Pot Roast

Steps

• Prep: Heat the oven to 150°C (300°F).
• Sear: Pat the roast dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy pot over high heat and sear the roast on all sides until deeply browned.
  ⏱ Start 8 min timer

  Tip: This is purely for flavour, not for 'sealing in juices' — that's a myth. What matters is the browned crust and the fond left in the pot.

• Sear: Remove the roast to a plate.
• Braise: Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pot and cook until starting to soften, then add the garlic and tomato paste and cook a minute more.
  ⏱ Start 6 min timer
• Braise: Pour in the stock, scraping up the fond, and add the bay leaves. Return the roast to the pot, cover, and transfer to the oven.
  ⏱ Start 180 min timer

  Tip: A bare simmer, not a boil — held here for hours, this is what converts the tough connective tissue into silky gelatin. Rushing at a higher heat toughens the meat instead.

• Braise: If using, add the potatoes for the last 45 minutes of cooking.
  ⏱ Start 45 min timer
• Check: The roast is done when a fork twists in with almost no resistance and the meat pulls apart easily — not at any specific temperature reading, since it's already been well past the safe minimum for hours.
• Rest: Let rest 10 minutes before shredding or slicing, and skim excess fat from the braising liquid before serving it as a sauce.
  ⏱ Start 10 min timer