ROAST ESSENTIALS: BOTTOM ROUND ON THE STOVETOP

Roast Essentials: Bottom Round on the Stovetop image

This is an easy recipe to put together, and your only major contribution to the process is allowing it to gently simmer on your stovetop. With the exception of the mushrooms, this dish is beef and sauce. I cook the sides separately. For example, I could put a few baked potatoes in the oven, and maybe sauté some baby...

Provided by Andy Anderson !

Categories Beef

Time 3h15m

Number Of Ingredients 11

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Ingredients

PLAN/PURCHASE
2 lb beef bottom round
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
salt, kosher variety, to taste
2 Tbsp grapeseed oil
1 1/2 c chicken stock, not broth
3/4 c apple cider vinegar
6 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced or quartered
3 Tbsp flour, all-purpose variety
3 Tbsp water
4 Tbsp fresh clover honey

Steps:

1. PREP/PREPARE
2. Chef's Note: This dish differs from other "traditional" pot roasts in the fact that there are no veggies added to the sauce. Although I love the idea of throwing everything into a single pot, and letting it cook away, sometimes I like my side dishes to be different than just veggies in sauce. For this recipe I threw some russet and sweet potatoes into the oven, and then made some honey-glazed carrots.
3. Gather your Ingredients (mise en place).
4. Season the roast with a generous amount of salt, and pepper.
5. Add the grapeseed oil to a heavy-bottomed pot, over medium high heat.
6. Sear the roast on all sides, about 2 minutes per side.
7. Add the mushrooms, and 2 or 3 tablespoons of the chicken stock to the pot.
8. Cook the mushrooms, stirring constantly, until the liquid evaporates, about 2 - 3 minutes.
9. Return the roast, to the pot, and then add the chicken stock and apple cider vinegar.
10. Chef's Note: Why chicken stock? I tried this recipe with beef stock and with chicken stock... I prefer chicken stock because it gives this dish a lighter taste. If I were doing this dish in the Autumn, I would probably use beef stock. In addition, the sautéing of the mushrooms in a bit of the stock gives the sauce an excellent flavor depth.
11. Bring up to a boil, and then down to a light simmer.
12. Cover, and allow to simmer, for 2 to 3 hours, or until fork tender.
13. Remove the roast, cover, and reserve.
14. Whisk the flour and water together in a small bowl.
15. Add the flour/water mixture (slurry) to the simmering sauce, and whisk until the liquid thickens, about 3 - 4 minutes.
16. Add the honey, and whisk to combine.
17. Chef's Tip: The honey is going to balance the tartness of the cider vinegar with the savory taste of the mushrooms and stock. My suggestion would be to add half the honey, taste the sauce, and then continue to add more honey, until you've achieved the desired results.
18. PLATE/PRESENT
19. You have several choices on serving: 1. You could slice the beef (against the grain), return it to the mushroom sauce, and serve directly from the pot. 2. You could slice and serve the beef separately, and then allow your guests to drizzle on the sauce at the table. Enjoy
20. Keep the faith, and keep cooking.