Monday, November 15, 2010

Pot Roast Fail

So I make this fantastic best-evah English roast a few weeks back. I have no recipe, just a little common sense and a natural ability to devine the right way to cook various cuts of meat.

Pot roast number two last month was a let down. I used a chuck roast instead of an English roast and it came out a little too greasy and seemed to be more boiled than roasted. I think I used too much oil when browning it and added too much water. Maybe the cut of meat was to blame.

The rubber match was last night. Back to the English Roast. I forgot in in-laws were coming for dinner at six and didn't get home until 5:30. They decided to come early and were there waiting. I do all I can to duplicate Pot Roast I. I toss it is the oven for only 90 minutes because it is a bit smaller. The folks are patient and the time goes by quickly. I take out Pot Roast III and it JDLR (just doesn't look right). The potatoes and carrots are tender, but the meat doesn't have the proper texture. It's too solid and looks dried out.

We eat it anyway and it gets lukewarm reviews. I tastes fine, and isn't all the dry thanks to my fantastic gravy, but it is a bit too tough. Thank god we had unfuckupable ice cream and brownies for desert. So what went wrong? The lid on the casserole dish wasn't on squarely and I had the temp at 375 instead of 325. Get in a rush, and this is what happens. I'm 1 of 3 for recent pot roasts and have decided to work with poultry the next few times out.

1 comment:

Jeni Burns said...

I've never put my pot roast in the oven, but, that's just me...I do, however, cook my roast for freaking ever, and have 2 versions.

1. On the stove.
In a dutch oven, put just enough water to make the mid-roast point. Season the hell out of the top (you're eventually going to turn it.) Cook at medium heat for about an hour. Turn. Cook another hour. Turn. Add Veggies. Cook another 1/2 to 3/4 hour. Done. (I recommend lots of those seasonings include onion powder.)

2. In crock pot.
Put roast in pot. Put 2 cans of cream of mushroom (or whatever you want, just not chicken, because that's weird) soup, and one can of water. 1/2 package of Onion soup mix. Cook on high for 4 hours. Put in veggies. Cook on low for 2 hours.
Done, with a magical gravy.


Both are fork tender, and take 0 effort.