Top-Rated Italian Pot Roast

Name: Top-Rated Italian Pot Roast
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 6 h
Total time: 6 h 30 min
Yield: 8 servings.
Cuisine: Europe, Italian
Ingredients: 1 cinnamon stick (3 inches); 6 whole peppercorns; 4 whole cloves; 3 whole allspice berries; 2 teaspoons olive oil; 1 boneless beef chuck roast (2 pounds); 2 celery ribs, sliced; 2 medium carrots, sliced; 1 large onion, chopped; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 1 cup dry sherry or reduced-sodium beef broth; 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes; 1/4 teaspoon salt; Hot cooked egg noodles and minced parsley, optional

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 30 min. Cook: 6 hours YIELD: 8 servings.

I'm always getting recipe inspiration from newspapers and magazines. Here’s a tender roast with aromatic spices that give it a Moroccan feel. —Karen Burdell, Lafayette, Colorado

Ingredients

1 cinnamon stick (3 inches)
6 whole peppercorns
4 whole cloves
3 whole allspice berries
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 boneless beef chuck roast (2 pounds)
2 celery ribs, sliced
2 medium carrots, sliced
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup dry sherry or reduced-sodium beef broth
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon salt
Hot cooked egg noodles and minced parsley, optional

Directions

1. Place cinnamon stick, peppercorns, cloves and allspice on a double thickness of cheesecloth. Gather corners of cloth to enclose spices; tie securely with string.
2. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Brown roast on all sides; transfer to a 4-qt. slow cooker. Add celery, carrots and spice bag.
3. Add onion to same skillet; cook and stir until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add sherry, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until liquid is reduced to 2/3 cup. Stir in tomatoes and salt; pour over roast and vegetables.
4. Cook, covered, on low 6-7 hours or until meat and vegetables are tender. Remove roast from slow cooker; keep warm. Discard spice bag; skim fat from sauce. Serve roast and sauce with noodles and parsley if desired.

Nutrition Facts

3 ounces cooked beef with 2/3 cup sauce: 251 calories, 12g fat (4g saturated fat), 74mg cholesterol, 271mg sodium, 11g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 3g fiber), 24g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 2 vegetable, 1/2 fat.