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How to cook a beef roast: I came up with this recipe because I had a relatively cheap cut of meat from a local farm. There are two things I know to do when working with a “cheap” cut of meat to impart flavor and tenderness.
First, sear it. Searing is cooking the outside of a roast, steak, etc. in an extremely hot pan for a short time (usually around 2 minutes per side). This caramelizes the sugars in the meat and creates a beautiful brown crust – bringing out and building up the flavor of the meat.
The second thing you can do when working with a less appealing cut is to cook it on a low temperature slowly. “Low and slow” as they say. This gives the fat and connective tissue a chance to break down, thus making it more tender.
This roast recipe – which is really more of a technique you can follow – incorporates both of these methods, leaving you with a tender, flavorful result. We will typically eat half of the roast along with the potatoes (sometimes I add carrots) for a meal. Then the next day I’ll slice the meat thinly and add cream to the juices in the pot to make a sauce that we’ll eat over pasta. I love turning leftovers into something else the next day!
Let’s Get Started
As I touched on above, this recipe is more about the technique. You can experiment with various cuts of meat and accompanying vegetables once you understand the process. I encourage you to branch out – play a little and embrace your kitchen. Life is too short to stick to a regimen.
Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. If you have more time, cook it on an even lower temp (250° F or so).
Magnify the meat flavors through searing
Place a Dutch oven or heavy bottom pot on a burner and turn to medium-high heat. Coat the bottom of the pot with roughly 4 tablespoons of olive oil. While the pot heats up, generously salt and pepper the outside of your roast. Use less pepper than salt but make sure to use plenty of salt. (It’s difficult to give a measurement of salt because it depends on the size of your roast but roughly two tablespoons should be enough.)
Once the oil is hot, sear the meat by cooking 1-2 minutes per side. You will want a dark brown on all sides of the roast. Then turn off the burner and remove the pot from the heat.
While the meat is searing, cut the onion, garlic, and potatoes (measurements are listed in the recipe below). The onion and garlic you can leave chunky, it will break down and impart beautiful flavor during the long cooking time. The potatoes should be quartered to bite size.
A word on potatoes:
Potatoes have to be my favorite crop. They are so versatile, last an extremely long time, and are ridiculously easy to grow. When my potatoes start to sprout, I simply cut off the eyes along with a chunk of the potato and set them aside to plant.
If you’ve never done this, try it. Just bury them under a few inches of loose soil and forget about them. They will likely thrive and give you a plethora of potatoes down the road. Once you have them established you’ll never have to buy potatoes again. (It’d be a good idea to check your zone for more info on growing potatoes but it’s easy for where I live.)
Place the veggies next to the meat for baking
Place the onion, garlic, and potatoes in the Dutch oven on either side of the roast. Sprinkle the veggies with about a tablespoons of salt and drizzle them with about two tablespoons of olive oil.
Then add in Port wine and beef stock. If you don’t have Port, you can use a red table wine, but Port really is the best. (A little for you, a little for the meal.) Cover the Dutch oven or pot with an oven proof lid and place carefully into the preheated oven. Cook at the low temperature for 2-3 hours, depending on the thickness of your roast. After one hour of cooking, flip your meat and place it back in the oven to finish cooking.
Once it’s done, the meat should pull apart. It’s a hearty, filling meal when served alongside the potatoes. Enjoy it and save the leftovers to eat over pasta like I’ve suggested above!
Leave a comment below letting me know if you tried this recipe and what you thought! Did you pair the roast with something other than potatoes or eat the leftovers with a pasta cream sauce?
Juicy Roast and Potatoes
Equipment
- Dutch Oven optional
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp Olive Oil, divided
- 2-3 tbsp Salt, divided
- ½ tsp Pepper
- 1 3-4lb Chuck Roast, Eye of Round Roast, or Similar
- 2 Medium Onions, Cut in Chunks
- 4-5 Garlic Cloves, Sliced
- 6-8 Red Potatoes, Quartered
- 3-4 tbsp Port or Red Wine
- 1 ½ c Beef Stock
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300° F. Place Dutch oven on burner and turn to medium-high heat. Coat the bottom with olive oil (roughly 4 Tbsp.). Meanwhile, generously salt and pepper the outside of the roast (I never measure, just make sure the outside is evenly salted/peppered). Once the oil is hot, sear the meat in the Dutch oven, 1-2 minutes per side until brown. Turn off the burner and remove from heat.2-3 tbsp Salt, divided, ½ tsp Pepper, 1 3-4lb Chuck Roast, Eye of Round Roast, or Similar, 6 tbsp Olive Oil, divided
- After the meat has cooked, place the onion, garlic, and potatoes in the Dutch oven on either side of the meat. Sprinkle with about a tablespoon of salt and drizzle olive oil over vegetables (roughly 2 Tbsp.).6 tbsp Olive Oil, divided, 2 Medium Onions, Cut in Chunks, 4-5 Garlic Cloves, Sliced, 6-8 Red Potatoes, Quartered, 2-3 tbsp Salt, divided
- Pour wine (Port is best, but another red sweet wine will work) and beef stock over veggies.3-4 tbsp Port or Red Wine, 1 ½ c Beef Stock
- Cover with oven-safe lid and place in preheated oven for 2-3 hours, depending on thickness of meat. Turn meat after 1 hour. Serve warm and enjoy!
