Photo by Karen Hermann
Serves 6
4-pound beef roast (e.g., chuck, rump, bottom, eye round)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup all-purpose flour (more if needed)
2–3 tablespoons canola oil
2 onions, thickly sliced
2 celery sticks, cut diagonally in 1-inch pieces
2 carrots, peeled, cut diagonally in 1-inch pieces
6 whole garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup whole pepperoncini chilies (about 8)*
1½ cups beef stock
2 large bay leaves
4 fresh oregano sprigs
1 pound small red potatoes, halved or whole
Fresh oregano for garnish
Season roast on all sides with salt and pepper, and dust with flour. In a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high, heat oil. Brown roast on all sides; remove from skillet, and place in slow cooker.
In the same skillet, saute onions, celery and carrots until onions are translucent. Add garlic and tomato paste; stir to combine. Add to slow cooker on top of roast. Add pepperoncini and enough beef stock to almost cover the roast. Add bay leaves and oregano. Cover with lid, and cook on low 6–8 hours. (If you don’t have a slow cooker, cook roast in a roasting pan in a 350 F oven for 2 ½ hours.) During the last hour of cooking time, add potatoes. Before serving, discard bay leaves, garlic cloves and oregano sprigs.
Slice roast. Reserve 2 cups shredded pot roast for second dinner: Beef-and-onion empanadas. Serve remainder with peppers, potatoes and carrots. Garnish with fresh oregano.
*Pepperoncini chilies are mild, sweet chilies. If you prefer a spicier flavor, substitute the pepperoncini with 2 jalapeno peppers.