Beer Braised Pot Roast

I have been eating Thanksgiving leftovers since Thursday, and I need some beef in my life. Now don't get me wrong, I love Thanksgiving leftovers—love them—but I'm just a little over poultry right now.

The other thing? I'm not in the mood to slave over a hot stove. Putting on the big turkey day meal wore me out. The leftovers were a good break, but since I'm out of frozen pizza, I have to cook dinner again. This roast is the perfect meal to coax me back to the kitchen. A quick sear to add flavor and seal in the juices, then pop the roast in the oven to cook low and slow. A few minutes of work yields rich, tasty results.

P.S. I haven't tried it, but I think this would be great in the slow cooker. After searing the beef and vegetables on the stove, cook in the slow cooker on low for 8-10 hours instead of putting it in the oven.

Beer Braised Pot Roast

3 pounds rump roast
Salt and pepper
2-4 tablespoons olive oil
9 carrots, peeled and cut into 1"-2" chunks
1 large onion, cut into thick slices
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
12 ounces beer
1 cup chicken or beef stock or water
1 bay leaf
Sprig rosemary
Sprig sage
Mashed potatoes for serving, if desired

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Generously season roast on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high. Add roast and sear on all sides until browned, about 8-10 minutes. Remove roast and set aside.

If the pot is dry add another tablespoon of oil. Add carrots and cook until they begin to get golden brown, about 4 minutes. Remove and set aside for later. If the pot is dry, add another tablespoon of oil. Add onions and cook until they start to soften, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Pour in beer and broth and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot to incorporate any browned bits into the liquid. Once liquid comes to a boil, add roast and any accumulated juices, bay leaf, rosemary, and sage to the pot. Cover and cook for 3 hours, turning the roast every hour or so.

After 3 hours, add the carrots to the pot. Cover and continue cooking another 45 minutes-1 hour, until the carrots and roast are fork tender. Remove carrots and roast to a serving platter and tent with foil to keep warm. Remove bay leaf and herb stems from the cooking liquid. Allow the cooking liquid to sit for about 10 minutes and then skim any fat from the top. Serve roast and carrots with cooking liquid and onions. If desired, serve over mashed potatoes.