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I love a big pan of meat.  I like to pretend that I make meatloaf for Mr. Darcy on his birthday because HE really likes it.  But the  truth is that if he tried to pick something else, I’d probably find a way to make him change to meatloaf instead.  It’s really the same when it comes to roast, beef brisket, pork chops..well, I could go on but I won’t.

Though I’ve come a long way(if I do say so myself) on my culinary journey, roasting meats still daunts me.  Images of tough, dry chicken and hard beef spring to mind.  About 5 years ago I started cooking a roast with veggies in the crockpot and it’s come out tender every time, so I thought I might get away with taking that route-forever.

But still it seemed rather shameful to be at a loss for roast all because of my broken crockpot.

Today I threw all caution to the wind and tried this recipe for Mom’s Pot Roast from Fresh Every Day by Sara Foster.  Sprigs of rosemary combined with red wine and tender meat-I decided to sacrifice my time and energy and make it for Mr. Darcy, really, I did, selflessly, for him.

The good news-I can lift my head high! Moist, tender, rosemary infused meat and vegetables-and no crockpot in sight.

This is for you honey.  Would you like it for your birthday?

Mom’s Pot Roast
from Fresh Every Day by Sara Foster
serves 4-6

• 1 3-pound beef chuck roast, at room temperature
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2 tbs canola or safflower oil
• 1 large onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
• 6 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 6 fresh thyme sprigs
• 6 fresh rosemary sprigs
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 4 to 6 cups beef broth
• 1 pound small red-skinned or fingerling potatoes

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Season the roast generously on all sides with salt and pepper.
3. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or deep, oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the roast and sear to a rich, brown color, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Transfer the roast to a plate and set aside.
4. Add the onion, 2 of the carrots, and the herbs to the pot you cooked the roast in.  Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are light brown and the onion is soft., 3 to 4 minutes.   Return the roast to the pan, add the wine and enough broth to nearly cover the roast, and bring to a low boil over medium heat.
5. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil and place the meat in the oven to roast for 2 hours 30 minutes. Add the potatoes and the remaining carrots and continue roasting for another 40 to 60 minutes, until the meat breaks apart easily and the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
6. Transfer the roast to a shallow serving bowl and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.  Remove the herb stems from the pot or skillet. Use a large spoon to skim the fat.  Pour the juices and vegetables over the roast, and serve warm.

Aimee’s Notes:  Rather than spend 7 dollars just on the herbs I cheated and bought the fresh rosemary and used dried thyme.  Though the rosemary gave the dish a wonderful aroma and flavor, I’m sure it would have been doubly flavorful with fresh thyme as well.  Do what your budget allows.  I cut up larger potatoes since that’s what I had on hand, but I’ve always wanted to try the fingerlings.  The roast was done before the time suggested in the directions, but didn’t suffer from slow-cooking a little longer while the veggies finished tenderizing.

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