How to feed the cold & hungry when you’re too busy to cook (and too crabby to think about it)

Posted on | December 14, 2009 |3 Comments

Come the snows I dream of France and those fabulous outdoor markets shown here . . . but, there’s hope. We have great butchers — like Clancy’s in Linden Hills — and we also have some of the best beef in the country.

Take Thousand Hills Cattle. The company, based in Cannon Falls produces 100% grass fed beef that has become a favorite of chefs for its savory “beefy” flavor (as good as any you’ll find in Paris). It’s remarkably tender and juicy, especially when properly cooked, low and slow (as in this pot roast recipe below). Plus, these cattle are raised without hormones or antibiotics, are humanely processed, and the beef is lower in cholseterol, saturated fats and calories per serving than grain fed cattle.

A good pot roast welcomes you into the kitchen, giving off a wonderful aroma, stirring winter hungers on cold afternoons like these. The term refers to the pot as well as the cooking method, simply put, you oven-roast a big piece of meat with some liquid to keep it moist.

Beef chuck, boneless shoulder, rump or the eye of the round are your best choice for pot roast, for they yield the most flavor. Happily, they’re the cheapest, too.

This simple recipe relies on balsamic vinegar to boost flavor and keep the meat tender. Marinate it ahead, if possible. (Otherwise, allow the meat to sit in the marinade at room temperature while you are readying the rest of the meal).

MARINATED BEEF POT ROAST
Serves 4 to 6
2 – 3 pounds rump, chuck, shoulder roast, or eye of round
3 cloves garlic, slivered
1 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
3 medium onions
14-1/2 ounces canned whole tomatoes, chopped, juices reserved
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Poke the meat all over with a thin-bladed knife and insert the garlic slivers into the holes. IN a large ceramic dish or bowl, or in a zip-lock bag, combine the vinegar and rosemary. Add the meat and turn to coat completely then cover and refrigerate overngight.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the sliced onions in a large casserole or small roasting pan. Nestle the meat into the onions and pour into he remaining marinade. Season the meat with salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes and juice. Cover the pot or pan tightly with a lid or aluminum foil. Cook the beef until it is easily pierced with a fork and its juices run clear, 3 to 3-1/2 hours.

Remove the roast from the oven and allow it to rest in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes before carving. Serve the sliced meat with the potatoes, tomatoes and pan juices.

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