The Extra Step That Takes Ina Garten's Pot Roast Over The Top

Ina Garten is a popular, well-known chef thanks to her classic, easy-to-prepare recipes like mustard-roasted fish, garlic potatoes, and frozen hot chocolate. Especially if you like to cook and regularly find yourself preparing Garten's favorite weeknight dinner of chicken Parmesan, you may be ready to make more of her heartier, slow-cooked recipes. Given the fact that Garten's brisket is easy-peasy and features a sauce that makes itself, it should come as no surprise that her pot roast recipe is also straightforward. However, this recipe features one signature step that makes the end result extra delicious. Before searing her beef chuck roast, Garten covers it in salt, pepper, and a light coating of all-purpose flour.

This powdery addition not only locks in moisture for juicier meat, but also leads to a thicker, more flavorful gravy. Not to mention, dredging the roast in flour creates a crust-like exterior when seared over high heat. That said, in order to get the best sear, make sure your chuck roast is completely dry before coating it in the suggested ingredients.

Take your time and allow your meat to sear unbothered for up to five minutes on each side including the ends. To prevent the roast from tipping, feel free to prop it against the wall of your Dutch oven. Once evenly seared, you're left with a perfectly caramelized roast that in just a few additional steps, transforms into a tender, mouth-watering meal.

Among the many tips you should follow when cooking pot roast, using a flavorful de-glazing liquid is highly recommended. Upon searing the meat and sautéing aromatic vegetables in the same pot, follow Ina Garten's lead and use both dry red wine (like pinot noir or Chianti) and a small amount of cognac or brandy to deglaze your Dutch oven. Both spirits create a unique flavor profile that's warm and complex with just the right amount of acidity.

While spirits give this pot roast additional flavor, Garten takes a few more steps to make sure her recipe includes a thick and tasty gravy. Not only does she add extra ingredients to the mix such as canned plum tomatoes, chicken stock, and bundled herbs, but after she cooks everything low and slow in the oven, she purees half of this base mixture in a blender. Aside from the flour-based crust covering the roast itself, pureed stock and vegetables make the roasting liquid more thick and flavorful.

Then, for an extra special finishing touch, Garten recommends a beurre manié, which is a common French cooking technique used to thicken sauces and soups. To make your own, combine small amounts of softened butter and flour, then stir the resulting paste into the sauce in your roasting pot. All in all, dredging your meat in flour prior to cooking is just one of many steps you'll take in making Garten's delicious pot roast at home.