Roast Beef Poboys

I was in the mood for a roast beef poboy.  If you're not from Louisiana, you might not know what a poboy is.  It's just a sandwich.  Well, a very good sandwich.  A roast beef poboy isn't just sliced beef on bread.  It's slow roasted tender, shredded beef with gravy on bread.

I ordered a roast beef poboy from a local place (I won't name names) but it was gross.  The beef was way too salty, the gravy was nasty and the bread was tough.  I threw it out.  Very disappointing.  So, I decided to make my own the next day.  Here's how I did it:

The poboy in this pic is not "dressed".  That's what we call it when it has mayo, lettuce and tomato.  I like my poboys dressed (especially shrimp poboys!) but I was in the mood for plain old meat and bread.


ROAST BEEF POBOYS

1 chuck tender roast (3 lbs or so)
12 small cloves of garlic or 6 big ones cut in half (I like it garlicky, you can use less)
3 TBS vegetable oil
All-purpose flour
Salt/pepper/Creole seasoning
Onion powder/garlic powder
3 TBS Worcestershire sauce
Unsalted Beef broth (2-3 cups or so)

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.

Cut 12 deep slits in the roast (all over it including the underside).  Stuff the garlic cloves into the slits, as far down as they'll go..

Season the roast with salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder on all sides.

Season the flour with the Creole seasoning (I like Tony Chachere's).

Dredge the seasoned roast in the seasoned flour on all sides.  Shake off the excess flour.

You'll need a pot with a lid that's oven-proof.  Let it heat up over medium-high heat.  Add 3 TBS oil.  When the pot is hot, brown the roast on all sides.  You want it to have a nice crust on all sides.

Once browned on all sides, remove the roast to a plate and set aside.

Now, we want to get all those brown bits off the bottom of the pot (that adds great flavor to the gravy).  While it's still hot, pour about 1/4 cup of beef broth in and scrape with a wooden spoon.

Return the roast to the pot and add enough beef broth to reach about halfway up the side of the roast.

Then, add 3 TBS Worcestershire sauce.  Now, taste the broth in the pot to see if it needs any seasoning.  I use unsalted beef broth because I like to season it to my own taste.  I usually add a little Creole seasoning at this point.

Bring it to a boil then cover it with the lid and place it in the preheated oven.  Let it roast in the oven for 2 1/2 - 3 hours.  This takes some time but it's easy and well worth it.  You can also transfer everything to your crockpot at this point and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 8-10 hours.  But I find the oven works best.

Use 2 forks to shred the meat.  Remove any big chunks of fat and discard.  Stir the shredded meat into the warm gravy in the pot.

Serve on poboy rolls or split french bread.  Spoon extra gravy over if desired.

This beef is so tender and flavorful!  My old-school Italian hubby said it was a little too garlicky for him (he still ate two poboys!) but I love garlic, so I thought it was great. Feel free to use less garlic if you're not a big fan.  You can also stud it with chunks of onion if you prefer.  This makes a lot of shredded beef!  We had leftovers that I used to make quesadillas a few nights later.  Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think.

Easy Pot Roast

My parents are still with us.  They are slowly but surely rebuilding their life.  The flood took away practically everything they owned so it's an uphill fight, to say the least.  However, they both have positive attitudes about it, which is half the battle.  They've been shopping for new stuff to put in their new home, when it's ready, and while they were out shopping, they bought me a covered roaster.  They're so sweet!  I couldn't wait to try it out.  So, here's an easy recipe for a very delicious pot roast.  P.S. if you don't have a roaster, that's OK.  Any oven proof pot with a lid will work.  If you don't have an oven proof pot, no problem.  You can cook this on the stove top instead of in the oven.

EASY POT ROAST

1 (2-3 lb) chuck roast 

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, sliced

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

4 potatoes, cut in large chunks

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes

water

salt/pepper/Cajun Seasoning

flour

vegetable or canola oil

*Note - Don't chop the veggies too small.  This is going to cook for a long time so you don't want them to disintegrate.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Season the roast with Cajun Seasoning (or just use salt and pepper if you like).  Rub the seasoning into the roast.  Next, put some flour on a plate and dredge the roast in the flour, coating it on all sides.  You just want a light coating of flour.  This will help form a gravy later on.

Heat an oven-proof pot (that has a lid) over medium-high heat.  Add a little oil (just enough to coat the bottom of the pot).  When it's very hot, add the roast and let it brown (about 5 minutes).  Then flip it over and let it brown on the other side. Brown the sides, too. You want it browned on all sides, like this:

Remove the roast to a plate and set aside.  While the pot is still hot, add a little water (or red wine, maybe) and scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pot.  This is called deglazing the pan.  

Now, turn off the heat and add the vegetables to the pot and season with salt and pepper.

Then add the can of diced tomatoes and stir well.

Return the roast to the pot.  Nestle it into the vegetables.  

