Vegi-full pot roast

[AndyG]

I'm going to be making a pot roast with less meat and more veges than traditional. I got about 2-3 pounds of veges and 1.4 pounds of beef chuck roast.

The veges I have are potatoes, carrots, yellow onion, and a sweet potato. I also have plenty of garlic and a pretty good stock of herbs and spices. Any suggestions on making pot roast where the dish is mostly veges? I am using the meat more for flavor than anything. I also got a few Roma tomatoes and might or might not use them.

[AndyG]

Perhaps I should do something else with these ingredients?

[kuan]

If you like veggies then just use more veggies. Better for you anyways.

[AndyG]

But I want lots of flavor to the veges. Without as much meat, the veges won't get as much flavor from the meat. I'm thinking I might want to add more seasoning of some kind, not sure what would make it great.

[AndyG]

Maybe season the meat one way and the veges another . . . what blends, blends

[AndyG]

So far I put the meat in the oven at 450, a little oil under the meat, with sliced tomatoes and onions on top, with Penzey's ancho chiles sprinkled in between. Gonna let it sizzle a bit and add the rest of it. Smells really good.

[AndyG]

The veges turned out superb, with carmellized onion/tomato/sweet potato juice that stuck nicely on the potatoes. The meat turned out kind of tough, but the veges were the point anyway, this time.

[AndyG]

Tonight I started my own brand of roasting. Or perhaps a very old brand, but anyway I'm having fun.

I loved the flavors, and this time it's a thin layer of raw Italian sausage in the broiling pan with some thick sliced onions. After it got hot I added some carrots and garlic, on top of the sausage. After that started getting hot I added some canned tomatoes and some ancho chiles. When that starts spitting I'll add some potatoes and cover it. I'm starting to get good at the flavors I like.

[nowIamone]

Andy,
Here I am after you are done cooking your pot roast!

But the trick to a tender pot roast is to cook it "low, slow and moist." I make a good pot roast, and I don't always cook the veg's with it, in fact I prefer not to, better control without.

I put my meat in a close fitting roasting pan with a lid. I put a bay leaf on top, 1/4 of red bell pepper chopped, 2 cloves of garlic chopped, I may or may not add 1/4 of a chopped onion, a carrot, finely chopped. I pour 1/2 cup to 1 cup of black coffee and a splash of sherry. Then crack some black pepper over the top, and you can add many herbs or what ever strikes you. Cover it, turn the oven to 225 to 250 and leave it in for 4 to 6 hours. Don't open it often.

An hour or so from dinner being done, open the pan and skim a few tablespoons of the fat off the top of the roast, I like a little of the "juice" or liquid with this also. I drizzle it on the carrots, potatoes, onions, etc, which I have peeled and par boiled for a few minutes ( just so the vegetables are cooked about 1/8 to 1/4 inch in depth) they take the meat juices better and brown off better, salt, pepper and put back in to the oven.

If I add salt to the roast, I do it when I open the pan for the "drippings," the sherry has cooked and it's easier to judge the amount.