Lazy Sunday Pot Roast with Caraway and Green Apples

Recipe courtesy Chris Schlesinger

Show: Cooking LiveEpisode: Surf and Turf: How to Cook Meat

Rated: 3 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (8)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(8)

Cook Time:
3 hr 30 min
Level:
--
Yield:
6 servings

Times:

Prep: 20 min
Inactive Prep: --
Cook: 3 hr 30 min
Total:: 3 hr 50 min

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons oil, or more if needed
1 (4 to 5-pound) boneless cross-rib pot roast or other chuck roast
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
2 medium onions, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced
1/2 cup cider vinegar (or substitute white vinegar)
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped fresh marjoram (or 2 tablespoons dried)
2 to 2 1/2 cups beef stock
4 Granny Smith or other tart green apples, quartered, cored and peeled

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

In a 5-inch-deep Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Dry the meat with paper towels, sprinkle it generously with salt and pepper, place in the pot, and brown well, about 8 to 10 minutes per side. When the meat is well browned, transfer it to a platter.

Pour off fat or add oil to the pot as needed so you have about 2 tablespoons in the pot. Add the onions and saute, stirring, until translucent, 7 to 9 minutes.

Add the vinegar and bring to a boil, scraping up any brown stuff from the bottom of the pan. Put the meat back in the pot and add the bay leaves, caraway seeds, brown sugar, marjoram, and enough stock so that the liquid comes halfway up the sides of the meat. Bring just to a simmer and skim any scum off the surface then cover, put in the oven, and cook until the beef is fork-tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. After 2 hours and 15 minutes, add the apples to the pot; after 2 1/2 hours, remove the apples with a slotted spoon, set aside, and begin checking the meat for doneness. To check for doneness, plunge a fork straight down into the meat and try to pull the fork out. If the fork slides out easily, the meat is done; if the meat hangs on to the fork, give it more time.

When the meat is done, remove it from the pot, cover it loosely with foil, and let it rest for at least 10 minutes. Skim the fat from the braising liquid and taste the liquid. If it needs more flavor, place the pan on the stove over medium-high heat and simmer to reduce the liquid. For a thicker sauce, reduce it until it coats the back of a spoon. Season with salt and pepper. (You can also strain the liquid and pass it and the cooked onions separately.)

Cut the meat into thin slices and serve accompanied by the apples, braising liquid, and onions.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Lazy Sunday Pot Roast with Caraway and Green Apples
V Richmond, CA 09-21-2009
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The apples make it better than other pot roasts
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

I liked this one because it was all made in a dutch oven. Didn't have majoram so added a bit of oregeno, parsley and a dash... of fresh cilantro I had in the fridge. But that didn't seem to add to the flavor at all. It was the apple cider vinegar, the apples, onions and caraway seeds that did it wonderful. I did not peel the apples and left them in for 20 minutes.....could have been in a tad longer too for more flavor. I strained the juice before reducing it with Wondra to make it more gravy like. Served it with rice. You can REALLY taste the apples in the gravy! The only complaint was the "testing for done" part, with a fork? really? I tried it and the roast "stuck" to the fork so left it in 10 more minutes. It still stuck to the fork. So then I got out my trusty meat thermometer which put the internal temp at 180 - well done! So I took it out and yep, sure enough, after resting for 10 minutes and then carving it was VERY well done. I will definately make this again when wanting some harty tasty roast, but I won't trust the fork method.Read more
recipe Lazy Sunday Pot Roast with Caraway and Green Apples
maryann albuquerque, NM 12-30-2008
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full of flavor
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

Tis was an excellent recipe. Meat was tender and moist and packed with flavor. The apples and onions were tender and were a... great combination with the caraway. I am a new fan of caraway. I have made this recipe three times already in 2 months! Read more
recipe Lazy Sunday Pot Roast with Caraway and Green Apples
Wendy York, PA 12-24-2008
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My Weekly Go To...Delicious
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I make this once a week in the winter. It's easy and perfect when it's cold outside. I usually leave it in for about 4 hours,... I let the apples overcook as it adds to the richness of the gravy. I serve it with mash potatoes.Read more
recipe Lazy Sunday Pot Roast with Caraway and Green Apples
Anonymous 10-14-2006
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not very good
Rated: 2 stars out of 5

Came out a little sour and sweet. I did not care for the caraway seeds, It was ediable though.
recipe Lazy Sunday Pot Roast with Caraway and Green Apples
KAREN Frisco, TX 01-23-2006
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Good flavor
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

My husband and I really liked the flavor of the gravy. Unlike other reviews we did not think it was too vinegary or too... sweet. I strained the gravy before serving. The onion were not distinguishable so we dumped them. Also, the apples, after 15 minutes, were a little overcooked and pretty much tasted like applesauce! Not that that's bad. I followed the temps from another Sara pot roast recipe which I made recently with fantastic results. This roast did not turn out as moist and tender. I don't know why.Read more
recipe Lazy Sunday Pot Roast with Caraway and Green Apples
HENRY Belleville, NJ 09-28-2005
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Not worth the extra effort
Rated: 2 stars out of 5

I had high hopes for this, but it was just so so. The apples, left in for the time recommended, were rock hard. The sauce was... ok after reducing it and adding thickener. The meat did not have as much flavor as regular pot roast. All in all the meat was edible, and made decent sandwiches afterward, but don't waste the time on this one.Read more