GAPS Stuffed Cabbage Soup

While my recipe book is packed, this will guide me:

4 onions
2 lbs beef
salt, thyme, pepper and lots of paprika
2 sm/med Heads of cabbage, shredded in food processor
broth/water

ATK Slow Cooker Meat Loaf

• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp kosher salt
• 2 Tbsp fresh thyme (omitted)
• 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped (replaced with d. parsley)
• 3 slices sandwich bread, chopped
• ½ cup whole milk
• 2 - 3 lb ground beef, 85 percent lean
• 2 large shallots (subbed half small onion)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 Tbsp paprika
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste (omitted)
• 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

• 1 Tbsp molasses
• ½ cup ketchup

1. Mince garlic. Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp of kosher salt to help break down the garlic. Chop herbs into mixture. Place in the bottom of a mixing bowl.
2. Chop the slices of sandwich bread into small cubes and soak in ½ cup of whole milk to moisten for about 30 seconds. Add the cubes soaked in milk to the mixing bowl.
3. Place the meat in the mixing bowl.
4.  Mince the shallots directly over the bowl.
5. Add eggs, Worcestershire, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, tomato paste, and paprika to the mixing bowl.
6. Use your hands to mix all the ingredients and form a loaf. Place the meatloaf in your slow-cooker.
7. Mix the ketchup and molasses. Brush on the meatloaf.
8. Cover the slow-cooker with the lid and turn to the lowest setting. Cook for 4 hours.
   
   adapted from ATK recipe here: http://communitytable.parade.com/225173/aliceknisleymatthias-2/the-perfect-slow-cooker-meatloaf-recipe/

London (Broil) Adventures

A comment I have to look into:



<<<I have always found that the very best thing to do with a piece of meat is to buy it. If you plan on not using within the next 3 days or so, then freeze it.

Otherwise, leave it in the fridge for three days. Just before it starts to turn green, cook it. HOT!

The natural enzymes, etc. that build up in the meat for those few days are actually partially breaking down the meat.
If you do this right, even a cheapo chuck steak can come out marvelously good! >>>

The following is from this site :http://onedadskitchen.com/tag/london-broil/

and adapted from Amerca's Test Kitchen:

Sesame-Hoisin-Glazed Flank Steak

1/4 cup hoisin sauce (skipped)

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce (skipped)

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 (1 1/2 pounds) flank steak or London broil, trimmed

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (skipped)

2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds (skipped)

Whisk the hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, Sriracha sauce and cornstarch together in a medium bowl. Pat the steak dry with paper towels. At this point for my version of the recipe, place the steak inside a large, resealable plastic bag and pour the marinade over the steak. Close the bag and allow the steak to marinade in the refrigerator overnight before proceeding.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat until the oil is just smoking. Remove the steak from the marinade, if you did this step, and reserve the marinade. Cook the steak until it is well browned and the meat registers 125 degrees on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the steak (for medium-rare), about 5 to 7 minutes per side. Transfer the steak to a carving board and tent it loosely with aluminum foil, allowing the steak to rest for 5 minutes.

Stir the hoisin mixture into the now-empty skillet and cook over medium-high heat, scraping up any browned bits, until the sauce has thickened, about 2 minutes. Slice the steak thin on the bias against the grain and transfer it to a platter. Stir in any accumulated meat juices into the sauce and spoon the sauce over the meat. Sprinkle the meat with the cilantro and toasted sesame seeds and serve.

Baked Spaghetti Squash Casseroles

I'm a pasta lover and, surprisingly, find spaghetti squash a satisfying alternative. 
I found the below recipe and another one recommended from Stacy as well,  Creamy Spaghetti Squash Casserole.  

 I'll copy the second recipe and photo at bottom, just in case I have a hankering to try it.  But I think if you just put some leftover meat sauce over this recipe, and substitute ricotta for cottage cheese and add onion, garlic and bell pepper, it's nearly the same and seems simpler.

