Just because I haven't posted a new article in a few days doesn't mean I have stopped cooking...or eating. I hope you haven't been fasting until I tell you what to do next.
Here's a one pot recipe for a delicious, nutritious meal. For this one, you need to spend about three hours at home, so get a movie, do the laundry and keep yourself occupied during the gaps between the recipe steps.
Decide how much you want to make. It takes about the same effort no matter how large the chuck roast is, but it does take longer to cook a bigger one. I usually buy a 2 to 3 pound chuck roast when I see one on sale, but the other day I bought a chuck steak that was a little over a pound, and that was plenty for two of us. Then again, leftover chuck roast makes good barbecue beef sandwiches or steak quesadillas.
Turn on your vent fan. Heat one or two tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot at medium to medium high heat. While the oil heats, tear off the covering from the chuck roast and put seasoned salt and pepper on the top side. I add a little cinnamon, which adds subtle sweetness, and if you have any spice you want to add as your personal secret ingrediens that will give the dish your own twist, you can add that too. Garlic powder or onion flakes aren't bad choices for most people. Just notice if you liked how it tastes when you dine, and either leave something out or add more, depending on that.
When the oil is hot, but the chuck roast in the pot, seasoned side down. Season the now-exposed side about the same as the other side.
Let the meat sizzle . This is the only messy part of the recipe, as oil will splatter on the stovetop. Covering it just means the risk of burning and most likely dripping when you take the lid off to turn the meat. After about ten or twelve minutes, check to see if the bottom is seared a nice dark brown that's almost black. If so, turn it over and cook the same amount on the other side. By the way, if it starts sending up a lot of smoke and smells like it is burning, be sure to check and turn it if necessary.
If it is thick roast, I will also season and braise the ends of the roast, if possible, although this creates even more splattering as less of the oil surface is covered by meat.
Once it is braised, add one can or about 14 ounces of beef broth. You could add a similar amount of red wine instead if you like, but it costs more and to me isn't quite as good. Bring the liquid to a boil and then reduce the heat to simmer. Cover the pan and occupy yourself for an hour or so while the simmering juice tenderizes the meat. After an hour (or more frequently if you like), turn over the meat. You could definitely add potatoes to the pot at this point, whether small red potatoes or chunks of russet potatoes, but the low carb way leaves out those starches.
Once the meat has cooked between two or three hours, start chopping the vegetables of your choice, beginning with the one you believe cooks the slowest. Add them as you finish chopping them. I start with carrots,either cut to the size you like or simply baby carrots. Then zuchini or yellow squash, cut into quarter circles about 1/4 inches thick. Some celery is always a healthy addition. Finally, I add mushrooms. I have sauteed mushrooms in butter before adding them, but other than eating a few of those rather than adding them, I can't see where it makes enough difference to mess up another pan. When I made chuck roast the other night, these are the exact vegetables I used, but in the past I have sometimes added a finely chopped tomato. Chopped onions or a clove of garlic is also great, but my wife doesn't like the cooking aroma or after taste, so I leave them out.
Cook it another half hour or so. If you've cooked it long enough, the meat will be extremely tender. If it isn't, the next time cook the meat longer before adding the vegetables.
Clean up is extremely easy for this recipe. For whatever reason, this doesn't leave you with a messy pot. Put any leftovers in Tupperware and then wash the pot with soap and hot water. Clean the whole stove and surrounding counters space with a spray cleaner and paper towels, so that you have a clean cooking area for breakfast.
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