My French Pot Roast

My absolute favorite recipe for French pot roast with gravy (or is it a sauce — read on for my thoughts.)

My Braised French Pot Roast combines the best of both worlds: A great American pot roast with unmistakable French touches.

I realize that since moving my blog over from “Chez Bonne Femme” to this address, I inadvertently left behind one of my favorite winter recipes: My French Pot Roast — a braised French pot roast recipe that takes full advantage of the Le Creuset Braiser.

I’ve just slid one into the oven to bake, and I wondered if, perhaps, someone else out there was looking for a taste of France and a dose of warmth this winter day. If so — here it is. Enjoy!

So, is the sauce a sauce or a gravy? If my Midwestern grandmother made it, she would have never used wine. Nor butter. She would have simply added flour to the pan drippings and cooked it into a roux (which she called a “goo,”) then poured in a lot of milk for a nice, creamy gravy.

Like many of my winter recipes, this one is perfect for the braiser. Here’s why I love braisers.

So perhaps it’s a sauce? Well — certainly, the wine and the “beurre manié” (flour-butter mixture that thickens it) is very French. But … it’s thicker than most French sauces I’ve enjoyed.

Like many great recipes in the world, it’s where two cultures meet for one great result. Enjoy.

Braised French Pot Roast (Pot-au-Feu with a Sauce or French Gravy!)

My Braised French Pot Roast in the Le Creuset Braiser.

This is a perfect melding of cultures — a French pot-au-feu (pot on the fire—a braised pot roast, more or less) crossed with a great American pot roast. What makes it French? The seasonings (wine, herbes de provence). What makes it American? The sauce, which is more hearty and robust than your usual French sauce.

(Serves 4 to 6)

1 (2-to 3 -pound) boneless beef chuck pot roast
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more if needed
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2  cup red wine
1/4 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon dried herb de Provence, crushed
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons flour
Pureed potatoes, Any-Night Baked Rice, or cooked noodles

1. This pot roast can be cooked in the oven or on the stove-top. If you wish to cook it in the oven, begin by preheating the oven to 325°F.

2. Season the meat with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof braiser or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the roast and cook, turning as needed, until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes (reduce the heat to medium if the meat browns too quickly). Transfer the meat to a plate.

3. Reduce the heat to medium. If the pan is dry, add another tablespoon of oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 2 minutes; add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds more. Add the wine, beef broth, balsamic vinegar, and herbes de Provence. Bring to a boil, stirring to loosen any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

4. Return the meat to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook either on the stovetop or in the oven:

• Stovetop Directions: Cook until the meat is tender, about 1 hour 45 minutes. Check now and then to make sure that the liquid is simmering, not boiling (nor the steam escaping), or your pan will become dry. If this happens, add a little more wine and broth and reduce the heat back to a simmer.

• Oven Directions: Slide the pot into a preheated 325°F oven and bake for 1 hour 45 minutes or until the meat is tender. Check every 45 minutes to make sure there’s still liquid in the pan; add a little more broth if the pan is dry.

5. Transfer the roast to a cutting board and cover with foil to keep warm. Skim fat from cooking liquid. Work the butter into the flour to form a paste (a beurre manié). Bring the liquid to boil over medium heat; whisk in the beurre manié bit by bit until sauce is as thick as you like—if it’s too pasty, add a bit of water until desired consistency. Serve sauce with meat.

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