 I've browsed Trim Healthy Mama a little bit, and I know Stacy was into it, so if you are too, check out her site with more recipes that feature that diet, though Stacy's on Sabbatical. :)

A couple of other spaghetti squash recipes, stir fry style:
Greek Spaghetti Squash Recipe 
Spaghetti Squash Primavera

 Spaghetti Squash Deluxe

• 1 medium spaghetti squash, cooked  (boil for 15- 20 min.) and shredded
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 egg
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese

1. Combine all, except Parmesan. Mix well.
2. Pour into greased 8 inch baking dish.
3. Sprinkle top with Parmesan.
4. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes or until browned and set.

Yield: 5 servings

Creamy Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Yield: 

16 servings

Ingredients: 

2 medium-large spaghetti squashes (about 6 [packed] cups of cooked squash all together)
2 tablespoons butter
1 small-medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
8 ounces cream cheese
8 ounces sour cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
8 ounces (2 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese
2 ounces (1/4 cup) shredded cheddar cheese, optional
8-12 ounces (about 1 1/4 to 2 cups) cooked ground beef
4 cups spaghetti sauce (can use a 26 ounce jar or a quart of homemade)
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Instructions: 

1. In a large stock pot, put about 2-3 inches of water. Cover and bring to a boil. Wash outside of squash, cut squash in half and place in the stock pot of boiling water, flesh side down. Cover and boil for 15-20 minutes, until squash is tender.
2. Drain squash. Holding halves with a potholder, use a fork to scoop out the stringy "spaghetti". Set aside.
3. In a large stock pot or saute pan, melt butter. Add onions, garlic, and bell peppers and saute until tender. Add squash and cook and stir until heated through.
4. In a separate saucepan on low heat, melt the cream cheese. Add the sour cream, salt, pepper, and parsley flakes, stirring to make a smooth white sauce.
5. Stir the white sauce into the cooked squash mixture.
6. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread the white squash mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Spread about 1 1/2 cups of the shredded mozzarella cheese over the squash.
7. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, spaghetti sauce, sugar, and Italian seasoning. Spread over the layer of shredded cheese. Top with the remaining shredded mozzarella cheese and cheddar cheese (if using). Sprinkle with dried basil or oregano flakes for garnish if desired.
8. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees (325 for glass dish) for 30-40 minutes, until casserole is hot and bubbly. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly (10-15 minutes) before serving.

One Pot Meat Sauce and Pasta

Savory heaven to my taste buds!!  I found this recipe when I was looking for the goulash, which you can put on pasta to be similar to this one pot meat sauce and pasta recipe.  I need to add a slow cooker version to this post so I have both handy (I need meaty pasta).  So far, they all make just the sauce and ATK requires microwaving the pasta.  I don't own a microwave.

Blog commenters: grated carrot instead of sugar in my sauce.

One Pot Spaghetti 

from StacyMakesCents.com

• 2 pound ground meat (used half turkey from costco/72% lean beef)
• 2 tablespoon dried minced onion [= 1/2 c. raw; prefer tripled ]
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder (used 1/2 t. minced jarred)
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning [subbed fresh/frozen basil - 3 parts fresh = 1 part dried]
• 16 ounces spaghetti noodles(macaroni stays together well), broken into smaller pieces (used tru Roots GF Penne)
• [added 3 handfuls of fresh spinach and a handful of chopped canned olives(both almost unnoticable) ]
• 2 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
• Fill the used can with water 2x
• 4 cups tomato sauce (32 ounces) [used crushed/1 1/2 c. paste+2 c. water]
• 2 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 4 tablespoons sucanat [skipped]

1. In a stock pot or Dutch oven, brown the ground meat.
2. When meat is browned, add everything but noodles, bring to a boil, covered, then add them.
3. 
   
4.  Stir every 3- 5 minutes until macaroni are barely al dente - residual heat will cook them soft. They will get more likely to stick to the bottom near the end.

Serve immediately. Parmesan, basil, ricotta. Cook in: shredded carrot, beet, bell pepper....
Yield: 4-5 servings

ATK's Hungarian Goulash (Slow Cooker!)

