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Easy Pot Roast…жаркое

Every once in awhile, a certain dish comes around that is so simple and so delicious that no alterations need be made.   Enter my mama’s easy pot roast. Full of flavor and and short on time this pot roast is cooked in a simple and savory broth that is perfect for quick dinners and freezer meals.

Full of flavor and and short on time this pot roast is cooked in a simple and savory broth that is perfect for quick dinners and freezer meals.
Usually these are the dishes that have been around for ages, the ones that grandmothers and mothers make, that fill up our houses with incredible aromas and fill our hearts with memories.

My mom and babushka made this easy pot roast dinner for years.  I could see them now, standing in our large eat-in kitchen in the old country.  Babushka would peel the potatoes, mama would cut up the meat into gorgeous large chunks.  Together they stood and bantered in Yiddish and sometimes in Romanian if they did not want me or my brother to understand.

A dinner would come together within an hour while these two gossiped and told stories.  I would frequently try and pull up a chair and peek my head into the simmering pots and pans on the stove.  Mama would always tell me, “That’s it Milachka, we are all done.  Nothing to see here.”  I was always just a tad too late for the action.  That or mama didn’t want me diddling in her business 🙂

Full of flavor and and short on time this pot roast is cooked in a simple and savory broth that is perfect for quick dinners and freezer meals.

My mom used to cut her onion in the most peculiar of ways: She would hold a small peeled onion in her hand and make cuts first going horizontally then vertically, finally dicing them up into the pot.

I cut my onion this way until culinary school where I learned to pretty much do the same technique just on a cutting board.  I told my French chef’s about how my mom used to cut and they always said it is a very old school European technique.

“Your mom and the other women in your family have probably been cutting this way for generations Mila.  And I bet they have far less cuts on their hands than all my new students do!   Those hands were knowing hands, Mila.”

Full of flavor and and short on time this pot roast is cooked in a simple and savory broth that is perfect for quick dinners and freezer meals.

How right he was.  Mama’s hands were knowing hands.  They knew how to cut an onion, mix up a perfectly chewy dough, marinade the best shish kebobs and most importantly how to caress my back just right so I would fall into a deep slumber in the middle of a restless night.

This dish in particular conjures up all sorts of warm and cuddly feelings for me.  My mom had it down to a science.  And unfortunately I decided I could do better.  How foolish of me to think that I could improve on my mama’s “zharkoya” or pot roast.

I added wines, root veggies, herbs, cognac, etc.  I seared, braised, sauteed and steamed.  But it was never right.  It was never how mama made it.  So I gave up.

Full of flavor and and short on time this pot roast is cooked in a simple and savory broth that is perfect for quick dinners and freezer meals.

I was out grocery shopping with my babushka many years ago and found myself looking at a beautiful piece of chuck.  Completely uninspired I turned to my my babushka and asked her what to make.  And she said, “Make zharkoya, Milachka.”

I sighed and said, “Meh, but I really do not have a good recipe.”

She said, “Milachka do what mama and I always did.”  Hmmm.

“But it’s so simple babushka!” I exclaimed.

“And that’s why it’s so good,” I hated to admit it.  But she was right.

Mama’s original recipe only calls for 5 ingredients and always had us mopping our plates clean with pieces of crusty bread.  In fact, I could probably give my dad just a bowl of the leftover sauce and a piece of chunky bread and he would be happy.

Full of flavor and and short on time this pot roast is cooked in a simple and savory broth that is perfect for quick dinners and freezer meals.

There are a great deal of onions in this pot roast and they really are one of the stars.   The sweetness of the onions permeates every bit of the meat.   And the potatoes could be a meal in themselves for me.  In fact I usually add double the potatoes because I can eat them plainly without much else added.   There is a certain magic that happens when you combine all the simple ingredients in this dish.

Honestly, it is dishes like this that make going vegan hard.  I realized it’s not the cravings that get to me each time, it’s the comfort food.  That’s the hard part, not caving into the burger or ice cream cravings…but avoiding homemade comfort food like mama used to make.

Full of flavor and and short on time this pot roast is cooked in a simple and savory broth that is perfect for quick dinners and freezer meals.

Each time I make it, I am reminded of mama and babushka behind the stove and a little smile finds itself creeping up to my face.

