What’s Cooking in Kelli’s Kitchen

Kelli’s Kitchen is closed for the week, we are on vacation. Our 30-hour train journey is complete, and we are settled into a week of visiting with friends and family experiencing all that the Rocky Mountains have to offer. As is the case whenever we gather, much of what we do together will center around food. There is an even split between non-meat eaters and those of us who enjoy animal proteins, so every meal will have two iterations. Tonight, we will feast on vegetable curry with some sort of seafood mixed grill. I am sure there will be lentils, maybe some roti, and plenty of wine.

I am with some of the oldest friends of my heart. And there is at least one dad who is in desperate need of a pot roast. It may not be fall weather in Fallon yet, but I am going to embrace the Colorado weather vibe and share with you my plans to put some meat on Papa Bobby’s Bones with this decidedly non-vegan hearty pot roast.

There is something so magical about a braise. The key ingredient is time: taking time to sear the meat; the time that the dish spends luxuriating in the warmth of the oven; time for the tough connective collagen to melt into unctuous gelatin. While the time might not be right in Fallon for a hearty meal, winter is coming. I cannot wait to have time to relish, connect, and feast on a meal that puts meat on your bones.

Pot Roast - Pioneer Woman Style

For Papa Bobby’s Bones

INGREDIENTS:

2 or 3 T olive oil

Kosher salt

One 3- to 5-pound chuck roast - seasoned well on all sides with kosher salt

2 onions - split in half and peeled

6 to 8 carrots - washed and cut into 2” slices

Pepper

2 to 2 1/2 cups beef stock

3 or 4 fresh rosemary sprigs

2 or 3 fresh thyme sprigs

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 275F.
2. Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and let it get really hot.
3. When the pot is very hot, place the onions in the oil and brown on both sides, about a minute per side. Remove the onions to a plate. Throw the carrots into the same (very hot) pot. Toss them around until slightly brown, about a minute or so. The point here is to get a nice color started on the outside of the vegetables, not to cook them. Remove the carrots from the pot and allow the pot to get really hot again.
4. Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan. Place the meat in the pot and sear it until nicely browned all over. Remove to a plate. Now, with the burner on high, deglaze the pot by adding 1 cup of the beef stock, whisking constantly. The point of deglazing is to loosen all of the burned flavorful bits from the bottom of the pot.
5. When most of the bits are loosened, place the meat back in the pot. Followed by the carrots and onions. Pour enough beef stock into the pot to cover the meat halfway. Next, put in the fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs. The fresh herbs make this dish. Tuck them into the juice to ensure that the flavors are distributed throughout the pot.
6. Cover the pot and roast for 3 to 5 hours, depending on the size of your roast. For a 3-pound roast, allow 3 to 3 1/2 hours. For a 5-pound roast, allow for a 4- to 5-hour cooking time. Don't disrupt the roast during the cooking process.
7. When the cooking time is over, check the roast for doneness; a fork should go in easily and the meat should be very tender. Remove the meat to a cutting board, let rest for at least 15 minutes, and slice against the grain.