Last week, SuperStore had beef blade roast at $1.98 per pound...which is ridiculous! I bought one without thinking too hard about how I'd use it. As usual, click here to jump to the recipe.
(Note: This was made on Wed, but I just hadn't gotten around to posting til now.)
Thankfully this page explained that the "blade" comes from the shoulder. Thanks to Alton Brown, I know that the shoulder of a cow does a lot of work, which means tougher meat; however this also typically has a lot of flavour. So braising is a good option. I typically use this method for my braises now (scroll down the page); although the fond started burn so I had to deglaze the pan before browning the veg.
(There was actually a rather embarrassing shuffle among three different cooking vessels [one of which had a handle that kept coming loose!] while I tried to deglaze the searing pan and brown vegetables at the same time, with no counter or table space; so everything [including the resting roast] was on the stove top!!)
There was also a bit of uncertainty when I examined the beef. Some parts had turned brown (the dull brown-grey of boiled beef) and emitted a strong beefy odour. Not sour or anything, just....intensely beefy, like cooked beef, actually. I'll admit upfront that I don't typically cook much meat (until this year, actually) so I was very confused and nervous. Mom said I could wash the roast and trim off any brown parts and I'd be fine. In truth, I suspect I would have been fine anyway. I don't think this was from rotting.
DISCLAIMER: I'll be the first to admit I am a n00b at cooking meat (besides rack of lamb, leg of lamb and burgers). This blog is mostly for my own record-keeping and it's not like I actively recommend anyone to do what I do. If in doubt, seek professional resources, for example the USDA or the CFIA.
Here are some pretty shots of my mise en place; one onion, two carrots, some garlic, salt and coarsely ground black pepper, two bay leaves and some sprigs of thyme (still leftover from the lamb shanks).
After mangling the meat and tying it back with the only kitchen twine we had, I rubbed it down with peanut oil, then rubbed in the salt and pepper on all exposed surfaces. Ideally, I would have seared the beef in the same vessel used for roasting, but I don't have a Dutch oven (or "French oven" for lovers of le Creuset), and most of my ceramic casseroles don't have handles.
But I did manage to get this fine browning at the end of the aforementioned frying pan ordeal!
I deglazed the searing pan and browned the carrots and onions in a separate pan. I have another rather embarrassing story about the wine used in this recipe. It seemed that our household always had at least one of two wines (or at least, wine beverages): Dubonnet aperitif, and a fruity red wine that came in a dark green bottle, bearing only a purple offset square ("diamond") label stating it was a "South African Cabernet Sauvignon" from 2008.
This is my absolute favourite red wine. I don't know much about wine, but I'd call this one "unpretentious", it's just upfront and "honest". How does it taste? ... I'll get back to you on that some other time. Now, we had run out of this wine, so I thought to buy some more from the LC. But alas, there was none; and nobody had every heard of it. I was heartbroken! I asked a wine-drinking friend where she thought I might be able to find it. I described the label. "No, it has to have more information than that," she asserted. I insisted there was none. "That's not legal!"
Well, the weekend came and my brother came over to my folks' place for dinner. Casually, I mentioned my wine troubles. He cocked his head.
"It's in a green bottle, has a purple diamond label and says South African Cabernet Sauvignon?"
"Yes, yes! Why, do you know where I can find some??"
"Well, yeah. I mean, I made it!"
Argh! All this time, it was my brother's wine (he has a friend who's into wine-making--and sausage-making, actually!)!! No wonder I couldn't find it on shelves anywhere! Thankfully, he had several bottles left and gave us another.
Anyway, I used about a cup or less of this wine to dissolve the fond off the searing pan; then simmer with the bay leaves and thyme. After the veg had browned, I added them into the liquid, brought back to a simmer; scooped the veg into the bottom of my casserole, placed the beef on top, and poured all the liquid over. Since the casserole lid wouldn't fit, I crimped some aluminum foil tightly over top. This went into a baking dish (for easier holding, since the casserole doesn't have handles) and into the oven.
A Simple Pot Roast
Active work: 40 min
Roasting: 2 hr
Software:
- For the beef:
- beef blade roast, about 4 lbs (mine was closer to 5), netted or tied
- vegetable oil (one with a high smoke point, I like to use peanut oil)
- salt (approx 1 Tbsp, but depends on the surface area of your roast)
- coarsely ground black pepper (as with the salt)
- 1 white onion (yellow is okay if you like that onion-ey flavour)
- 2 carrots
- 4-6 cloves, garlic
- 1/2 to 1 cup, red wine
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup, beef broth (preferably no-salt or low-sodium)
- 10 peppercorns, crushed slightly
- 2 medium bay leaves
- 2-3 sprigs, thyme
- OPTIONAL: more aromatics and spices, to taste
I used: celery leaves, 2 cloves garlic crushed slightly and about 5 peppercorns crushed slightly - approx 1 tsp cornstarch
- salt to taste
- Dutch oven or lidded casserole (suitable for stovetop and oven cookery)
Alternatively: a large non-stick frying pan or skillet and an oven-safe vessel, preferably ceramic or at least thick-walled, with either tight-fitting lid, or lots of heavy-duty aluminum foil - another large non-stick frying pan (see discussion above)
- tongs (for turning meat during searing)
- spatula
- chopsticks or a whisk, for stirring sauce
- sieve
Chop carrots 1cm thick (I prefer on on the bias for more surface area for browning). Peel, trim and halve onion. Chop into 1cm slices from top to bottom (root) so that the slices are mostly held together. Mince garlic. Set all veg aside.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Heat some peanut oil in bottom of Dutch oven (or large fry pan).
Meanwhile, pat beef dry. Drizzle with oil and rub into the meat. Repeat for salt and coarse black pepper.
Sear meat on all sides (approx 20min, depending on surface area of your roast). Then, remove to plate.
Deglaze pan with red wine; add bay leaves, thyme and cracked pepper. Simmer.
Meanwhile, in other fry pan (or Dutch oven; alternatively, if the fond isn't sticking badly to the pan from searing, you may brown the veg in that pan instead), heat a little oil on med-high and add carrots. Cook 1-2 min. Add onions and cook until the veg are soft and beginning to brown. Add garlic and cook until all veg browned.
Pour in red wine mixture to deglaze. Scoop out veg and place in bottom of Dutch oven (if you're not already using it). Place beef on top. Pour red wine over. Cover (or tightly crimp on aluminum foil).
Place casserole into 350F oven for 15min; then turn down to 250F and continue to bake another 2 hours or until done.
To make sauce: Remove the beef from the liquid. Boil liquid 10 min. Strain out veg, etc. Taste and add aromatics and seasonings as desired. Dissolve cornstarch with a little water, and add to pot. Simmer 20 minutes or until thickened and concentrated to your tastes. Salt to taste at this point (no sooner; or else it may be too salty). Strain out solids. Pour over slices of pot roast and enjoy!
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