Mo's java pot roast recipe

November 1, 1:38 PMBuffalo Frugal Living ExaminerRachael Monaco

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  Java Pot Roast - a perfect Sunday dinner for the family

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe. Yeah, it *looks* complicated, but it's not, really! Mo's instructions are just very detailed. This roast is the best best best roast EVER! This is another great Sunday Dinner. I usually double the recipe and we use the leftovers throughout the week for different dinners.
I especially like to make this during football season. It's a perfect compliment to a crisp, cool Autumn day.

Mo's Java Pot Roast
Ingredients:
3 to 4 pounds boneless chuck roast (I use bottom round)
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 cup chopped onion
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
3/4 cup red wine (optional)
1 cup vegetable juice (like V-8)
1 cup black coffee (I like to grind espresso beans to make the coffee, but you can even
use instant)
1 beef bouillon cube or 1 tsp. granulated beef bouillon
1 cup water
2 tsp. dried thyme or Italian herbs
salt and ground black pepper, to taste
4 large carrots, or 1 pound bag baby carrots
5 medium size potatoes, peeled and quartered (I make mashed potatoes instead of using potatoes)
other vegetables, if desired (I added a chopped onion and turnips)
1/3 cup cold water
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
Directions:
Use the biggest stove top pot with a lid (Dutch oven preferred), and pour the oil in it. Put it on medium heat. Pour the flour into a zip locking bag and season with salt and pepper. Put beef into bag and close tightly. Shake around the meat is coated. Add the meat to the hot oil (carefully).
Brown on one side for about 10 minutes on a medium-high heat, until browned. If all the oil has disappeared, add 2 more tablespoons. When the oil is hot again, turn the roast with the aid of a heavy duty spatula and a big fork. When you have turned it, dust the browned side with 1 teaspoon of the herbs. Add the onion and garlic to the pan. Let them all brown for another 10 minutes or so, then remove the meat from the pan. Add the wine and simmer for a few minutes. Scrape up and stir around all the browned bits on the bottom (that's very important as it gives a real richness to the gravy and keeps the roast from sticking). If you don't use wine, use apple juice. After 3 minutes, add the coffee, beef bouillon, vegetable juice , water and bay leaf. Turn the heat up and bring to a boil; add the meat back in. Bring to somewhat of a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 2-1/2 hours (this is also very important, because if you boil it, it just gets tough, but if you gently simmer it, eventually it will become falling-apart tender). No need to turn it but I do occasionally baste the top. After 2-1/2 hours, add your vegetables (and maybe a little more water if it needs it). Turn the heat up for a few minutes so it simmers again, then turn it back down to just maintain the simmer. Add the remaining herbs. Put the lid back on and simmer for another 45 minutes (that's over 3 hours cooking time and you can do it even longer, it just gets more tender. Just keep it at a low simmer, NOT A BOIL.) Turn the oven on low heat (about 200-250*F) after adding vegetables. After 45 minutes, remove the vegetables to an oven proof dish and put in the warm oven. Place the roast out onto a big plate.
Make the gravy: using a slotted spoon, remove all big chunks of leftover stuff. Leave all the bits of onion and garlic in. Turn the heat up, take cold water and stir the cornstarch into it. While stirring the gravy with one hand, slowly drizzle this in. If it doesn't thicken enough, add a little more corn starch, always
dissolving it in cold water first. The gravy shouldn't be too thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve roast with vegetables from oven. Serves 4 to 6.
Rachael's Recipe Note:
This makes a complete supper with some fresh, steamed green beans, some homemade biscuits a salad and some fresh, homemade apple pie for dessert!
I doubled this recipe and made it in the Nesco Roaster. I browned the meat on a higher temp (about 400*F) then reduced the temp to about 300*F and cooked it the rest of the way (covered). You can also do up to the browning part and finish in the Crockpot (LOW for about 6 to 8 hours).

Freezing and reheating: Simply cool down the roast; package the roast with the veggies separate from the gravy. Remove from meat and veggies and gravy from freezer when ready to use. Thaw completely and reheat in dutch oven on stove top, covered, on medium-low heat for about 30 to 40 minutes, until heated through. Or in 325*F oven in covered roasting pan. Can also be partially thawed and added to Crockpot on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, or until heated through.
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