Desserts

3 min Read

Pot Roast and Berry Crumble

Pot roast with veggies and a bubbly fruit crumble for dessert sounds typical for Sunday supper when there’s more time to spend in the kitchen. In reality, a pot roast requires very little actual prep time. The oven does all the work, so you can toss it in after school and have perfect pot roast by dinnertime. A baked fruit crumble can share oven space. After all, anytime you’re able to have dinner with your family is a special occasion.

Pot roast - pot roast and berry crumble

Pot Roast

3-4 lb. blade, top blade, bottom blade, cross rib or brisket beef roast
salt and pepper
canola or olive oil, for cooking
1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup (60 ml) balsamic vinegar
3 cups (750 ml) beef stock
1 cup (250 ml) red wine (optional)
a few sprigs of thyme
1 lb. new or fingerling potatoes

Preheat the oven to 300˚F.

Pat your roast dry with paper towels and season it generously with salt and pepper. Set an ovenproof pot or braising dish over medium-high heat, add a drizzle of oil and brown the roast well on all sides. Transfer it to a plate.

Add the onions and carrots to the pot and cook for 3–4 minutes, until softened; add the balsamic vinegar and cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot for 3–4 minutes.

Return the roast to the pot and add the stock, wine and thyme. Cover and roast for 90 minutes. Then uncover and add the new potatoes, stirring to submerge them in the cooking liquid. Return to the oven to roast for another 90 minutes.

Appleberry crumble - pot roast and berry crumble

Apple-Berry Crumble

5 apples, unpeeled and sliced or cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup (250 ml) fresh or frozen raspberries, blueberries or cranberries
1/3 cup (85 ml) sugar, or to taste pinch cinnamon (optional)
3/4 cup (185 ml) whole wheat flour
1/2 cup (125 ml) brown sugar
1/2 cup (125 ml) sliced or slivered almonds
1/2 cup (125 ml) butter

Meanwhile, combine the apples, berries, sugar and cinnamon in a 9- or 10-inch baking dish; toss with your fingers to coat.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, brown sugar, almonds and butter and pulse until well combined and crumbly. Sprinkle over the fruit, squeezing it as you go to create larger clumps.

Slide it into the oven alongside the roast and bake for 1 hour, until the fruit is tender and bubbly around the edges.

Remove the pot roast and slice. Strain pan drippings and juice for an easy gravy. Serve roast with your favourite veggies, with the gravy drizzled overtop and the potatoes and carrots surrounding it (less serving dishes to clean up!)

While you eat the main course, return the crumble to the over to keep it warm. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Serves 6.

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