Beer Braised Pot Roast

Beer Braised Pot Roast

3-4 lb boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 Tablespoons instant dark roast coffee
2 Tablespoons olive oil
3 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 tsp minced garlic
1 Tablespoon dried thyme
1 lb small carrots, peeled
1 large onion, cut into 8ths
14-oz can stout beer
32 oz carton low sodium beef stock
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
Hot Cooked Grits

Sprinkle the roast with salt and pepper and rub the outside with the coffee.  Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the roast 3-5 minutes on each side.  Place the roast in a 6-quart slow cooker.  Reserve the drippings in the skillet.

Add the tomato paste and garlic to the drippings and saute 1 minute.  Slowly add beer, whisking constantly.  Stir in thyme and beef stock; bring to a boil and cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture reduces to about 3 cups.

Pour the beer mixture over the roast.  Place the carrots and onions on top of roast.  Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or until roast is fork tender.

Transfer meat to a serving platter and shred into large chunks, discarding any large pieces of fat. Spoon vegetables around the roast.

Skim fat from the cooking liquid and transfer the liquid to a large saucepan.  Whisk in vinegar.  Whisk together cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl until smooth.  Stir into mixture in pan and bring to a boil for 1 minute, stirring, or until sauce reaches desired consistency.  Serve sauce with roast, vegetables and hot cooked grits.

The meat was quite good, the sauce - not so much.  And I hated the grits!  Blech!  From Southern Living's 2015 Annual Recipes.