Paul's Favorite Pot Roast

One of Paul Draper’s favorite cool weather lunches

Serves 8

Ingredients:

3 – 4 pound beef chuck roast
1 tablespoon salt
1 (750mL) bottle zinfandel
1 quart beef broth
1 onion quartered
2 stalks celery
1 carrot, cut in 5 pieces
1 bay leaf
10 peppercorns
3 whole cloves
2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
10 prunes

Method:

5 days in advance of lunch:

Salt the meat all over, cover and refrigerate

2 days in advance of lunch:

Reduce zinfandel to 1 cup or less

Day of:

Reduce broth to 2 cups
Brown the roast on all sides, then place in a heavy, covered pot just big enough to accommodate meat and vegetables. Tuck the vegetables around the meat and add the spices, tomatoes, prunes, reduced zinfandel, and enough reduced broth to come to ¾ – 1 inch. Save the extra broth.
Bring to the boil on top of the stove, and then place in a slow oven, 250 – 275°, for about 3 ¹⁄₂ – 4 hours. Turn 2 – 3 times.
When the roast is fork-tender, remove the meat, and strain the broth.
Put the vegetables, tomatoes and prunes through a coarse food mill and add to the broth. Also, add any extra broth which was reserved before braising. Refrigerate overnight. Remove any solidified fat in the morning.

To serve:

Cut thick slices of roast across the grain. Cover with sauce and warm slowly. Serve with soft polenta or fresh fettuccine.

Recommended wines:

Robust cabernet blends, syrahs and petite sirahs.

Recipe provided by Kathy Martinich. Kathy has been making lunch for Ridge’s guests for over twenty years. Her meals are a worthy counterpart to Ridge wines.