Beef Stew from Leftover Pot Roast

After making a full sized pot roast last week, I had a ton leftover. I put the leftovers into two tupperwear containers and threw them in the freezer. Earlier this week, I decided to take one out to thaw for dinner. Instead of just heating it up, I re-purposed it into beef stew. It was great! I may even like it more than the original pot roast. I put the meat and the sauce into a sauce pan and gently warmed it up and finished thawing it. Once the meat was thawed into to cut, I took it out, put it on a cutting board, and shredded it into bite sized pieces. I returned it to the sauce and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. I added some red pepper flakes, a cap full of Balsamic vinegar, and a pinch of salt to taste. I served it over orecchiette topped with some Pecorino Romano and it was such a tasty stew! A great incarnation of pot roast. I'm having some for lunch today - can't wait!

Pot Roast with Polenta

Merry belated Christmas! Sorry for the break in posts. On December 23, Jamie and I decided we'd exchange our presents and have a special dinner. (He's quite the wrapping enthusiast as you can see above - aren't I lucky?) 

He is not wont to making dinner requests, but I implored him. His request was pot roast. I've never made pot roast before, but it follows the same formula as short ribs, lamb shanks, etc. (Anything you cook for 2+ hours with wine and lots of veggies is always melt-in-your-mouth delicious, so I obliged.) I followed Ina Garten's recipe, but added a little Balsamic vinegar - a trick I learned to give amazing flavor and a touch of sweetness from another slow braise recipe.