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Zinfandel Braised Pot Roast with Pennsylvania Dutch Black Vinegar Sauce

Posted on Friday, August 26, 2005

Who knew I’d be known for making great pot roast? The secret to our signature dish is the cut of meat. You need to find a good butcher who can cut the short ribs for you. The sweet-tangy flavor of the sauce really cuts the richness of the meat. A great combination!
Chef Susan

Makes Serves 4 servings

Ingredients

(to season)

Kosher salt and cracked black pepper

4

9 ounce square cut boneless short rib pieces

2 Tablespoons

vegetable oil

½ cup

coarsely chopped peeled carrots

½ cup

coarsely chopped celery

1 cup

coarsely chopped red onion

2 large

bay leaves

5 sprigs

parsley

1 cup

Zinfandel Wine

2 cups

unsalted beef stock, or a little more

4 cups

good quality red wine vinegar, preferable, Zinfandel vinegar

1 ½ cups

packed brown sugar

¾ cup

dark raisins

Method

Preheat oven to 300°.

Sprinkle short ribs with salt and black pepper.

Heat vegetable oil in a roasting pan just large enough to hold all ingredients snugly.

When oil is hot, sear short ribs on all sides until browned. Remove short ribs to a plate and add vegetables to the roasting pan. Sauté the vegetables until beginning to caramelize, about 5 minutes and add the wine. Bring wine to a boil and stir vegetables, scraping up any browned bits that stick to the pan. Return the short ribs to the pan, placing them on top of the vegetables. Add the stock to barely cover the meat and bring the stock to a boil. Immediately turn off the heat and cover the pan with a tight fitting lid or with foil. Braise short ribs in the oven 2 ½-3 hours until meat is very tender. If not serving right away, let short ribs cool in the braising liquid then remove to a plate, strain the stock, discard the vegetables and return the meat to the stock. Pot roast may be refrigerated in the stock for up to two days. Reheat gently in the stock.

While meat is braising, make the sauce:

Combine the vinegar and the brown sugar in a heavy 2 quart saucepan. Bring to a boil, stir to dissolve the sugar, reduce the heat and simmer rapidly until liquid reduces to about 2 ½ cups. If in doubt about the quantity, carefully pour the sauce into a heatproof measuring cup. Pour back into the saucepan and add the raisins.

Bring sauce back to a rapid simmer and reduce to about 1 ½ cups. Sauce should be syrupy and glossy. Be careful sauce does not over-reduce and burn. Let sauce cool and strain.

Sauce will keep, refrigerated, indefinitely. Reheat slightly and serve with the pot roast, garnishing with the warm raisins.

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