Add enough water to reach halfway up the side of the roast.  You do not want to cover it completely.  This is called braising,  

Now, cover and bake in a 325 degree oven for 3 hours.  If you don't have an oven-proof pot you can do this on the stove top instead.  Just simmer, covered, on low heat for 2-3 hours.  But, make sure it doesn't run out of liquid.  You need to check it every so often to be sure.  If it gets very low on liquid, you need to add a little water but as long as you simmer on low heat, you should be OK.  If you make it in the oven you can just leave it alone for 3 hours.  Very easy and low-maintenance!

I like to shred up the meat, place it in a bowl, then use a slotted spoon to remove the veggies to another bowl.

Then I pour the remaining gravy over the meat.  But you can totally leave it all mixed together in the pot (I have picky eaters that like it separate).

I serve it over rice.

This roast is so tender and the veggies are flavored with the juices from the meat which makes them delicious!  This recipe is so easy, anyone can make it.  Even if you never cook, you can do this.  All it takes is some time.  Your family will think you slaved for hours when you really just stuck it in the oven and forgot about it for 3 hours.  Give this recipe a whirl and let me know how you like it.  

Classic Pot Roast

It's been so busy here lately!  The renovations on the house, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Mardi Gras, baseball practice, the list goes on and on.  Sometimes, when our worlds are at their craziest, we just need to slow down, sit down and enjoy.  This classic pot roast recipe is the perfect way to do that.  It slow cooks in the oven and you serve it from the same pot you cook it in.  Classic, rustic, unbelievably delicious!  Just what I needed.

CLASSIC POT ROAST

2-3 lb chuck roast

1 onion, quartered

1 cup baby carrots

2 stalks celery, quartered

3 medium potatoes, quartered

2 sprigs of parlsey

1/2 cup beef broth (or water)

1 (15oz) can diced tomatoes

1 packet brown gravy mix

salt/pepper

2 TBS vegetable oil

  

Cut the onions, potatoes and celery into quarters.  You want big pieces because they will be cooking for a long time.  If they are too small, they'll over cook and turn to mush.

 

A tip to keep potatoes from turning brown:  Once cut, put them in a big bowl of cold water until you're ready to use them.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

In an oven-proof pot with a lid (I love a cast iron pot for this), heat oil over medium-high heat.

Season the roast with salt and pepper.

Brown the roast on both sides:  Let the pot get very very hot!  Place the roast in and don't touch it for 2 minutes.  If you keep moving it around, it won't get that great crust on it.  After two minutes, flip it over and let it sit there (untouched) for 2-3 minutes.  It may take a little longer on the second side.

See that great brown crust.  That imparts flavor.

Remove the roast to a plate and set it aside.

Next, we deglaze the pot:  That just means getting the brown bits off the bottom.  While it's hot, pour in about 1/2 cup beef broth (or water) and scrape up the bits with a spoon.

Once you've deglazed the pot, pour in the tomatoes and brown gravy mix.  I zip them in a blender together because my guys don't like chunks of tomatoes but that's not necessary.  You could just stir them together then pour the mixture into the pot.

Return the roast to the pot.

Place all of the vegetables around and on top of the roast.  Place the parsley sprigs on top.

Put the lid on and place in the oven.

Bake at 300 degrees for 2 1/2 - 3 hours (for a 2 - 3 lb roast).  Bigger roasts will take longer.

Remove the parsley stems.

Look how delicious this looks:

Just push the vegetables to the side so the meat can be seen in the middle.  You can serve it straight from the pot.

The meat is so tender you can pull it apart with a fork!

This classic recipe is so easy but it's pretty impressive.  Your family will be wowed by a bubbling pot of tender beef and flavorful veggies!  Just add some crusty bread to soak up the gravy and you'll be in comfort food heaven.  

Beef and Noodles

This is an old-fashioned Sunday supper.  If you're short on time, this one's not for you.  But, if you've got a few hours, this is a delicious, easy, hearty supper that screams comfort.

I found the recipe in a cook book from the 80s.  It caught my eye because the ingredients are simple things I always have on hand.  I changed it up a little bit.  It called for frozen noodles, which I didn't have, so I substituted dried.  I also used Italian seasoning instead of the marjoram it listed.  Plus a few other changes.  The result was a winner.  The family loved it so much there were no leftovers!  My Pickiest Eater Ever Son actually asked me to make it again soon.  Score!

BEEF AND NOODLES

1 lb chuck roast
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 TBS oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups beef broth
1 cup water
1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups egg noodles
2 TBS fresh parsley, chopped

Cut the roast into small cubes.

Coat the cubes of beef with the flour.

In a large pot with a tight-fitting lid, brown half of the beef in the oil over medium high heat.

Remove it from the pot and set aside.  Brown the remaining beef, then add the onion and garlic.  Cook for a few minutes.

Drain off any excess grease.  Return all beef to pot.  Stir in broth, water, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil.  Then, reduce heat to a simmer.  Put the lid on and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until beef is tender.

Then, stir in the noodles.

Bring to a boil.  Then, reduce heat and cook uncovered for 20-30 minutes or until noodles are tender.  Stir it occasionally.

Finally, garnish with fresh parsley.



This recipe takes some time but very little effort.  The end result is worth the wait.  Comforting and delicious!  A new family favorite!