Pot Roast with Marsala

By: Nick Stellino




Ingredients

  • 3-3 1/2 lbs Boneless beef pot roasts , tied
  • Salt, To taste
  • 1 tsp Pepper
  • 3 tbsp All-Purpose Flour
  • 3 tbsp Extra-light olive oil
  • 7 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 lbs Yellow onions, peeled and sliced
  • 2 Bay leaves
  • 3/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
  • 3/4 tsp Dried thyme
  • 2 tbsp Chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tbsp Chopped fresh rosemary
  • 4 cups Dry Marsala wine
  • 6 cups Beef broth
  • 1/2 lb Gorgonzola or blue cheese , cut in pieces (optional)

Directions

  1. Wipe the roast dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle the roast with 2 teaspoons of salt, pepper and flour, shaking off the excess.
  2. In a large non-stick pan, add the extra-light olive oil and cook over high heat, for about 2-3 minutes or until it is very hot. Add the beef roast and brown well on all sides, about 4 minutes. Transfer the meat to a baking dish and set aside.
  3. In a large stockpot, add the extra-virgin olive oil and heat over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Add the onions, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, dried thyme, chopped parsley, chopped basil, chopped rosemary and remaining salt. Cook, stirring well for about 8-10 minutes until the onions are soft.
  4. Increase the heat to high, add the Marsala wine, bring to a boil stirring well to dislodge the brown bits at the bottom of the pan and cook for 5-8 minutes until the liquid has reduced by 1/2. Add the browned roast, the juices that have accumulated in the pan and the beef broth. Bring to a boil then let simmer for 1 hour and 30 minutes, turning the meat every 15 minutes and stirring the contents of the pot to prevent the ingredients from sticking at the bottom of the pan.
  5. Transfer the meat to a cutting board and cover with foil. Take the bay leaves out of the sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil, and then decrease the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring well for 30 minutes. If you like it thicker then cook it more.
  6. Slice the roast and gently reheat the meat slices in the sauce over medium-low heat. Then serve on a large platter and top with some of the sauce. Serve the extra sauce on the side. Mashed potatoes make for a wonderful side dish for this earthy pot roast.
  7. Optional: To complete the sauce, add the Gorgonzola cheese and stir well until it has completely melted into the sauce.
  8. Chef's Tip: If you like a smoother sauce, process it in batches in a food processor and then serve.