Published March 1, 2002.
A good pot roast recipe should transform a cut of meat into a tender, rich, flavorful main course by means of a slow, moist cooking process called braising. For our best pot roast recipe, we browned the roast on all sides, then added onion, carrot, and celery along with some sugar to caramelize the vegetables and develop flavor. By braising the meat in a combination of chicken and beef broths and water until it reached an internal temperature of 210 degrees, and then maintaining that temperature for a full hour, we got the tender result we were looking for.
For pot roast, we recommend a chuck-eye roast. Most markets sell this roast with twine tied around the center. If necessary, do this yourself. Seven-bone and top-blade roasts are also good choices for this recipe. Remember to add only enough water to come halfway up the sides of these thinner roasts, and begin checking for doneness after 2 hours. If using a top-blade roast, tie it before cooking (see illustrations, "How To Tie A Top-Blade Roast," below) to keep it from falling apart. Mashed or boiled potatoes are good accompaniments to pot roast.
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