What Is the Best Meat for Pot Roast?

What is “pot roast” ? Actually refers to the cooking method used in pot roast recipes, not a specific cut of meat. Pot roast is basically just a way of braising tough cuts of beef so that they become tender and juicy. Because the cuts you can use are much cheaper than other cuts of beef, pot roast is a great way to feed a crowd. Here are a few cuts that work well:

  • Chuck roast (our pick!)
  • Brisket
  • Rump roastDID YOU KNOW? Pancetta! Pancetta is very similar to bacon. However, instead of being smoked (as most bacon is) pancetta is cured with salt. If you can’t find pancetta, though, a good-quality bacon works as a replacement.
    How To Make Pot Roast 
for 4 -6 guests and about 2 hrs.

     

    1. Prep your vegetables!
    2. Brown the meat.
    3. Crisp the pancetta.
    4. Nestle your pot roast back into the pan along with the wine, tomato paste and bay leaves and bring it to a simmer. It should be looking pretty pot-roast-y now.
    5. Pop it in the oven for 2 whole hours.
    6. Once the meat is fork-tender, lift it out of the pan, keep juice.
    • 3 lb Chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 3-5 inch pieces
    • 2 tbsp Olive oil
    • 1/2 cup Pancetta (or good quality bacon)
    • 6 Garlic cloves
    • 2 Small onions, finely chopped
    • 2 Celery spears, finely chopped
    • 1 cup Diced carrots
    • 2S prigs of fresh thyme
    • 2 Bay leaves
    • 2 tbspTomato paste
    • Kosher salt
    • Freshly ground pepper
    • 2 cups Red wine (optional)
    • parsley for serving
    • Mashed potatoes, polenta or pasta for serving

    Method

      1. Preheat oven to 350°. Generously salt and pepper the meat. In a large dutch oven heat olive oil over medium-high. Once smoking, brown meat in batches until brown on all sides. Remove from pot and continue until all the meat is cooked. Set the meat aside.
      2. Still over medium-high heat, cook pancetta until crispy. Add onions, carrots and celery stirring constantly to scrape up brown bits;cook until softened. Add garlic and stir until fragrant.
    • Using tongs, nestle the meat into the vegetable mixture. Pour the wine over the meat. The meat should not be completely covered. Stir in tomato paste. Add the bay leaves and thyme. Bring the liquid to a boil. Once the liquid is boiling, cover with the lid and move to the oven. Cook for 2 hours.
    • Once the roast is done, the meat should be tender. Move the meat to a serving dish and tent with foil. Without the lid, bring the liquid and vegetables to a boil over medium-high heat. After about 8-10 minutes the liquid should thicken and reduce by about ⅓. This will be your “gravy”. Pour the gravy over the top of the meat. Garnish with Italian parsley and serve warm over egg noodles or mashed potatoes.
  • Pancetta! Pancetta is very similar to bacon. However, instead of being smoked (as most bacon is) pancetta is cured with salt. If you can’t find pancetta, though, a good-quality bacon works as a replacement.