This Week’s Menu

Cranberry Pot Roast

From NW B&B cookbook, using adaptations from ATK

5-6lb top blade, chuck eye or other cheap roast (I have tied 2 smaller roasts together)

2 Tbs vegetable or canola oil

Salt and pepper

1 stick cinnamon

10 whole cloves

½ cup white wine

1 Tbs sugar

1 cup beef broth

1 cup chicken broth

water, if needed

4 cups cranberries, picked through, divided, about two bags

½ cup sugar

1 cup water

½ cup red wine

2 cups beef broth (or 1 c. chicken, 1 c beef)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a heavy Dutch oven or other heavy pan large enough to hold the roast. Generously salt and pepper the meat on all sides. Add the roast and brown well on all sides. Add the spices, sugar and liquids, and extra water, if needed, so that the liquids come halfway up the sides of the roast. Cover the pan and roast for 3 ½ to 4 hours until the meat is quite tender.

Cook the Cranberries while the meat is roasting. In a small pan, combine 3 cups fresh cranberries, sugar and water and simmer, stirring often, just until the sugar has dissolved and the berries begin to burst. Set aside.

When the roast is tender, remove the pan from the oven and remove all but ½ inch of the drippings (remove meat to do this, if easier, and return to pan). Pour the cranberry mixture over the meat and return to oven, uncovered, and cook about 30 minutes more.

Make the gravy while the roast is finishing. Put the reserved pan drippings in a small saucepan, and add wine and broth and after it boils, put at a high simmer to reduce. Midway through, add 1 cup cranberries. If needed, a mixture of 2tsp cornstarch with 1tbs water may be added to thicken.

Transfer the roast to a cutting board and cut into thick slices. Arrange on a serving platter and spoon the cranberry mixture from the roasting pan over the meat. Serve gravy separately.