Not So Simple Pot Roast Made Simple

Pot roasts have really been hit-and-miss with me. Sometimes I've made pot roasts to melt-in-your-mouth perfect that we ate it all in one sitting, other times the meat came out very dry. I like buying tough cuts of meat and braise them to get a lovely, moist roast, so I decided I'd trust Cooks Illustrated, which was partly the right thing to do, because the broth is delicious, but the roast itself came out dry, dry, dry. Enough is enough, I said, so I did my research and figured out what I was doing wrong.

NOTES:

1 - Use a meat thermometre. The size of the roast dictates how long it should cook for. Braising is good for tough cuts because the meat gets hotter than roasting in the oven, which allows for greater collagen break-down and moist meat. However, because braising is hotter, it cooks the meat faster, and cooking for too long is what dries out the meat. Read the recipe instructions below before cooking.

1 3lb sirloin tip roast, boneless

2 Tbsps. vegetable oil

1  onion, chopped

1  carrot, chopped

1 rib celery, chopped

a couple of dried shiitake mushroom

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons sugar

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup beef broth

1 sprig fresh thyme

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 cup dry red wine

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Wash and thoroughly pat roast dry with paper towels; sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil in large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Brown roast thoroughly on all sides, reducing heat if fat begins to smoke. The entire process should take about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the roast to large plate to set aside. 
3. Reduce the heat to medium; cook the onion, carrot, shiitake and celery in the remaining oil, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. 
4. Add the garlic and sugar and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. 
5. Add the broths, the red wine and thyme, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits. 
6. Return roast and any accumulated juices to the pot; add enough water to come halfway up the sides of the roast (half-way up is essential for proper braising). Bring liquid to simmer over medium heat, then place large piece of foil over the pot and cover tightly with the lid. Transfer the pot to the oven. 
7. Cook, turning the roast every 30 minutes, until fully tender and meat fork or when a sharp knife easily slips in and out of the meat, and the internal temperature reaches 130-140F (internal temperature will rise another 5-10 degrees while resting), about 1:30 to 2 hours.
8. Transfer the roast to a carving board; tent with foil to keep warm, and let rest 10 minutes. Meanwhile, allow the liquid in pot to settle for about 5 minutes, then use a wide spoon to skim any fat off the surface and discard the sprig of thyme. Boil over high heat until reduced to about 1 1/2 cups, about 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
9. Using a chef’s or carving knife, cut the meat against the grain into 1/2-inch-thick slices, or pull apart into large pieces; transfer the meat to a warmed serving platter and pour about 1/2 cup of the sauce over the meat. Serve, passing remaining the sauce separately.