April 05, 2008
the Ultimate Roast Beef Poboy
So I've been cooking a lot lately. Food Network runs pretty much non-stop at my house, so trying out new recipes and making stuff from scratch is what I like to do to unwind from the day.
I've been tinkering with a pot roast recipe that would make a poboy to rival the "debris" roast beef sandwich at R&O's - one of my favorites. I think I've come pretty close with the recipe below.
2 - 3 lb Beef Shoulder Roast
1 large head of garlic
3 large onions
5 celery ribs
1 pt. organic low-sodium chicken stock
1/2 cup red wine
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 bunch Cilanto
3 Tbsp Parsley
1 dash Tabasco sauce
Rub for roast:
1 Tbsp Salt
1 Tbsp black pepper
1 Tbsp Chili powder
1 Tsp Smoked Paprika
Misc. Ingredients:
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup water
The Method:
1. Rub the spices onto the outside of the shoulder roast and let set for 30 mins.
2. Poke a few holes all over the roast about 1/2 inch across. Peel about 8 of the garlic toes and stuff inside of the holes in the roast.
3. In a large, heavy dutch oven, heat the olive oil over high heat until shimmering. Lay in the roast and let sear for 5 - 6 minutes per side. You want to get a nice color on the outside and leave some delicious browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. This is going to be the base for your excellent gravy.
3. Pull the roast from the pot and set aside. Slice the onions, rough chop the rest of the garlic, chop the celery into 1/2 inch pieces and toss in the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Sweat for a few minutes over high heat.
4. Deglaze the pan with the 1/2 cup of red wine.
5. Pour in the chicken stock, add the roast back to the pan on top of all the vegetables and cover.
6. Turn the heat down to med-low and braise the meat for an hour per pound. Try not to open and peek at it. Your kitchen should be smelling incredible by this point, and your neighbors are likely calling to see if they can come over. I usually just ignore them.
7. With about 15 minutes left to go, add the bunch of cilantro and parsley to the pot.
8. When done cooking, pull the roast and set aside. You'll be left with a big pot of delicious juice. Add a dash of Tabasco, turn the heat up slightly and reduce the liquid by 1/3, stirring frequently.
9. This step is optional. If you want a smooth gravy, strain the liquid through a strainer and return to the pot. I've done this both ways and prefer the bits of veggies in the sauce.
10. Mix the cornstarch with the water well, ensuring there are no lumps. Pour into the liquid and cook down until desired thickness is reached. You're going to have a dark, rich gravy and you want it fairly thick.
11. Pull the roast apart with two forks (it will fall apart at this point) and add it to the gravy in the pot. Remove from heat.
Now if you're making poboys, toast up a crusty Italian loaf (my preference) or a french loaf, slather each side with Mayo, add sliced tomatoes, pickles, shredded lettuce, then ladle a big helping of the roast / gravy mixture onto the bread. Grab seventeen napkins and get ready for the greatest roast beef poboy you've ever had.
Enjoy with an ice cold beer.
Posted by Sprinky at 12:35 PM | Comments (0)