First.  The meat.  You gotta go with a nice cut of chuck roast.  It has plenty of marbling and fat.  You can trim the large pieces of fat off.  Just remember.  This cut of meat has a good deal of connective tissue so it benefits from cooking low and slow.  And that’s why our friend the crockpot is so perfect for this.

Ultimate Pot Roast...жаркое from the Girl and the Kitchen

You want to cut the meat up into larger pieces.  And by larger I mean they should be about the size of the palm of your hand.  Make sure you season them REALLY well with good coarse salt and lots of black pepper.  Mama loved black pepper in this dish.  And I feel it just adds the perfect compliment to beef.

Ultimate Pot Roast...жаркое from the Girl and the Kitchen

Heat up a heavy bottomed pan with coconut oil or avocado oil.  Any oil that has a high smoking point.  My crockpot has the ability to be taken out of the crockpot container and placed directly onto the stove and or the oven.  So I make this all in one pan.  Sear the beef on all sides until nice and deeply brown.  See.  That’s gorgeous.  Don’t crowd the pan and just cook them in one layer you may have to do this in batches.  Some of the fat will render off of the beef and you can just pour it off later.

FYI: In the event you decide to make this in the oven, I bought""“> this cast iron enamel dutch oven from ""“>Amazon and it is awesome!!! Just as good as the other French brand and a fifth of the price!

Ultimate Pot Roast...жаркое from the Girl and the Kitchen

Once this is searing, thinly slice your onions.  I have a great demo here if you need it.  Also, peel about 5-6 cloves of garlic.

Ultimate Pot Roast...жаркое from the Girl and the Kitchen

Once everything is nicely browned, add in the onions and garlic into the meat and season with plenty of salt and black pepper.  Toss and allow to cook for about 5 minutes.

Ultimate Pot Roast...жаркое from the Girl and the Kitchen

Peel and cut your Yukon Gold potatoes in half.  I love these potatoes for this dish.  It’s what mama always used and I find it has the best texture and sweetness.  They are just perfect.  Honestly, I really can eat these without anything else and be happy as a clam.

Ultimate Pot Roast...жаркое from the Girl and the Kitchen

Add in your potatoes to the pot.  Fill about 3/4 of the way with water and allow to cook in the crockpot on low for 5-6 hours on low or until your meat is sexy and pull apart tender.  If you are doing this on the stove top, just cover it up with a tightly fitting lid and cook for about 2 hours on low-medium heat.  OR you can stick it into a 275-degree oven for 2 hours or until it’s pull apart tender.

Ultimate Pot Roast...жаркое from the Girl and the Kitchen

And I do mean pull apart tender.  Oh and this is soooo VERY freezer friendly!  SO go ahead and make double!

Ultimate Pot Roast...жаркое from the Girl and the Kitchen

Want more crock pot awesomeness?

Try my Wild Mushroom and Beef  Stew 

Fragrant mushrooms and tender meat are combine with fresh herbs to give this classic beef stew a gourmet twist.

 

Or my favorite Crock Pot Pulled Pork 

 Secret Ingredient Pulled Porl

 

What are some of your favorite crockpot dishes?!? Just share them with me in the comments!!!

 

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Ultimate Pot Roast...жаркое from the Girl and the Kitchen

Perfect Crock Pot Pot Roast


Ingredients

Scale
  • 34 Pounds Beef Pot Roast
  • 4 Onions (Sliced)
  • 56 Garlic Cloves
  • 2.5 Pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes (cut into quarters or in half if they are small)
  • Course salt and black pepper for seasoning
  • Coconut or Avocado Oil

Instructions

  1. You want to cut the meat up into larger pieces. And by larger I mean they should be about the size of the palm of your hand. Make sure you season them REALLY well with good coarse salt and lots of black pepper. Mama loved black pepper in this dish. And I feel it just adds the perfect compliment to beef.
  2. Heat up a heavy bottomed pan with coconut oil or avocado oil. Any oil that has a high smoking point. Sear the beef on all sides until nice and deeply brown. Don’t crowd the pan and just cook them in one layer you may have to do this in batches. Some of the fat will render off of the beef and you can just pour it off before you add in your onions.
  3. Once this is searing, thinly slice your onions. I have a great demo here if you need it. Also, peel about 5-6 cloves of garlic.
  4. Once everything is nicely browned, add in the onions and garlic into the meat and season with plenty of salt and black pepper. Toss and allow to cook for about 5 minutes.
  5. Peel and cut your Yukon Gold potatoes in half. I love these potatoes for this dish. It’s what mama always used and I find it has the best texture and sweetness. They are just perfect.
  6. Add in your potatoes to the pot. Fill about 3/4 of the way with water and allow to cook in the crockpot on low for 5-6 hours on low or until your meat is sexy and pull apart tender. If you are doing this on the stove top, just cover it up with a tightly fitting lid and cook for about 2 hours on low-medium heat. OR you can stick it into a 275-degree oven for 2 hours or until it’s pull apart tender.
  7. And I do mean pull apart tender. Oh and this is soooo VERY freezer friendly! SO go ahead and make double!

