The Well Traveled Fork’s January Farm of the Month DD Ranch raises premium grass-fed beef and hearty potatoes, so this month, our recipe of the month is a pot roast using chuck roast, with mashed potatoes on the side. The chuck section comes from the shoulder area of the cow, a hard working section of the animal. Beef chuck roast contains a lot of connective tissue, so it requires moist long cooking to become tender. The braising liquid I have chosen is beer, something Bend is quite famous for.
So what kind of beer should you use? Something dark preferably with a flavor profile to complement the meatiness, the bacon and acidity of the balsamic. Use what you drink. Drink what you like. And, there should always be a bottle or two extra for the cook!
Supermarkets label chuck roasts many different things, which is very confusing. They are sometimes called Top Blade Roasts, 7 Bone Roasts, Chuck Eye Roasts, Bottom Roasts and Chuck Shoulder Roasts. However, if you purchase they directly from the Mike Duggan at DD Ranch, he will simply call them a chuck roast. Simple, eh?
Beer Braised Pot Roast
Serves 4
Ingredients:
4 pounds boneless chuck roast
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 ounces bacon, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 cups local beer
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 300°. You will need a 5 or 6 quart casserole or dutch oven with a tight fitting lid.
2. Pat the beef dry with paper towels and then sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in the dutch oven. When the oil is hot, add the meat and sear until all sides are dark brown in color, turning from time to time. When the meat is done, transfer to a large plate.
3. Lower the heat to medium and add the bacon. Cook the bacon until just crisp, removing with a slotted spoon. Remove all but about 3 tablespoons of fat from the pan.
4. Add the chopped carrots, celery and onion to the dutch oven and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onion is just starting to turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the smashed garlic cloves, and sage to the pan and stir to combine. Deglaze the pan with the balsamic vinegar, scraping up any bits on the bottom of the pan.
5. Add the beer and the beef broth to the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, add the meat back to the pan and cover the pan with the tight fitting lid. Put the dutch oven in the oven and cook for about 2 hours, turning the meat after about 1 hour.
6. The roast is done when pierced with a fork and it is tender. If it is not, continue cooking until desired degree of tenderness has been achieved.
7. Removed roast from pan and cover with foil. Strain the sauce to remove the tired vegetables. Return the sauce to the pan, taste for seasonings. At this point, the sauce can be reduced further to concentrate flavors or can be seasoned with salt and pepper. Then, whisk in the dijon mustard.
8. Slice the roast and place on a serving platter. Ladle the sauce over the roast. Serve with mashed potatoes.Note: In summer, feel free to use a couple sprigs of fresh sage in place of the dried sage.
Mashed Potatoes
Serves 6-10 (I always believe in making plenty of mashed potatoes when you are going through the effort. They reheat beautifully and you can use them in many different way after the fact.)
Ingredients:
6 pounds potatoes, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup butter
1 cup milk, warmed
salt and pepper
Directions:
1. Cook potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 35 minutes.
2. Drain potatoes; return potatoes to pot. Mash until smooth.
3. Add butter, milk and salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Partially cover and let heat escape. Let stand at room temperature. Stir over low heat to rewarm before serving.)
Note: To add more dimension to your mashed potatoes, consider the addition of fresh sage, thyme or some shallots to the cooking liquid.
