Season 2, Episode 9
Comfort Food
With help from Frederic, Jack learns how to make the ultimate comfort food, Pot Roast with Roasted Vegetables.
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Episode Guide
Below you’ll find a helpful episode guide for cooking along with Frederic and Jack, as well as tips and recipe rescues.
Equipment List:
- Pepper mill
- Large Dutch oven with lid
- Measuring spoons
- Tongs
- Cutting board
- Chef’s knife
- Can opener
- Dry measuring cups
- Liquid measuring cup
- Sheet pan
- Aluminum foil
- Ladle
- Vegetable peeler
- Instant-read thermometer
- Wooden spoon
- Carving knife
Tips:
Cuts of meat for a pot roast:
- Pot-roasting is all about taking large cuts of cheap, tough meat and turning them tender, flavorful and succulent.
- A moist, tender pot roast starts with choosing the proper cut of beef. You are looking for something that is well-marbled with fat and connective tissue. Cuts from the shoulder are ideally suited for the job.
- Ideal cuts of meat for a pot roast include: beef chuck roast, 7-bone blade roast, beef bottom round rump roast, and beef chuck top blade boneless roast Boneless (also known as top chuck roast).
Searing:
- Searing is a very high-heat, fast cooking method used to brown the exterior of the meat and produce a nice crisp crust.
- Searing adds flavor to meat and seals in the juices.
Tenting and resting meat:
- Tent meat to keep it warm while resting, but don’t let foil touch meat, as this affects crust and does not give it the room it needs to rest.
- Meat needs to rest so that the juices redistribute throughout the piece of meat. If you cut into the meat immediately, you lose at least half of its juices.
Cooking with red wine:
- Do not cook with any wine that you would not drink.
- Choose a dry red wine, with some body and depth.
- Zinfandels yield smooth, full-bodied sauces.
- Cote du Rhones and Cabernet Sauvignons are also good choices for pot-roasting.
Recipe Rescues:
- If the roast sticks to the pan when searing - Use tongs to carefully lift meat and turn it. Next time, use a little more oil, and make sure heat is at least medium-high.
- If the sauce is not thick enough - Make a slurry of 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoons cold water, add it to the sauce, and bring it to a boil.
- If your vegetables are mushy - They are overcooked. Mash or puree them and serve. Next time, make sure oven temperature is high (450 degrees F), and roast until just caramelized and tender.
Recipes From This Episode
Small Dinner Party
Moist Muffins
