Pot Roast In Rich Gravy

Brisket is the centerpiece of many holiday tables, but pot roast, cooked to succulent tenderness in a full-bodied braising liquid brightened with the tang of wine and tomato and enriched with a heady trio of cinnamon, bay leaf, and thyme is just as special without sacrificing tradition.
Yield
Makes 8 servings
Active Time
30 minutes
Total Time
3 3/4 hours
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup matzoh cake meal
- 4 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil, divided
- 1 (4 1/2-to 5-pound) beef chuck roast, tied
- 1 large onion (about 1 pound), coarsely chopped (2 cups)
- 2 large carrots (about 1/2 pound), coarsely chopped
- 2 medium parsnips (about 1/2 pound), coarsely chopped
- 2 cups full-bodied red wine
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
- 5 full sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 (3-inch long) cinnamon stick
- Fresh horseradish root, peeled and finely grated for serving (optional)
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Special Equipment
- a 6- to 7-quart-wide heavy pot with lid
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
- On a large plate mix together matzoh cake meal with 1 tablespoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Pat meat dry then coat with matzoh meal mixture, dusting off excess (discard matzoh meal but reserve plate).
- Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a 6- to 7-quart-wide heavy pot over medium high heat until oil shimmers. Brown meat on all sides, totaling about 12 minutes. Transfer to plate.
- Reduce heat to medium and add onions, carrots, and parsnips to pot with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften and turn golden, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add wine to pot and boil, scraping up any bits from bottom of pan until wine is reduced by half.
- Add chicken broth, tomatoes in juice, thyme, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick to pot and bring to a simmer. Return meat to pot and cover with lid. Place in oven and braise until meat is tender when pierced with a fork, about 3 hours.
- Transfer meat to a cutting board. Remove thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick. Transfer 2 cups braising liquid to a blender and purée until smooth (use caution when pureeing hot liquids). Stir pureed sauce into liquid in pot and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Discard strings from meat and cut into thick slices (it may fall apart as you slice it because it's so tender), then return meat to sauce and serve.
Cooks' Notes:
•Pot roast can be made up to 2 days ahead. Keep meat unsliced in sauce. Slice meat while cold (it will cut much easier into neater slices), and then reheat in sauce.
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Nutritional Info
- Calories401
- Carbohydrates22 g(7%)
- Fat17 g(25%)
- Protein36 g(72%)
- Saturated Fat5 g(23%)
- Sodium313 mg(13%)
- Polyunsaturated Fat2 g
- Fiber5 g(20%)
- Monounsaturated Fat10 g
- Cholesterol97 mg(32%)
Source: epicurious.com