Braised Stove Top Pot Roast and Veggies with Green Beans.

This is a more (I hesitate to use the word because I don't want to scare you!) gourmet take on the traditional  pot roast, but don't worry; It is still VERY easy - if not easier than my MawMaw's traditional Southern pot roast.  You will need a good dutch oven or a large pot with a lid. The most important part of the roast is the meat (duh!), and  I like a good Chuck Roast because of it's tenderness.  Serve this over white rice.  

Chuck Roast
Serves 6



Ingredients:


Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
2 tablespoons Olive Oil (or enough to drizzle and coat your dutch oven nicely)
1 15 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 cup of water
2 red onions halved
garlic cloves roughly chopped
8 carrots sliced (or just buy baby carrots)
4 celery stalks sliced
2 whole sprigs of fresh rosemary
4 whole springs of fresh thyme
2 bay leaves.
Rice 


Sprinkle your chuck roast generously with the salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Remember that this is a very thick cut of meat so you want to be generous with your spices. 


Next, heat your olive oil in your dutch oven to medium high heat.


Using tongs, gently lay the roast in the dutch oven and let it "Braise" or "Brown." This really helps to seal the flavor in the roast and is a very important step. You will know it is ready when you get a nice golden brown crust on the meat. 

After about 3 to 5 min. Turn it and repeat on the other side. 


 Scatter the vegetables around the pot roast, place the herbs on-top, season with salt and pepper; and drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Now just pour the crushed tomatoes all around the roast, and pour your water on top of that.  Cover the pot, and reduce the heat to low.  Cook for about 3 and 1/2 hours, basting every 45 minutes with the pan juices, until the beef is fork tender.


About 30 min. before your roast is done, you will want to cook your rice according to package directions, get your rolls in the oven and start the green beans.  Set your timer accordingly :)


ENJOY!




Green Beans with Bacon.
Serves 8


Get a good quality bacon.  I use a Apple-wood smoked thick-cut  bacon.




6 strips of bacon cut up. (It is much easier to cut bacon when it is raw. I cut the bacon strips in half long ways and then chop it up)
2 bags of frozen whole green beans thawed.  
2 cloves of Garlic minced
Salt/pepper/Garlic power to taste. 


Fry your bacon pieces in a large pan for about 5 min or until almost done. Do not drain the grease! Add your garlic and Green Beans.  Salt and pepper them and shake some of your garlic powder on top.  Cover and let cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 20 min. or until Green Beans are at the desired tenderness. 


Parker Rolls go great with this meal.  You can buy them pre-made in the frozen section at your local grocery store.


Enjoy a Chewly Awesome! meal :)