Coffee-Braised Pot Roast with Caramelized Onions
This recipe is reminiscent of a
pot roast made with onion-soup mix, but the flavors are true and
puree--and nobody misses the excess sodium. (For a slow-cooker
variation, see below.)
Makes 10 servings, about 3 ounces meat & 1/3 cup gravy each
ACTIVE TIME: 20 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 3 1/4 hours
EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy
- 1 4-pound beef chuck roast (see Ingredient note), trimmed of fat
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 large onions, halved and thinly sliced (4 cups)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3/4 cup strong brewed coffee
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2.
Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a Dutch oven
or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook, turning from time
to time, until well browned on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a
plate.
3. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the pot. Add
onions, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until softened
and golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and thyme; cook, stirring, for 1
minute. Stir in coffee and vinegar; bring to a simmer. Return the beef
to the pot and spoon some onions over it. Cover and transfer to the
oven.
4. Braise the beef in the oven until fork-tender but not
falling apart, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Transfer beef to a cutting board, tent
with foil and let rest for about 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, skim
fat from the braising liquid; bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Add the cornstarch mixture and cook, whisking, until the gravy thickens
slightly, about 1 minute. Season with pepper. Carve the beef and serve
with gravy.
Slow-Cooker Variation:
In Step 2, transfer
the browned beef to a slow cooker. In Step 3, use just 1/2 cup coffee.
Add the onion mixture to the slow cooker. In Step 4, cover and cook
until beef is tender, 4 1/2 to 5 hours on High or 7 to 8 hours on Low.
In Step 5, pour the liquid into a medium saucepan and continue as
directed.
NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 252
calories; 12 g fat (4 g sat, 6 g mono); 97 mg cholesterol; 5 g
carbohydrate; 29 g protein; 0 g fiber; 172 mg sodium.
TIP:
Ingredient note: Although it is not the leanest cut of beef, chuck is
still our choice for pot roast because it doesn't dry out during
braising. You will find pockets of fat as you carve it, but they are
easy to remove.
MAKE AHEAD TIP: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
All recipes courtesy of EatingWell.com.
