Projo Subterranean Homepage News

My husband picked up a pot roast for Sunday's Patriots game and, wanting to do something new, we made this Gordon's Pot Roast recipe from Epicurious.com.

It's extraordinary, with a rich, flavorful stock. I skipped the cornstarch and water part, not wanting the gravy thick. (Good thing, since the leftovers involve lots of veggies and broth and not much meat -- it will be a flavorful stew, to be eaten with a spoon. I'll use a larger roast next time.)

Other modifications were minor:

-- My beef stock seemed a little wimpy, so I added a heaping teaspoon of powdered beef bouillon just before adding the stock to the simmering wine and onions.

-- Joe wanted potatoes, so we added some.

-- We used fresh thyme and oregano from the herb pot on our deck, tripling the quantity given for dried.

-- We used dried porcini mushrooms, throwing them into the simmering stock early.

-- To keep the temperature at a low simmer on our gas stove, I slipped in a simmer ring and turned the flame as low as it would go and still stay lit. Listening to the pot, we heard only the occasional "Glug" and the roast was wonderfully tender after 3 hours.

-- When tasting the broth, it was a bit sweeter than I like, but additions of Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper fixed that.

Don't skip the Tawny Port wine -- its body is essential. And, although we probably won't drink it, I'll make this a few more times this season, so it won't go to waste.

Gordon's Pot Roast

1 medium onion
3 garlic cloves
3/4 pound carrots
1/2 pound parsnips
1/2 pound turnips
6 ounces mushrooms
a 3-inch piece fresh gingerroot
a 28- to 32-ounce can whole tomatoes
a 3-pound boneless beef chuck roast
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup Tawny Port
3/4 cup dry red wine
2 cups beef or chicken broth
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons water

Chop onion and mince garlic. Peel carrots and parsnips and diagonally cut into 3/4-inch-thick slices. Peel turnips and cut into 3/4-inch-thick wedges. Cut mushrooms into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Peel gingerroot and mince enough to measure 1/4 cup. Drain tomatoes and chop.

Pat chuck roast dry and season with salt and pepper. In a 5-quart heavy kettle heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and brown roast on all sides. Transfer roast to a plate and pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from kettle. Add onion to kettle and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until golden. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add Port and red wine and simmer, scraping up any brown bits on bottom of kettle, 5 minutes. Stir in broth, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, gingerroot, tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme, and oregano and bring mixture to a boil. Add roast, carrots, parsnips, turnips, and mushrooms and simmer, covered, turning roast over halfway through cooking time, 3 hours total, or until tender. Pot roast may be made up to this point 3 days ahead. Cool roast, uncovered, before chilling, covered, and remove any solidified fat before reheating.

Transfer roast with tongs to a cutting board and let stand 10 minutes. If necessary skim fat from cooking liquid and bring cooking liquid and vegetables to a boil over moderate heat. In a small bowl stir together cornstarch and water until smooth and stir enough into sauce to thicken to desired consistency. Simmer sauce, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes.

Cut roast crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices and arrange on a deep platter. Spoon vegetables and sauce over meat. .