Wintery Braised Roast
Wintery Braised Roast
Soups/stews and roasts are an absolute staple in home in the chilly season- all made with bone broth (or homemade veggie stock) because Nutritional Benefits. This winter I want to help bring you nutrient dense meals that can be assembled easily and pack extremely well for wintery adventures!
5 years ago we spent the weekend in the beautiful landscape of the Methow Valley, Washington where I talked my husband into signing up for a snow kissed half marathon. Well, because type 2 fun. If you don’t know what that is, Type 2 fun is miserable while it's happening, but fun in retrospect. Well, that weekend after this miserably cold and tough race (have you tried running in 6-8 inch deep snow? Holy WOW. Okay well we were tired and starving. We stumbled upon a tiny hole in the wall Ma & Pa Irish Pub. They had two things on the menu. Braised stew, and potato leek soup. We ordered both. The braised stew was out of the world AMAZING- For FIVE years I have been trying to recreate this.
I have finally got close, says my Husband. I must say- this is pretty much spot on it’s just lacking any Guinness (LOL).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees- I suggest using a cast iron dutch oven.
Deets://
3 lb Grass-fed beef roast (or Venison/Elk)- Bring to room temp before browning!
3 Whole Celery Stalks- Rough chopped
3-4 Whole Carrots- Rough chopped
2 Parsnips - Rough chopped
1 Cup Cranberries
1/2 Cup of Onion Chopped/ Or use green onion (which I prefer)
2 Cups Sliced Mushrooms- I like mine sliced thick
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
Fresh herbs- sage & thyme, 3-4 sprigs each
Duck Fat (butter, or ghee)
1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
3-4 Cups of Bone Broth
1/2-1 Cup Dark Red Wine (Make sure it is one you enjoy drinking- it will taste better!!)- And pour yourself a glass as well.
Salt & Pepper
Process://
In your Dutch oven- heat duck fat (enough to cover the base of your skillet), meanwhile season roast with salt & pepper. And place in hot skillet, sear all sides until brown. Remove from hot skillet and place on a plate. Add a bit more fat and add your veggies & herbs- sprinkle with salt & pepper. Sauté for 6 minutes, gently stir in the tomato paste, and cook together for a minute or two. Add in the balsamic vinegar and red wine, making sure to scrape up any bits/flavor that are on the bottom of your skillet. Place the roast back into the skillet arranging to the veggies go to the side. Pour the chicken Bone broth on top of the roast, making sure to almost cover- so this will vary. I like to leave about 1-2 inches of roast outside of the broth mixture as the roast will cook done perfectly!! The combination of the red wine and balsamic vinegar, helps break down the roast so it is pull apart delicious and makes a rich and divine base.
Sprinkle in the cranberries and top with an additional sprig or 2 of thyme.
Cover and place in your oven, chill and wait for 4-5 hours. At hour 2, I check in and sometimes I will flip the roast over if I can. Not necessary yet you can if you please. Recover and finish cooking, Mine usually is perfect at 4 hours, like easily pulls apart. Just perfection. The beef gets SO tender and my favorite part- is the cranberries! They do cook down enough to add a bit of sweetness, but they still hold a tiny bit of a tart bite, which helps to balance out the richness of the beef and the wine sauce.
Remove from oven, let rest and cool for 10 minutes. Serve with crunchy bread- Personally GF for me- to make sure to soak up all that delicious nutrient dense broth. So so good.
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Roast is a perfect food for adventuring! Packed with nutrients, protein, quality fat and carbs that are easily digestible.
Happy Adventures Foodies!
Amanda
