Marie called most any dish that she added wine to “French,” and her French pot roast was a star of the genre. The paprika and bell pepper are additions from the late writer Laurie Colwin, who along with Marie would top my list of people to eat pot roast with.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 8 to 10
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Season the roast generously with salt and pepper, preferably 24 hours in advance, and refrigerate.
Step 2
If the roast is floppy or tapered, tie it into a compact shape with kitchen twine. Allow it to come to room temperature, about 1 hour.
Step 3
Preheat the oven to 300°F.
Step 4
Heat a large, heavy Dutch oven (this dish has a tendency to age a pot’s interior; if possible pick a pot that has already been well used) over medium-low heat. Add the oil and then the roast. Sear the meat on all sides, turning it frequently, until it is deep golden brown and all the fat is rendered, about 20 minutes. Set the roast aside on a plate.
Step 5
Add the bacon to the pot and cook it over medium heat until it softens and starts to turn translucent, about 1 minute. Then add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and bell pepper, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until the vegetables have softened. Add the paprika, lower the heat a bit, and cook for another few minutes, until it darkens to a deeper red and is very fragrant. Add the bay leaves and wine, simmer for 2 minutes, and then add the tomatoes along with their juice, gently squeezing each one over the pot with your fingers to break them up as they go in. Return the mixture to a simmer for a minute or so, adding a little more salt if necessary.
Step 6
Return the roast to the pot, and as the liquid returns to a low simmer, spoon some over the vegetables and the meat to moisten it. Place a piece of parchment or aluminum foil on top of the meat and then crimp it snugly around the roast so that the edges nearly meet the liquid. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, transfer it to the oven, and braise for about 3 hours, turning the roast over once or twice during this time, until the meat is very tender.
Step 7
Transfer the roast to a carving board and discard the bay leaves. Use an immersion blender to puree the gravy in the pot, or better yet, push it through a coarse sieve with a spatula. Remove the kitchen twine if necessary, slice the roast, and serve with the warm gravy.
