Surprise! Balsamic and Onion Pot Roast

Balsamic & Onion Pot Roast

Surprise! Earlier this week I made Balsamic and Onion Pot Roast. Yummmm.....

We have a standing weekly dinner date with some friends of ours and we all take the kids (ours and theirs) swimming afterwards. We take turns hosting dinner and this week was our turn.

My friend put in a special request for the pot roast from this week's poll (she LOVES pot roast) and I was sure it was going to win anyway, so I made it! As it turns out, it did not win - the skittles vodka did (and I'll be making that tomorrow) but I enjoyed making it and I wanted to share it with you all! So, here's how the Balsamic and Onion Pot Roast turned out:

Very good! Here's what you need:

4 lb roast - I used chuck (you want to use meat with a good amount of fat)
1 onion was all I had on hand, which is why I added extra ingredients
4 carrots
2 cups mushrooms, sliced thick
1 cup stock - I used chicken because I didn't have beef on hand
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup tomato sauce or diced tomatoes (I used diced tomatoes)
2 T. olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Garlic powder to taste (optional)
*This fed 4 adults and 4 children with leftovers

This is a crock pot meal, and since I knew I wouldn't have time in the morning to get it ready, I prepared everything the night before.

First, drizzle a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a tall pan and turn your stove burner on high to get it screaming hot. Season all sides of the roast with salt, pepper, and garlic powder (if desired). Brown each side of the roast, then remove from the pan and place the roast on a plate to rest.

Deglaze the pan with the stock and reduce by half. Add the balsamic vinegar and tomato sauce (or diced tomatoes). Remove from heat.

Chop your veggies and either put in a ziploc overnight, or put them in the bottom of your crock pot if you're making immediately.

When you're ready to cook, veggies go on the bottom, then place the roast on top. Pour the balsamic sauce on top, then cook on low until done. Mine cooked for about 10 hours (which may have been too long - see tips below).

When finished cooking, strain the veggies and reduce the balsamic cooking liquid to make a sauce. This is the best part of the whole dish!

Tips-

• I thought the veggies were a good addition to the recipe, and made a great side dish!
• I had too much cooking liquid and it took the sauce forever to reduce. Next time around, I would use less stock, and instead of diced tomatoes, I'd use tomato sauce.
• Since I used a nice fatty cut of beef, I think the pot roast cooked too long because it was a little dry. Next time, I think I'll make this over the weekend so I can keep an eye on it. I think 6 hours would be plenty of time.

All in all, I think this recipe was a success. Can't wait to make it again! 

Much thanks to all of the family and friends who have supported this blog - I'm having a blast! Hope you all enjoy as much as I do.

C

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