The Primal Blueprint Cookbook (4 page)
Read The Primal Blueprint Cookbook Online
Authors: Mark Sisson,Jennifer Meier
How to Keep Frozen Meat Fresh
Knowing how to properly freeze meat lets you take advantage of sales at the butcher shop and plan ahead for future meals. To avoid freezer burn, remove the meat from all of its original store packaging, dry with a thick paper towel to remove excess moisture, then tightly wrap in cling film, being sure all sides are secure and covered. Repeat the cling film wrap, this time wrapping from the open side first and then store in a plastic zipper bag (with all air removed). While this might seem a little extreme, we promise you that following this process will ensure that you will never again throw out a cut of meat!
Remove the cover, turn the roast and continue to cook in the oven
uncovered,
for another hour. Add more liquid if needed and stir the onions a bit after 30 minutes for even cooking.
Cover again and cook one hour more. The meat will be done when it is fork-tender. Remove the meat from the pot and let it rest, loosely covered with foil.
Strain the sauce, de-fatting if necessary. Season sauce with salt and pepper if desired. If there is a shoulder bone, remove it. Slice the meat or separate it into chunks for serving. Serve sauce over the meat after plating.
To reheat, place meat in casserole or pan with a bit of leftover sauce, or 2–3 tablespoons water or broth. Cover with lid or foil and bake at 325°F, or on the range at medium-low heat until heated through, about 15–20 minutes.
Note:
Pot Roast may also be made in a slow cooker. Brown meat in a large skillet on the stove, then place the meat in the crock. Place the onions on top of the meat and pour liquid over all. Cook covered on LOW for 7–8 hours. Remove cooked meat to a warm platter (be careful, it may fall apart into chunks) and cover with foil to retain heat. Strain liquid (onions may be placed on the meat if desired or left in the sauce) and simmer in a saucepan on the range over medium-heat until reduced by half. Pour some sauce on the meat and pass the remaining sauce in a gravy boat at the table.
LOW
C
OOKER
I
TALIAN
P
OT
R
OAST
Rich balsamic vinegar and a small section of oxtail give this pot roast a very rich and savory flavor. Get it started the night before, or in the morning for a stress-free dinner. This is an excellent recipe for a dinner party.
INGREDIENTS:
4 pounds chuck roast, removed from refrigeration 1 hour before cooking
3 or 4 inch section of oxtail (optional, but it really makes a difference in the sauce flavor and texture)
2 tablespoons fat
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 inch sprig fresh rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 cup water, beef or chicken stock, or dry red wine
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
2 cups finely chopped tomatoes
INSTRUCTIONS:
Warm a few tablespoons of fat or oil in a big, heavy skillet and brown the chuck roast on all sides. Put the section of ox-tail in the bottom of the slow cooker. Put the roast on top of the oxtail. Add the onion, garlic, rosemary on top of the beef.
Add water, stock or wine to the pan and deglaze by scraping and dissolving the brown bits on the bottom. Add the liquid to the slow cooker, along with the balsamic vinegar and tomatoes.
Don’t Shock the Meat
Meat that goes directly from a cold refrigerator to a hot pan has a hard time adjusting to the extreme temperature change and won’t cook evenly or in the amount of time a recipe suggests. Before you cook meat, let it sit out (covered, of course) for at least a half hour. This is enough time for the meat to come up in temperature for so it will cook evenly, but it is too short a time to promote any significant bacteria growth due to lack of refrigeration.
Cook covered on low setting for 8 hours. Remove roast to a warmed serving platter. Strain the liquid, discarding the oxtail bones and rosemary stem (leave the leaves), then place remaining onions and tomatoes on top of the roast. Cover the roast with foil to retain heat.
Simmer strained liquid until reduced by half—it will be rich and flavorful due to the oxtail section that cooked along with it.
Spoon some of the reduced sauce over the roast and pass the rest of the sauce in a gravy dish at the table.
