world famous pot roast

It's still very warm here, but I am so ready for slow cooked comfort food,  I made my world famous pot roast today. I cooked it for the first time in Little Red, my red cast iron pot. It is super-tender and full of flavor.  Give it a whirl.  It will be your favorite, too. I promise. This is a re-post from 2008, back when I was known only as "Willow"...


Pot Roast

Ingredients
1 (2-pound) blade cut chuck roast
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons cumin
vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
5 to 6 cloves garlic, smashed
1 cup tomato juice
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup cocktail olives, drained and broken
1/2 cup dark raisins

Directions
Preheat the oven to 200-225 degrees F. Place a wide, heavy skillet over high heat for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, rub both sides of meat with the salt and cumin. When the pan is hot (really hot) brown meat on both sides and remove from pan. Add just enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom of the pan then add the onion and garlic. Stir constantly until onion is softened.

Add the tomato juice, vinegar, olives, and raisins. Bring to a boil and reduce the liquid by half. Create a pouch with wide, heavy duty aluminum foil. Place half the reduced liquid/chunk mixture on the foil, add the roast, and then top with the remaining mixture. Close the pouch, and wrap tightly in another complete layer of foil.

Cook for 3 to 3 1/2 hours or until a fork pushes easily into the meat. Remove from oven and rest (still wrapped) for at least 1/2 hour. Snip off one corner of the foil pouch and drain the liquid into a bowl or measuring cup. Add some of the "chunkies" and puree with an immersion blender. Slice meat thinly, or pull apart with a fork. Serve with sauce. (Adjust longer cook time for larger cuts of meat.)

before...

and after...oh yeah...