Yankee Pot Roast

From The Founding Farmers Cookbook by Founding Farmers with Nevin Martell

(Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2013, $40)

Pot Roast Base

• 4-5 pounds beef chuck
• 1 tbsp. kosher salt
• 1 tbsp. ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp. granulated garlic
• 1 tbsp. celery salt
• 1/2 cup canola or olive oil
• 6 cups chopped yellow onions
• 3 cups chopped carrots
• 4 cups chopped celery
• 10 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1/4 cup beef base
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 tbsp. minced fresh rosemary
• 2 tbsp. minced fresh thyme leaves

Roux

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

Pot Roast Vegetables

• 1 medium golden beet, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into large chunks
• Kosher salt
• 1-1/2 cups diced carrots, diced to 1-1/2-inch pieces
• 2-1/2 cups diced celery, diced to 1-1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 bunch asparagus, cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
• 4 oz. green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
• Ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Season the beef on both sides with the salt, pepper, granulated garlic and celery salt. Heat the canola oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot with a lid over high heat. When hot, place the beef in the pot and brown well, 2-3 minutes on each side. Lift the beef out of the pot and reserve, keeping the pot with the beef drippings over medium heat. Place the onions in the pot and sauté until caramelized. Add the carrots, celery and sliced garlic and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the beef broth, beef base, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, rosemary and thyme. Return the beef to the pot and bring the liquid to a boil. Cover the pot and place in the oven for 3-3.5 hours, until fork tender.

While the pot roast cooks, prepare a roux. Melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium-low heat and whisk in the flour. Continue to whisk, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the flour mixture becomes a pale brown color and smells toasted and nutty, 10-12 minutes. Scrape the roux out of the pan with a rubber spatula and reserve.

Place the beet and sweet potato chunks on a baking sheet and roast in the oven (with the pot roast) for 45 minutes, or until tender. Fill a large pot with water and a generous pinch of kosher salt and bring to a boil. Working in batches, blanch the carrots, celery, asparagus and green beans until each vegetable is just tender and cooked through. Drain and cool in an ice bath (half ice cubes and half water in a large bowl). Drain from the ice bath and set aside.

When the pot roast is tender and finished cooking, remove the pot from the oven, gently remove the beef from the pot, and transfer it to a large plate while you prepare the sauce.

Carefully place the pot roast pot on a burner over medium heat. Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaf from the pot. Bring the liquid to a boil. Purée the liquid until smooth with a stick blender. Add the roux and purée until smooth. Simmer for 20 minutes and season to taste with salt and pepper. Place the pot roast in the sauce along with the roasted beet and sweet potato chunks and the blanched vegetables and heat through. Stir 2 tablespoons of butter into the sauce. Break the beef up into large chunks with a metal spoon. Keep warm.

To serve, place a mound of the mashed potatoes in the center of each plate, then spoon portions of the beef, vegetables and sauce over the top. Top each plate with a few fried onions, if using, and serve immediately. Serves 6 to 8.

2011 SIMI Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Simi Winery—founded in San Francisco by two Italian brothers, Giuseppe and Pietro Simi—made their first wine from Sonoma County grapes in 1876. Their colorful past is evident when visiting the Healdsburg locale; since 1890, the same stone cellar has been where the winemaking magic happens. Since day one, their wines have reflected the region: small, scenic and stunningly diverse.

The 2011 SIMI Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is full-bodied with an amazing nose, supple tannins and a beautiful velvety finish. It has a deep, dark color with a ruby edge. Aromas of clove, hints of cedar and cocoa beautifully frame compelling flavors of cassis, cherry and blackberry. The affordable price and ability to stand up to hearty beef dishes makes it an ideal pairing choice for this month’s Yankee Pot Roast.

—Richard Righton
Owner, 36 Handles and Relish Burger Bar

Wine bottle photo courtesy of Constellation Brands.