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Through the magic of television, the dish was finished after the next commercial break, and it was a sight to behold. The meat looked so tender that it appeared to melt away after making contact with a fork. And, those modest blue collar ingredients had apparently reinvented themselves as a smooth, rich and zesty sauce. I was impressed.
For the rest of our trip, I kept thinking about that pot roast and how absolutely wonderful it looked. And, it was so simple! After seeing it prepared one time, the recipe was already imprinted in my brain. I knew that once I got back home, it was only a matter of time before I tried it for myself.
I did try it for myself – in the dead of August. I couldn’t even wait for the weather to turn cool. But, it was worth the frizzy hair and a little extra sweat. That pot roast was amazing! The meat just fell apart and melted in our mouths. And the sauce was to die for. It was deep and complex, with the whole spicy/salty/sweet thing going on. Who’d have thunk it? Certainly, not me.
Since then, I have made this pot roast recipe many, many times. In fact, it is my favorite way to make pot roast. I’ve tried other recipes – and they’re good – but I always come back to this one. I’ve tweaked a few things along the way, like browning the meat first. I also mix the sauce ingredients together before adding them to the meat. And, I often add onions, carrots and potatoes as well. Sometimes, I’ll even throw a few turnips , parsnips or rutabaga into the pot. I’ve also tinkered with the sauce at times, adding a little Worcestershire, soy or hot sauce. Once, I even added a splash of sriracha. It’s all good.
The first thing you need to do is salt and pepper your meat. Don’t be stingy!
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Then, make up the braising liquid. Just whisk together a can of Coke, a packet of onion soup mix and a bottle of chili sauce.
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Next, you need to sear the meat a little to seal in the juices. After that, pour in the braising liquid, cover and slide it in the oven.
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While the pot roast is cooking, chop up some carrots, onions and any other veggies that you want to use. You’ll add them in after an hour or so. Then, go find something fun to do for a few hours. Or, go clean out your closets. It’s up to you, but I’m voting for the fun thing.
When you’re done, you will have the tenderest, succulent, most meltingly delicious hunk of beef that you ever tasted.
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So, why do I call this dish Trailer Trash Pot Roast? Well, it ain’t Bœuf Bourguignon, my friends. It’s meant to be tongue in cheek, so don’t get your panties all in a twist about it. Still, with ingredients like packaged soup mix, bottled chili sauce and Coca Cola, the moniker seems fitting. It got your attention, didn’t it?
Trailer Trash Pot Roast
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 3-4 pound beef chuck roast
Salt and pepper for seasoning roast
1 can Coca Cola (classic Coke)
1 packet Lipton Onion Soup mix
1 bottle Heinz Chili Sauce
2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
4 carrots, scrubbed and roughly chopped into 1 to 2-inch chunks
Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 F.
1. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season roast with salt and pepper and sear the meat until browned on both sides, about a minute or two per side. Remove from heat.
2. Stir Coke and onion soup mix together in a bowl. Whisk in chili sauce.
3. Pour Coke mixture over the chuck roast, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot. Cover and bake for 1 hour.
4. Add the onions and carrots to the roast, cover and continue baking for another 2-3 hours, until meat and vegetables are fork tender.
5. Serve with mashed potatoes, hot buttered egg noodles or a big old loaf of crusty bread to sop up the sauce.
Enjoy!
