.. Sher As I try each one. one every two weeks. I will let each of you know how it was ok? thanks again
VERA_MOM 3/29/07 11:55 A
The easiest (and one of the most tender) roasts I make is in the crockpot. Trim it and place in the pot. Top with a can of diced Tomatoes w/ oregano and basil (or whichever combo you like), then sprinkle a packet of spaghetti seasoning over the top. Cook all day on low. Shred to serve.
It makes the most wonderful sauce! It is a bit high in sodium, so it's not an every day (or every week) kind of thing, but the fat content is relatively low.
Another tasty one is to dump a jar of salsa over the top for a more "mexican" twist. Also works beautifully over chicken (boneless skinless).
I generally don't put many veggies in the Crockpot because they don't seem to like to cook evenly for me, but I will sometimes toss a bag (one pound) of frozen veggies (green beans work well) under the roast.
THEKWONGDZU 3/29/07 1:19 A
When I make pot roast, I cut up an onion and put half of it in the crockpot. Next, I place the meat on top of it and top with the rest of the onion. I like to add a lot of black pepper, some basil and some oregano. I pour one or two cups of beef broth in, depending on the size of the roast. Add a couple of shots of vodka to the beef broth. It gives the pot roast a nice flavor. Cook on low for 10-12 hours. Yum. It is even healthier if you refrigerate it and skim off the fat.
HELLEMURPHREE 3/29/07 12:57 A
Depending on the size of the meat, I'll either use my huge Dutch Oven, or my crockpot... otherwise the procedure is the same... Actually, if I use the Dutch Oven, I like to fry the meat on both sides before putting the veggies in... That doesn't work so well in the crockpot, but the result seems to be the same...
Put the meat in the cooker. I add any/all the following veggies, cut in large chunks: potatoes, turnips, rutabagas, carrots, onions, celery, mushrooms. I add maybe 1/2 to one cup water at the bottom, otherwise just salt and peppers and a couple of bay leaves. Stick in the oven on 350 (or on high in crockpot) for a few hours... The mushrooms especially release a lot of liquid, but so does the meat... it seems to just be swimming in juices when it's all done, it's delish!! Sometimes I add some Worstershire Sauce, sometimes not. I bet the onion soup mix would be good as well. Now I'm craving roast!! It's sooo good! And you can have loads of the veggies, that's the best part!! Turnips and rutabagas have about half the cals (and more fiber)of potatoes, if I remember correctly...
AMANDARYAN1051 3/28/07 5:32 P
I do mine in a roasting pan with a lid (dont know if there's a specific name for it)
A few cans of beef broth, a package of onion soup mix and some garlic. Then throw in some fresh mushrooms towards the end. Finish it off by thickening the gravy w/cornstarch and voila. Pretty basic, but super yummy. Like the other person mentioned, i just skim off the fat.
JENJEN01 3/28/07 4:04 P
I have never used the onion soup mix but have seen it mentioned alot, I think I will have to try this the next time!
* Sprinkle the roast with a little steak seasoning and a dash of worchestershire and add a can of 98% fat free cream of mushroom
* Pour a can of french onion soup over the roast ... nothing else is needed.
* Pour one cup of light/fat free Italian dressing over the roast and cook
I think the secret to a really good Crockpot roast is *NOT* to drown it in liquid. You need some liquid for the roast to cook properly ... but if you only put about 1-2 cups in the Crockpot then the meat will sort of 'braise' rather than boil and you end up with a much different texuture and a better flavor.
If you want to add carrot, potatoes, quartered onions, etc. I'd say add them about 2-3 hours before the end of the cooking time. Adding them when you put the roast in may cause them to over cook and be too mushy.
KEVINKJ 3/28/07 9:10 A
I just use the Crockpot and toss in a package of french onion soup mix and sometimes low fat cream of mushroom soup. Chuck roast not exactly lean so I just skim off the grease after its done. Serve with loads of veggies!!!!
SHER5956 3/27/07 10:56 P
Hi, I am interested in a nice crock pot meal with a pot roast (chuck roast). I have many recepies but they have no taste. I also need it to be as healthy as possible and as low in calories as possible.But with good flavor. If you have other beef that would be lower in calories besides the chuck roast, please tell me your recipe ok? Thank you, Sher
Other recepies other than the crock pot would be ok. except for the baking bag ok? Thanks