ATK's Hungarian Goulash from foodfix

1 boneless beef roast cut into 1 inch pieces (or pre cut stew meat, which is what I used- the recipe says 5 lbs but that is WAY more than what I used and it was fine) [used 3 lb. ground meat]
5 TBSP sweet paprika (make sure on this or have a nice spicy surprise for dinner)
2 TBSP oil
3 onions, roughly chopped [due to pregnancy, skipped this til the end, added dry for other family]
2 red bell peppers, roughly chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 TBSP tomato paste
1/2 cup flour - [GF Cup4Cup]
1/2 sour cream
3 TBSP red wine vinegar
1/4 parsley, minced (I left this out) [dried]

Brown the meat (or don't if you want to save time) and remove from pan
Add peppers, onions, 1.4 tsp of salt and paprika. Cook about 5-10 min until veggies are soft
Stir in garlic until fragrant and add tomato paste and broth
Bring to simmer and add to slow cooker
n.b. I think you could omit all of this prep and put it directly in the slow cooker- ATK seems to think differently but hey, not all of us have endless amount of prep time

Cover and cook on high for 6-7 hours (depending on your crock pot) until meat is tender
About 20 minutes before serving mix water, broth and sour cream together and add to pot. Let it cook until the sauce starts to thicken, about 20 minutes longer. Add vinegar before serving (I gave it another 5 minutes after adding to let the flavor mix in)

I served this over egg noodles per the recipe's suggestion.

Ethiopian Cuisine

Huh.  Didn't know this was a world famous cuisine!  A friend reported that Ethiopian beef was one of the best food she tried in London at the Borough Market.  :)

So, what is left to do, but to find the recipe?  Ain't no secret recipes in this world anymore!  Not even from Africa.


This recipe was the more accessible of the two I found (here's the other).  The book, STEWED! , needs to be the next book I peruse, since it is gourmet one pot meals - AH! That's amazing.

from: http://books.google.com/books?id=VusW-ByZoRQC&pg=PT224&lpg=PT224&dq=Borough+Market+Ethiopian+Beef&source=bl&ots=OKmPAnE9e8&sig=-CHK_-v1x1bfE79XwkcjwVle7bM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=BeuqU7ZAwYzIBMj3gvgK&ved=0CEIQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=Borough%20Market%20Ethiopian%20Beef&f=false

Also, check out this book!  What an awesome gift this would make for any well-traveled foodie.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Borough-Market-Cookbook-Meat/dp/1904104924

Meat Loaf - again

Meat loaf - again.  Why?  I'm pregnant and can't stand the smell of raw onions.

I will experiment with gluten free breads!

1 cup [butter] milk [with a tiny bit of water]
6 bread slices[soft]
2 pounds ground beef
1 cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt, such as Lawry's[ celery salt]
1/4 to 1/2 cup minced flat-leaf parsley [ 8 T. dried]
4 eggs, beaten (try not beaten next time using my standing mixer)
8 to 12 thin bacon slices [didn't have!]

Tomato Sauce:
1/2 cup ketchup
6 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Dash or 2 hot sauce (more if you like) [2, cayenne]
Dash or 2 Worcestershire sauce[2, soy]


For the meatloaf:                  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Pour the milk over the bread and allow it to soak in for several minutes. Add ground beef, milk-soaked bread, Parmesan, salt, some pepper, seasoned salt and parsley in a large mixing bowl. Pour in the eggs. With hands, mix the ingredients until well combined.

Form the mixture into a loaf shape on a foil-lined broiler pan [didn't have and don't cook on foil], which will allow the fat from the meat to drain.[

Lay the bacon slices over the top, tucking them underneath the meatloaf to give the meatloaf some support.

Next, make the tomato sauce:                   Stir the sauce ingredients until well combined. Pour one-third of the sauce over the top of the meatloaf.

Bake for 45 minutes, and then pour over another one-third of the remaining tomato sauce over the meatloaf. Bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes; the meatloaf should be no longer pink in the middle. Allow to sit 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with the remaining tomato sauce on the side as a dipping sauce.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/meatloaf-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Other meat loaf recipes that looked good:
From America's test kitchen :
http://www.tastebook.com/recipes/1905055-All-American-Meatloaf?full_recipe=true
http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=1885930

Beef Roast-Food Network (never fails)

I would say serves 10!

