Cider Braised Pot Roast

Diane Ridge

Yield: 10 Servings
Pot roast :
5 lbs. beef chuck roll, neck off
2½ tsps. salt
¾ tsp. ground black pepper
1¼ oz. all purpose flour
1½ tsps. olive oil
¾ oz. beef base
3 cups, 3 Tbsps. hot tap water
3 cups, 3 Tbsps. apple cider
1½ tsps. ground sage
Mapl e Ba ked Root Vegeta bles:
5½ oz. whole carrots, peeled
5½ oz. whole white turnips, peeled
5½ oz. whole yellow turnips, peeled
5½ oz. red organic potatoes, diced ½”
5½ oz. whole red onions, diced ½”
11¼ oz. whole fresh beets with tops, peeled
1⁄4 cup olive oil, or as desired
2 Tbsps, ¾ tsp. maple syrup, Grade B, divided
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. ground black pepper
1½ oz. butter
1½ oz. all purpose flour

1. For the beef: Heat oven to 350°F. Trim the fat off the roast and cut in half. Rub the roasts with salt and pepper. Dredge the seasoned roasts in flour #1.

2. Add oil to hot grill (375°F). Sear the roasts on all sides. Transfer to roasting pans. Mix together base, water and cider and pour over roasts. Add the sage. Braise in oven until fork tender, about 2 hours.

3. For the vegetables: Peel and 1⁄2” dice all vegetables. Place in a large bowl and toss with olive oil, half of maple syrup, salt and pepper. Combine well. Transfer vegetables to a Vegalene sprayed sheet pan. Bake in a 400°F oven until soft on the inside and carmelized on the outside, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and toss with remaining maple syrup. Reserve.

4. Remove roasts from oven and hold warm. Reserve braising liquid, hold warm.

5. Melt butter in a large sauce pan. Add flour #2 and stir to combine. Continue stirring and cooking roux for 2 minutes. Add warm braising liquid a little at a time, stirring with a wire whip until smooth after each addition. Sauce should be a thin gravy consistency.

6. Slice and serve roast in 2-inch pan with sauce poured over the top. Serve with MapleBaked Root Vegetables.

Recipe and photo from Rebecca Gorin, University of Conneticut, for the NACUFS 2007 Best Local Foods Contest.