 

*** Originally posted March 23rd 2011 ***

Ultimate Pot Roast...жаркое from the Girl and the Kitchen

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27 Comments

  1. My mum and grandmother were the same! I loved hanging out with all the ladies in the kitchen! Usually it was to reserve which piece of meat we could claim before the rest of the cousins though! 🙂
    I’m still learning how to cook beef, and this looks like a simple but amazing dish to try. The simplest dishes sometimes have the best flavour!

    1. Thanks John… I realized food like this is always the best because it comes from the people that love us most 🙂

  2. Firstly, I really love hearing your stories behind your family dishes. And secondly….what the? So few ingredients for something so incredible? AMAZING!! This is a classic example of using quality ingredients to create something incredible. PINNING! 🙂

  3. Aww… Mila, I love this post! Such wonderful memories you have of your mother and grandmother in the kitchen. Those always make for the best dishes too 🙂 This roast looks and sounds so warm and comforting, I can see why it’s been passed down for generations 🙂

    1. Thanks honey!!! It is such a winner…I love it so very much. And I miss it…going to work on a vegan friendly one… with seitan or tempeh 🙂

  4. I love your post, Mila! So nice to read about your family experiences around food. I used to listen to my grandmother and mother and aunts cooking in the kitchen and was fascinated with their laughter and stories. Most times they didn’t even realize I was there because there was so much chaos and hilarity going on!
    I firmly believe that a few quality ingredients always make the best meals. I will make this because it looks fantastic. It’s funny because I was vegetarian for many years and have gone back to eating meat and you have gone the other way, lol. We should compare notes one day.
    Great recipe!

  5. This brings back so many childhood memories! I can’t believe I’m only discovering this blog now.

  6. …I felt so much at home here in your blog that I decided to stay! Here in Hungary, my mother-in-law and my boyfriend (!) still cut the onions the way your mama did, and so do I sometimes (if the onion is not too soft).
    I fell in love with your blog, especially this recipe and decided – that`s what I`m going to cook this weekend.
    Thank you, spasiba, multumesc for this beautiful and lovely inspiration!

    1. Maggie… I write this blog for comments like this… Thank you…thank you…thank you. These comments are incredible. I am so glad you found comfort here 🙂 Welcome to my second home 🙂

      1. Oh Mila, if you’d know what aromas are wandering thru my small kitchen in those very moments right now, you’d beg me to beam you beside to the old world of Buda ♡ There “he” sits, the good old zharkoya, prepared the way your mama would have done, with love and thinking of you….still 1 1/2 hours to go 🙂 be my guest x

        1. Maggie… I love waking up to your incredible words 🙂 Yes the zharkoya certainly carries with it a certain degree of love and warmth doesn’t it 🙂 Memories of babushka’s and mom just bring up all sorts of goodness in our hearts 🙂

  7. Draga Mila, it’s time for Zharkoya again! My father in law stuffed himself silly (!!!) last time I prepared it! Zharkoya rocks herre in our hungarian corner!
    I cannot be thankful enough to you!
    And today I’m gonna do it again! I wish you health, luck and lots of love and success!
    Multumesc frumoas for your lovely recipes and your great blog! With lots of love from Hungary from Maggie

    1. Maggie!!! Thank you for your incredibly kind and warm words!!! I am so glad that my mom’s famous pot roast is getting standing ovations in your house as it does in mine 🙂

  8. Oh drága Mila, you have no idea how many times I made this wonderful pot here in good old Hungary. I even won’t prepare beef in another way than your, mama and babushka’s way! We embrace you and can’t thank you enough for this lovely recipe!

  9. My mom makes this with chicken but she reduces it until a lot of the water has evaporated and the sauce is nice and jammy. She pours more water in and lets it cook some more.

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