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When it's cold and nasty outside, I want to eat something warm and hearty. This take on the classic pot roast is so hearty it puts me into a food coma. But that's okay; it's best to make it on a snow day or weekend, anyway, as it needs a few hours in the oven.

The time logged in the kitchen will be well worth it when you sit down to perfectly cooked root vegetables, meat that falls apart but is still a little pink inside and braised cloves of garlic that melt in your mouth like butter.

To make preparation a little easier, I don't bother to peel my potatoes or carrots, and the garlic cloves go in whole. I also like to use a medley of carrots, and replace one yellow onion with a red one, to make it a little less monochromatic — even though whatever this pot roast lacks in color, it makes up for in flavor.

Pot Roast with Carrots and Potatoes

Ingredients

1 to 2 teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 2-pound boneless beef chuck roast

1 teaspoon bacon or beef fat (or butter, or oil)

2 cups dry red wine

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 1/2 to 3 cups chicken or beef stock

1 teaspoon sugar

2 medium yellow onions, roughly chopped

10 cloves garlic, peeled

5 medium carrots, chopped

5 baby potatoes (any kind), quartered

Directions

Preheat oven to 350º.

In a small bowl combine and mix the salt, pepper, paprika and cayenne. Rub spice mixture on all sides of the chuck roast and set aside.

Melt the bacon or beef fat in a 3-quart Dutch oven over high heat. Add the beef, and brown on both sides (about 5 minutes each side). Remove the beef and set aside.

In the same Dutch oven, add the wine, balsamic vinegar and sugar to the leftover spices and fat and bring to a boil. Let the mixture reduce for about ten minutes, then add one cup of chicken broth. Bring to a boil then add the beef. Cover it with the garlic and onions. Cover the dutch oven and roast for 30 minutes. Remove and flip the roast. Return dish to the oven, covered, for another 30 minutes.

Remove the beef to a plate and add the potatoes and carrots. Mix well, and replace the beef on top of the vegetables. Add 1 to 1 1/2 cups stock, or enough to cover the beef, replace the lid and return to the oven for 1 to 1/2 hours or until meat is tender and cooked to your liking. (At this point you may want to add more salt to taste.)

When the roast is done, remove the beef and vegetables to a plate with a slotted spoon. Boil the remaining liquids over high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Skim and discard the fat from the top and pour the sauce over the roast and vegetables to serve.

Optional: garnish with carrot greens.

Serves 2–3

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