Pot Roast: The U.K.’s Favorite Winter Meal

In the winter things can get pretty dark, damp and chilly. Nothing warms up the citizens more that a big delicious steaming bowl of pot roast.

 

 

In America pot roast is often made separately in one pan and the vegetables in another. However this is not true in the U.K.. Instead the pot roast is thrown with the vegetables in one pot a then simmered slowly in the oven.  The pot is usually made of cast iron and the secret is in the slow cooking.

 

 

The ingredients have varied over the years to include exotic offerings like broccolini, yams or kale but the traditional things that go in the pot are turnips leeks, carrots potatoes, and other English root vegetables.

 

 

In traditional recipes the ingredients include

 

Shoulder or brisket of beef  (it can be anywhere from one to four pounds in weight

Carrots (heirloom carrots in purple and yellow can help spice up the look of the dish

Potatoes (a mix of russet and golden varieties is lovely)

Three spears of celery

4 cloves garlic

One bay leaf

Rosemary

Parsley

Sage

Thyme

Black Pepper  (whole cracked corns are the best option)

Salt

 

 

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees and then season the meat.  Put it in the cast iron pot and brown it with a bit of olive oil or butter.

 

Chop onions and garlic fry with the meat into the pot. While things are sizzling chop up the other vegetables into bite sized chunks.

 

 

Add enough vegetable stock or water until half the pot is full. Add the bay leaf and the herbs.  Bring the mixture to boil and then cap it with the lid.

 

 

Cook in the oven for two additional hours or until the meat is very tender.

 

 

You don’t have to use beef. You can use any type of roast in the pot if you want. Some people cook up lamb roasts, pork roasts and even whole chickens in this way.

 

 

If you want to give the pot roast a bit more flair you can try adding a bit of steak spice for a sharper taste of pepper.  If you like a sweeter taste add some genuine English Worcestire sauce or even a touch of Marmite or Vegemite.  A splash of red wine or brandy also adds a nice richness to a pot roast as well.  To be truly exotic, yet still British, add a teaspoon full of a good quality curry paste to the pot as well!