I love when 2nd Man makes his pot roast and vegetables. I usually miss the pics because I'm not home when he makes it. This time I was there and got most of the pics, except for a couple when I took a nap, oops!
We started with a 4 lb beef chuck roast. The veggies we use are 2 large yellow onions, a couple dozen or so fingerling potatoes, 1 bunch of celery, 6 large carrots, and 2 bay leaves.
Coat the roast in all purpose flour. No seasoning (though you could if you preferred).
Chop up all the veggies (except potatoes) into large chunks. Separate them into two groups, of about 3 carrots, 1 onion, and half the celery stalks each. Put all the potatoes in the second group.
You'll see why in a moment.
Meanwhile, brown the roast on top of the stove with some salt, pepper, and a couple of TBSP of olive oil. If possible, brown it in the same pan you will use in the oven (you don't want to miss all the bottom of the pan flavor). You aren't cooking it at this point, you're just adding the wonderful color for later on. Brown both sides well.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Add the first batch of veggies (no potatoes) to the pan with the browned roast...
Next take 4 cups of beef broth. You can use canned, homemade, whatever you have on hand.
Pour that over the meat and veggies and add 2 bay leaves. Cover and cook for about 2 1/2 hours at 350.
Now here is where I missed a couple of photos (sorry):
After 2 1/2 hours, take the pan out of the oven, uncover and remove the roast and bay leaves only and set them aside. Using a stick blender (they are miracle tools in the kitchen) blend the first batch of roasted veggies into the cooking liquid.
You can remove them and do them in a blender of course, just be careful, it's hot. Whichever way you do it, once you have created this puree of vegetables and broth, leave it in the pan and put the roast (and bay leaves) back into it.
Add the potatoes and the other half of chopped carrots, onions and celery. Cover and cook for another hour or hour and a half until the meat is tender and the potatoes are done.
Meanwhile, make a batch of polenta on the stove top. Polenta and water, whisking constantly. A little butter . Whisk until absorbed.
You could also go the easy route and do mashed potatoes but we just love this combination.
We shredded up some parmesan reggiano, 1 cup, and add it to the cooked polenta. Stir until melted into the polenta.
Remove the roast from the oven and uncover. Fish out the bay leaves and serve. It's falling apart tender. The pureed veggies and broth have turned into a gravy. Inside all that are the cooked carrots, celery, onions and potatoes.
Serve over polenta (or on the side) with vegetables and gravy.
Enjoy!