Roast Beef with Spicy Parsley Tomato Sauce
Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis


Total Time:
1 hr 10 min

Yield:
4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

Roast Beef:
1 (2 to 2 1/2-pound) sirloin tip or chuck beef roast
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 Roma tomatoes, cut in 1/2
2 teaspoons herbs de Provence
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Spicy Parsley Tomato Sauce:
1 1/2 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

To make the beef roast, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Season the beef with salt and pepper. Season the tomatoes with salt, pepper, and herbs de Provence.

Place a medium, heavy roasting pan or Dutch oven over high heat. Heat the olive oil. Sear the beef over high heat on all sides. Turn off heat. Place the seasoned tomatoes around the seared beef and place the pan in the oven. Roast until a meat thermometer reads 130 degrees F. for medium rare, 135 for medium, about 30 to 40 minutes. Take the roast out of the oven, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes. The internal temperature of the meat should rise 5 degrees F more and the juices will redistribute into the roast.

To make the sauce, place the parsley and garlic in a food processor and pulse until the parsley is finely chopped. Add the red pepper flakes, salt, red wine vinegar and the roasted tomatoes from the beef pan and process until pureed. Add the olive oil in a steady stream with the machine running.

To serve, slice the roast and place on a serving platter. Drizzle a little sauce over the meat. Serve the remaining sauce in a small bowl alongside.

© 2014 Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.


Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/roast-beef-with-spicy-parsley-tomato-sauce-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback

Martha Stewart's Meatloaf-optional-GF or GAPS

Martha Stewart's Meatloaf 101 {altered -Gluten Free or GAPS diet, original below}

Serves 8 to 10



4 slices white bread, torn into pieces - 1/2 c. gf crumbs or cooked cornmeal

1 3/4 pounds ground beef

3/4 pound ground pork {used turkey}

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut into eighths

2 cloves garlic

2 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch pieces

2 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces

1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley{used thyme}

1 large egg

1 tablespoon coarse salta

2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar {used maple syrup/honey/molasses}

3/4 cup ketchup, divided, 1/2 and 1/4 c. for topping


4 teaspoons dry mustard, divided in half

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Mix optional cornmeal/crumbs and ground meats.

Pulse onion, garlic, celery, carrots, and parsley in food processor until finely chopped.

Add to beef mixture; combine using your hands. Mix in egg, 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 teaspoons dry mustard, salt, and pepper. Place in an 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-by-2 1/2-inch loaf pan.


In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/4 cup ketchup and 2 teaspoons dry mustard, and the brown sugar; stir until smooth.


Brush mixture over top of the meatloaf. Place the pan on a baking sheet to catch drippings.


Bake until a meat thermometer inserted in the center reaches 160 degrees, about 1 1/2 hours. (If the top of the meatloaf starts getting brown, cover with foil and continue baking.) Let meatloaf stand 15 minutes before slicing.

All-American Meatloaf

The only thing better than a hearty meatloaf dinner is the sandwich you can make with the leftovers.

Servings:

6

Ingredients

Ingredient Checklist

• 3 slices white bread
• 1 large carrot, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
• 1 celery, strings peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
• 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves, loosely packed
• 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons ketchup
• 4 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
• 8 ounces ground pork
• 8 ounces ground veal
• 8 ounces ground round
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco Sauce, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary, plus more needles for sprinkling
• 2 tablespoons dark-brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small red onion, cut into 1/4 inch-thick rings

Directions

Instructions Checklist

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove crusts from bread, and place slices in the bowl of a food processor. Process until fine crumbs form, about 10 seconds. Transfer breadcrumbs to a large mixing bowl. Do not substitute dried breadcrumbs in this step, as they will make your meatloaf rubbery.

• Step 2

  Place carrot, celery, yellow onion, garlic, and parsley in the bowl of the food processor. Process until vegetables have been minced, about 30 seconds, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice. (Chopping vegetables this way saves time and ensures that vegetables will be small enough to cook through and not be crunchy). Transfer vegetables to bowl with the breadcrumbs.

