Yankee Pot Roast for Two

By lorik

Ingredients

• 2 8-10 ounce beef top blade steaks
• Salt and pepper
• 4 tsp vegetable oil
• 3 carrots, peeled ( 1/2 carrot chopped fine, 2 1/2 carrots cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces)
• 1 onion (1/2 onion chopped fine, other half cut into 4 wedges from root end)
• 1 celery rib, minced
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• 1 3/4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 10 ounces red potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Details

Servings 2

Preparation

Step 1

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Pat steaks dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tsp oil in 12 inch oven safe skillet (with lid), over medium high heat until just smoking. Brown steaks on both sides, about 3 minutes per side; transfer to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium, add remaining 2 tsp oil to now empty skillet and heat until shimmering. Add chopped onion, carrot, celery, and 1/2 tsp salt and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth, soy sauce, thyme, bay leaf and bring to a boil. Return steaks and any accumulated juices to skillet. Cover and bake for 1 1/4 hours.

Flip steaks and add carrot pieces, onion wedges, and potatoes to skillet. Cover and bake until vegetables are tender and fork slips in and out of meat, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer steaks and vegetables to platter with slotted spoon and tent loosely with foil.

Defat braising liquid with large spoon and discard thyme sprig and bay leaf. Bring liquid to boil over medium high heat and cook until reduced to 1 cup, about 3 minutes. Off heat, stir in parsley and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce over meat and vegetables and serve.