Veal Pot Roast(Veau Dans Le Chaudron)
Submitted by nomadclark
Veal pot roast (veau dans le chaudron) with garlic-studded veal shoulder braised with whole potatoes and onions in a cast iron pot with no added liquid. The meat makes its own gravy.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
120 minREADY
150 minNo stock, no wine, no water. This Québécois-style veal pot roast cooks in a tightly sealed cast iron pot with nothing but the meat’s own juices for liquid. Whole potatoes and onions placed around the browned roast steam gently in that concentrated veal juice for two hours, emerging intact and deeply flavored rather than waterlogged and falling apart.
The browning step is everything. The directions are emphatic: don’t rush it. The color and flavor of the finished gravy depends entirely on how dark and thorough the initial sear is. That caramelized crust dissolves into the meat’s released juices during the long, covered cook, creating a rich, dark gravy from practically nothing.
Garlic cloves halved and stuffed into incisions in the meat perfume the veal from the inside during the slow braise. Thyme (or savory, a very Québécois herb) and a bay leaf are the only other aromatics needed. When the meat comes out, a quick boil over high heat reduces the pan juices to a thick, glossy gravy.
Pro Tips
- Brown the veal thoroughly on all sides. This is the foundation of the gravy’s color and flavor
- Keep the lid tightly sealed. Any steam that escapes is gravy you’re losing
- Don’t add any liquid. The veal releases enough moisture on its own if the lid stays tight
- Stir the vegetables gently when making the gravy so they stay whole
Variations
- Use a pork shoulder roast for a more affordable version of the same technique
- Add carrots alongside the potatoes and onions for a more complete one-pot meal
- Season with herbes de Provence instead of thyme for a broader herb flavor
Ingredients
Directions
Melt or heat bacon fat or oil in cast iron saucepan.
Stuff the 2 cloves of garlic, cut in two, into incisions made in the veal.
Place the meat in the hot fat and brown well on all sides.
Don’t rush this as the colour and flavour of the finished gravy will depend on how well the meat has been browned.
Add the thyme or savory and the bay leaf.
Place the potatoes and onions, whole around the meat.
Don’t add any liquid.
Cover tightly and cook over medium heat until meat is tender, about 2 hours.
The potatoes and onions will not break as there is no liquid added.
The veal will make its own gravy.
When cooked, remove the meat from the pan to a heated platter.
Place the pan over high heat and stir gently, so as not to break up the vegetables.
When they are well coated with gravy, boil another minute or so until the gravy has a nice consistency.
This is a complete meal.
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