• Step 3

  Add 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 teaspoons dry mustard, pork, veal, beef, eggs, salt, pepper, Tabasco, and rosemary. Using your hands, knead the ingredients until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. The texture should be wet, but tight enough to hold a free-form shape.

• Step 4

  Set a wire baking rack into an 11-by-17-inch baking pan. Cut a 5-by-11-inch piece of parchment paper, and place over center of rack to prevent meat loaf from falling through. Using your hands, form an elongated loaf covering the parchment.

• Step 5

  Place the remaining 3 tablespoons ketchup, remaining 2 1/2 teaspoons mustard, and brown sugar in a bowl. Mix until smooth. Using a pastry brush, generously brush the glaze over loaf. Place oil in a medium saucepan set over high heat. When oil is smoking, add red onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft and golden in places. Add 3 tablespoons water, and cook, stirring, until most of the water has evaporated. Transfer onion to a bowl to cool slightly, then sprinkle onion over the meatloaf.

• Step 6

  Bake 30 minutes, then sprinkle rosemary needles on top. Continue baking loaf until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf registers 160 degrees. about 25 minutes more. Let meatloaf cool on rack, 15 minutes.

Cook's Notes

Be careful not to overknead the meatloaf ingredients; doing so will result in a heavy and dense loaf.

All-American Meatloaf Recipe | Martha Stewart

Meat Sauce and Spaghetti (Squash)

Can I just say, spaghetti is the weirdest word I've had to stare at wondering about its spelling ...in a long time?

My husband, who mostly loves the Standard American, completely loved this GAPS version of our favorite American-Italian comfort food.

I based this recipe off of Food Network's : Meat Sauce and Spaghetti -Alton Brown, 2009

   Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/meat-sauce-and-spaghetti-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

 

In a medium stockpot, saute: 

3 T Oil

4 large onions, finely chopped

1-2 bell peppers

When soft and caramelizing, add and stir for 3 minutes:
5 cloves garlic,  minced
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

 

Add:

1 lb. ground beef
8 ounces ground Turkey

When browned, add:
3/4 cup white wine 3/4 cup evaporated milk

2 (28-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried marjoram
2 tablespoons tomato paste
 

cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, approximately 30 minutes. 

 

 

Optional:  

 

1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

 Decrease the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Increase the heat to medium high; add 

1 tablespoon of olive oil

 

 and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes.

 Simmer the sauce, uncovered, over low heat, stirring occasionally, while preparing the pasta, about 20 min.  

Pass the Parmesan!!

No Oven? Still cooking!

I had to improvise on:

Super Quick Stuffed Bell Peppers

For 6 medium peppers: Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.   Another recipe said 6 to 8 hours on low-heat setting or 3 to 4 hours on high-heat setting.

I like to use cauliflower and kale instead of rice.  I mostly follow the recipe from "Internal Bliss." I use left over taco meat, and add the 2 veggies, sauteed.   I like to cut the peppers lengthwise, instead of the tops off as shown here, because you can put more stuffing per pepper. 

I'm freezing the peppers to see if it shortens the cooking time.

Hamburger Patty Seasoning

Hamburger Patty Seasoning



1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
2 teaspoon garlic powder ( or For one lb, mince garlic  - 3 cloves)
2 teaspoon onion powder
 4 tablespoon paprika 
4 teaspoon ground black pepper
 5 teaspoons salt


2 t. of the seasoning into 1 lb. of hamburger before making into patties. Sprinkle more to taste.

Side: Saute sliced  peppers and onion,  approx. 1/2 of each for a serving.

Beef Shoulder Roast - in Oven or Crockpot

Beef Shoulder Roast Braised in Red Wine - Oven

from Home Ec 101
 "This recipe is designed to translate into a planned over meal of sliced beef with melted cheddar on hoagie rolls."

