Rule the roast
Porcini mushrooms give this dish an extra umami punch
As with most foods, your idea of pot roast is likely whatever version you grew up eating. Now, armed with more culinary knowledge, my ever-expanding cookbook library and Google, I’ve come to learn that the dish I remember and the definition of “pot roast” are not exactly one and the same.
A pot roast is less a specific recipe and more a generic cooking technique. As such, there can be chicken and pork pot roasts, and the accompanying root vegetables I once thought requisite are optional.
PICK YOUR CUT. When making a beef pot roast, tougher cuts are the way to go. These include chuck, brisket and round, where the high amount of collagen breaks down during a lengthy cooking process and transforms into gelatin, resulting in supple, succulent meat and lending a velvety richness to the braising liquid.
FIRST, SEAR THE MEAT. Though it’s not technically required, I urge you to sear the beef until deeply browned.
ADD AROMATICS AND BRAISING LIQUID. Once it’s browned, transfer the meat to a platter and add your aromatics. The recipe below calls for onions, garlic and herbs, but you can play around with different ingredients. Stir in some tomato paste for a hint of sweet umami, and then deglaze with red wine for fruity acidity. (If you don’t want to cook with wine, you can use additional stock.) Lastly, return the seared meat and any accumulated juices to the pot and add enough liquid to go about halfway up the sides of the meat. Beef stock is a common choice for pot roast. With this recipe, I make a mushroom stock out of dried porcinis.
COOK UNTIL “SPOON-TENDER.” Next, top the pot with its lid — or cover tightly with aluminum foil — and braise in a low oven. While “fork tender” is generally the descriptor for the proper doneness of pot roast, I think you should be able to cut it with a spoon. Many say braises taste better the next day, and a night in the refrigerator does make it easier to remove excess fat. If you’re planning to eat imminently, skim the fat off the top as best you can.
ADJUST THE SAUCE IF NEEDED. If the braising liquid is too thin for your liking, you can thicken it by setting the beef aside and reducing the liquid on the stove or whisking in a couple tablespoons of equal parts room temperature butter and flour that have been mixed together (a.k.a. beurre manie) and simmering for a couple minutes until your desired consistency is reached. A word of caution: Adjust the seasoning of the sauce after thickening to prevent oversalting.
DECIDE HOW TO SERVE IT. If you want a one-pot meal, you can nestle in some bite-size root vegetables for the last hour or so of cooking to get them tender.
PORCINI BEEF POT ROAST
Active time: 30 minutes | Total time: 4 hours 30 minutes | 4 to 6 servings
If you can’t find dried porcini mushrooms, consider other varieties, such as shiitakes and morels.
Make ahead: The pot roast can be made up to 1 day before you plan to serve it. To serve, reheat in a 300-degree oven until the desired temperature is reached.
Storage notes: The pot roast can be refrigerated for up to 4 days, or frozen, tightly wrapped, for up to 2 months. 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms 3 cups hot water One (2- to 3-pound) well-marbled boneless chuck roast, preferably tied Kosher salt Finely ground black pepper 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or another neutral oil 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped 1½ teaspoons dried thyme or 1½ tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves 2 tablespoons tomato paste ½ cup dry red wine, such as pinot noir Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 300 degrees. Meanwhile, soak the porcini in the hot water for 30 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the mushrooms to a fine-mesh sieve (reserve the soaking water). Rinse the mushrooms briefly under cold, running water (they can be gritty), pat dry with a paper towel or clean dish towel and coarsely chop. Strain the mushroom soaking liquid through a mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth or paper towels into a bowl.
Pat the meat dry with paper towels and generously season all over with the salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or other large ovenproof pot with a lid over medium-high heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the meat and brown on all sides, 15 to 20 minutes total; transfer to a platter.
Add the onions, garlic, thyme and the mushrooms, sprinkle with some salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions start to soften and become translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute more. Add the red wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom. Add the seared meat, with any accumulated juices, along with enough of the mushroom soaking liquid to come about halfway up the meat (the amount of liquid you’ll need will vary with the size of the roast as well as the cooking vessel), bring to a simmer, cover and transfer to the oven.
Cook, flipping the roast and checking on tenderness every 45 minutes, until fork- (or spoon-) tender, 3 hours to 3 hours 30 minutes. Transfer the meat to a large, rimmed platter, discard the string (if present), and skim the fat from the braising liquid. (If serving the following day, you can cool and refrigerate the pot roast to more easily scrape the fat off the top once it’s chilled.)
Taste the braising liquid and season with additional salt and/or pepper, if desired, then pour it over the pot roast and serve warm.
Nutrition (based on 6 servings) | calories: 480; total fat: 34 g; saturated fat: 12 g; cholesterol: 107 mg; sodium: 483 mg; carbohydrates: 10 g; dietary fiber: 3 g; sugar: 4 g; protein: 29 g. Recipe from Washington Post staff writer Aaron Hutcherson