Chef Rebecka’s Sunday Roast

By Chef Rebecka Evans | Photos by Rebecka Evans~ 

I can’t be the only one who feels a sense of comfort in the unctuous smell of cooking pot roast.

In my opinion, there’s nothing more evocative than the smell of Sunday roast. It jolts my food memories into overdrive: My Mom’s Sunday roasts, family time with my father and brothers, a meal cooked with love — this is what food memories are made of.

For the best results, be sure to use a good drinking wine when making the recipe. Remember: If you wouldn’t drink it, don’t cook with it! I use a delicious Bordeaux that I also serve with the meal.

For a non-alcoholic version, omit the wine and double the beef stock measurements.

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds chuck roast, cut into several large pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1/2 tablespoon black pepper
• 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped (about 2 cups)
• 4 medium leeks, washed and chopped (about 2 cups) (Note: Use only the white and light green parts)
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 pound Baby Bella or Crimini mushrooms
• 1-1/2 cup good red wine
• 1-1/2 cups beef stock
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2-3 sprigs of rosemary
• 2 tablespoons of flour
• Water
  

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 350F.
   
2. Remove chuck roast from packaging and dry meat with paper towels. Cut roast into large pieces and dry them again.
3. Chop leeks and carrots. Mince garlic.
4. Wash mushrooms and pat dry. Cut in half.
5. In a small bowl, combine kosher salt and pepper.
6. Season the meat with about 1 tablespoon of the salt/pepper mixture. Keep the remainder of the mixture for serving
7. In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy bottom stockpot, heat olive oil over medium-high. 
8. When the oil is glistening, add meat in small batches, cooking for about 1-2 minutes on each side. Remove cooked meat to a plate and continue cooking until all the meat has been seared.
9. Sauté leeks and carrots for 3 minutes in the Dutch oven. Add garlic and sauté 3 minutes longer.
10. Add 2 tablespoons of flour. Stir and cook for 2 minutes.
11. Return meat to the Dutch oven. Add beef stock, red wine, Worcestershire sauce, halved mushrooms, and bay leaves. Stir to combine, then add rosemary springs.
12. Add water just to cover ingredients, if necessary.
13. Cover the Dutch oven with a lid and cook in a pre-heated oven for 3 hours.
14. Serve with cooked, flat egg noodles, polenta, or mashed potatoes, and garnish with flat-leaf parsley and toasted breadcrumbs.
    

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 3 hours Yield: 4 servings | Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes

CHEF TIP: Leftovers can be refrigerated or frozen for another day. I like to use leftovers to make Italian Hot Beef Sandwiches. YUM!