• 1 beef shoulder roast
• 2 – 3 TBSP of olive oil
• 1/2 – 1 cup red wine
• kosher salt / black pepper
• 2 – 3 cloves of garlic – chopped
• 2 TBSP Worcestshire sauce{A lot of people actually use tamari soy sauce to replace Worcestershire sauce. a teaspoon each of tamarind paste, soy sauce and white vinegar. To that add a pinchful of ground clove and just a tad hot pepper sauce. You will be pretty satisfied with this substitute for Worcestershire sauce.}
• 1 onion sliced into rings

Preheat the oven to 350F.

 cook the onion slices over low heat while you prepare the roast.

heavy skillet or dutch oven over medium heat. with olive oil.

sprinkle your roast with kosher salt and black pepper. { Don’t go nuts with the salt, think of how a pretzel looks.

cook for two minutes on each side.
If you are using the same pot in the oven simply add the wine, Worcestshire, and garlic to the pan now. Reduce the heat to low.
Once the onions are soft spread them over the roast.
{If your roast is in a new pan, braise pan and pour juice on roast, but remember there should only be about a quarter of an inch in the bottom of the pan.

Assuming your roast is between 1 and 1 1/2 inches thick (fairly common for this cut) it’ll need to cook at 350 between 1 3/4 hours and 2 1/2 hours.
Once the meat is fork tender place it on a platter and allow it to rest for at least ten minutes. Don’t throw out those pan juices! While the roast is resting use a fat separator to skim off the grease and pour the liquid into a sauce pan. Simmer until the volume is reduced by half. This really concentrates the flavor. {Why discard fat? keep fat for meat?}

To serve, slice the roast against the grain and drizzle with the reduced sauce.

Wine Braised Pot Roast for the Crock Pot or Dutch Oven

 
 Start at 8:30 for dinner. 
Yellow-fleshed potatoes are best to use for slow roasting, such as Bintje, Yukon gold, or yellow Finnish varieties.
Shoulder is tougher cut.

• 1 pot roast preferably 3 – 4 lbs
• 1 tsp salt, divided
• 1 onion, sliced
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 2 cups of drinkable red wine, divided (it doesn’t have to be super fancy, but nothing you wouldn’t touch in a glass)
• 1 bay leaf
• fresh ground pepper
• optional 2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce

sprinkle both sides with a pinch of salt

Sprinkled and resting comfortably.

 If you are using a dutch oven preheat the oven to 350.
Heat a skillet over medium heat. It’s very important that your pan is hot before the roast is added.{ This step is crucial to the maillard reaction, which is the difference between ho-hum and please, please make this again, I’ll do the dishes, just make it again. Yes, that important. I promise, this step is worth the dirtied pan.}

Add the roast and sear for two minutes. {There should be some sizzling when the roast is added. If not, remove roast quickly and let the pan heat a little more. Peek after 90 seconds to make sure it’s not getting too dark.}  turn the roast and let it go for another two minutes.

If you are using a slow cooker for this recipe, place the browned roast in and turn it to low. Cover. If not, remove the roast from the dutch oven and set aside for just a few moments.
Add the onion and garlic cloves to the pan and give a good stir to loosen some of the browned bits.
Then slowly add, 1 cup of the wine to the pan.

 Add a few turns from a pepper grinder or about 1/4 tsp black pepper.
Add the bay leaf and pour everything in the pan over the roast in the slow cooker.{If you are going the dutch oven route, return the roast to the pot and turn it once.}
Scoot the onions and garlic to one side, to spoon over the top of the roast.

 In a slow cooker,  cook 8 – 10 hours on low.{ Going the dutch oven route, you’ll let this cook for 2 to 2.5 hours at 350F. This cook time assumes the roast is 1 to 1.5 inches thick. If your roast is thicker, it will need to cook longer in the dutch oven.}
Once the roast has finished cooking, {set it aside and pour all of the pan juices into a fat separator. This handy device can be found in most big box stores, like Wal-mart or Target and should only run a few dollars. They are extremely handy. If you do not have one, pour the pan juices into as narrow a jar as possible and spoon off the fat.} Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the pan juices. Add the 1/2 tsp salt, unless you decide to add the Worcestershire sauce which contains plenty of its own salt. Add the second cup of wine and cook down, stirring occasionally until the liquid’s volume has been reduced by half. This takes between 5 & 10 minutes. Do not abandon it and turn the heat down, if using a thin pan or if it is at a roiling boil. We just want to simmer it, not scorch the bottom.