Pot Roast Sandwiches
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings
- Total: 14 hr 40 min (includes chilling chow-chow overnight)
- Active: 1 hr 25 min
Ingredients
One 3 to 4 pound pot roast (chuck roast), trimmed of extra fat
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons coconut oil
2 medium onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
5 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 stalks celery, halved
6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cups beef stock
2 cups red wine, preferably a dry and full-bodied variety
One 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
10 to 12 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons hot sauce
1 lemon, halved
1/2 sheet focaccia bread
Chow-Chow, recipe follows
Chow-Chow:
2 cups shredded red cabbage (about 1/4 head)
1 red bell pepper, small dice (about 1 cup)
1 medium onion, small dice
6 radishes, thinly sliced (about 3/4 cup)
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1/3 to 1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 bay leaf
1 Thai chili, quartered if fresh and left whole if dried
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Season the meat well with salt and pepper and dust with the flour, shaking off any excess. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large pot with an oven-proof lid over medium-high heat. Add the meat, and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove the meat from the pot and add the onions, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. You are looking to caramelize the outside and soften them up a bit, about 5 minutes. If the bottom of the pan is getting too dark, add a tablespoon or two of water and scrape with the wooden spoon.
- Add the carrots, celery and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Place the meat back in the pot and add the beef stock, wine, tomatoes, thyme, bay leaf, and 2 teaspoons ground black pepper. Cook for a minute or two, just to combine everything. Cover the pot and throw it in the oven.
- Cook for 20 minutes. Lower the heat to 250 degrees F and continue to cook for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, until the meat is fork-tender.
- Remove the meat and set it aside. Strain the sauce through a large wire mesh strainer or colander, discarding the solids. Return the sauce to the pot over medium-high heat. Cook until the sauce reduces to 2 cups, about 25 minutes. Finish the sauce by adding a little hot sauce and a squeeze of lemon to clean up the flavor Season with salt to taste.
- Shred the roast using 2 forks and return it to the sauce, tossing to coat. Slice the focaccia in half horizontally to make a giant sandwich. Place the meat on the bottom half of the focaccia, top with the chow-chow and place the remaining piece of focaccia on top. Skewer with toothpicks and then cut into pieces.
Chow-Chow:
- Mix the cabbage, bell pepper, onion, and radishes with the salt and place in a strainer set over a bowl. Refrigerate overnight.
- Press out as much liquid as possible from the vegetables.
- Combine the vinegar, honey, mustard, turmeric, horseradish, cloves, bay leaf and chili with 1/2 cup water in a large pot and boil for 5 minutes. Add the vegetable mixture, toss to coat and bring it back to a boil. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to a container and store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.