Grateful Grits

Up until now, I have always made roast in a slow cooker. It’s incredibly easy: I would get up in the morning, throw all the ingredients in the slow cooker, and forget about it until dinner time. The only downside is that you need to plan ahead and have all the ingredients on hand the night before or early in the morning.

Last weekend, we had a delightful turn of events that I like to call a “happy accident.” My husband and I were figuring out what to have for dinner, and we both craved a roast. By this time, it was already around lunchtime, which was too late to start a roast in the slow cooker, let alone run to the store for ingredients. We turned to the internet, searching for different techniques and recipes, and stumbled upon a method that made me rethink my slow cooker loyalty.

Cooking a roast in a Dutch oven turned out to be a game-changer. The flavors were more intense, and the meat was incredibly tender. Plus, the prep and cooking process was very similar to my slow cooker recipes, but the cooking time was cut in half!

For this method, I recommend a chuck roast between three and four and a half pounds. Unfortunately, the smallest roast I found that day was just over five pounds, which was a bit too large for my Dutch oven, limiting the number of vegetables I could add.

To start, season each side of the roast with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with all-purpose flour. The flour creates a delicious crust and protects the meat from getting too burnt. Heat your Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add oil. I prefer grapeseed oil because it has a neutral flavor and can tolerate higher heat than olive oil, which is necessary for this recipe. Once the oil is hot, sear the roast on all sides for about five minutes each, creating a good sear. Remove the roast once done.

Next, it’s time for the veggies. Place quartered onions in the Dutch oven to caramelize them slightly. They don’t need to cook too long since they’ll continue cooking in the oven. Remove the onions and set them aside. Add carrots to the Dutch oven, rolling them around to get some browning, then add mushrooms and cook for about five minutes until they release some liquid. Add garlic and cook for another minute before incorporating tomato paste. Combine these veggies with the onions and set them aside.

For the sauce, deglaze the Dutch oven with one cup of red wine, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom and sides of the pan. Add two cups of beef broth, fresh rosemary, thyme, and two bay leaves. I love using fresh herbs from my garden, as they bring unmatched flavor to the dish.

Return the meat and vegetables to the Dutch oven and cook at 450°F for thirty minutes. Then, reduce the heat to 300°F and cook for an additional four hours. In the last hour, add Yukon potatoes. I could only fit a few potatoes in with the roast, which was enough for the meal but didn’t leave many for leftovers. The next day, I made mashed potatoes with the Yukon potatoes and added the gravy. Honestly, I might prefer the mashed potatoes over the ones cooked with the roast.

To make the gravy, melt three tablespoons of unsalted butter in a medium pan over medium heat. Once melted, add three tablespoons of flour to create a roux. The roux should be golden brown, so be patient and avoid turning the heat up too high. Once the roux is ready, add the liquid from the roast and a few tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce. Let the sauce simmer until it reaches your desired thickness. If it gets too thick, add a splash of beef broth.

To serve, pull the roast apart with bear claws or forks—usually, the meat will just fall apart. Make a plate with the vegetables, roast, and, of course, the gravy. Enjoy!

Traditional Dutch Oven Roast

Ingredients:

Grapeseed Oil

3-4.5 lb. Chuck Roast

Salt and Pepper

All-Purpose Flour, for dusting

1 Onion, quartered

6 Carrots, cut it 1-2 inch pieces

8 ounces of Mushrooms, quartered

6 cloves of Garlic, peeled and smashed

2 Tablespoons of Tomato Paste

1 cup of Red Wine, any blend or whatever you prefer to drink

2 cups of Beef Broth

2-3 sprigs of Rosemary

3-4 sprigs of Thyme

2 Bay Leaves

Yukon Potatoes, cut in chunks

Directions:

1. Salt and Pepper, all sides of the roast. Then sprinkle each side with flour. Heat Dutch oven to medium high heat over the stove and add grapeseed oil. Once the oil is hot, add the roast and sear on each side for about five minutes. Remove from Dutch oven and set aside.
2. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper throughout the cooking process. Remove from Dutch oven and set aside.
3. Add carrots and allow them to brown, then add the mushrooms cook an additional five minutes. Season with salt and pepper throughout the cooking process.  Add the garlic and cook for one more minute. Add the tomato paste and incorporate it into the vegetables. Remove vegetables from Dutch oven and put them with the onions.
4. Add red wine and deglaze the pan, scraping the bits from the bottom and sides. Once deglazed, add the beef broth. Add the roast, vegetables, rosemary, thyme and bay leaves.
5. Place the Dutch oven in the oven at 450 degrees for thirty minutes. Then lower the heat to 300 and cook an additional three to four hours, depending on the weight of the roast. In the last hour of cooking add the potatoes. (or if you prefer make mashed potatoes instead)
6. Remove from the oven and shred the meat using a fork or bear claws. Serve with vegetables and gravy.

To make the gravy:

1. Make a roux by melting three tablespoons of unsalted butter then add three tablespoons of all purpose flour. Stir until golden brown.
2. Add the liquid from the Dutch oven and 1-2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce.