Mini Pot Roast Recipe

Season and Sear

Pat beef cheeks dry. Season evenly with 2 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Lightly dust with flour if using. Heat 2 tbs vegetable oil in a heavy ovenproof pot (Dutch oven) over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear cheeks 3–4 minutes per side until deep brown; transfer to a plate.

Sauté Mirepoix

Reduce heat to medium. Add 1 tbs butter to the pot. Add chopped onion, diced carrot, and diced celery; cook 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to brown. Add smashed garlic and 2 tbs tomato paste; cook 1–2 minutes, stirring to caramelize the paste.

Deglaze and Braise

Pour in 1 cup red wine to deglaze, scraping up browned bits. Reduce wine by half (about 4–5 minutes). Return seared cheeks to the pot. Add 3 cups beef stock, 3 sprigs thyme and 1 bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover with lid, and transfer to a 300°F (150°C) oven. Braise until fork-tender, 2.5–3 hours.

Rest and Strain

Remove pot from oven. Transfer cheeks to a tray and cover loosely with foil to rest. Strain braising liquid through a fine sieve into a saucepan, pressing on solids to extract flavor. Skim fat if desired and reserve 1 cup strained liquid for finishing sauce; keep remaining liquid for other uses or store.

Place peeled, diced celery root (1 lb) and diced potato (0.5 lb) in a pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Add 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until very tender, 18–22 minutes. Drain well.

Return drained vegetables to the pot off the heat. Add 2 tbs butter and 0.5 cup heavy cream. Use an immersion blender or pass through a fine mesh to achieve a smooth purée. Season with 0.5 tsp white or black pepper and 0.5 tbs lemon juice if using. Adjust salt to taste. Keep warm until plating.

While cheeks are braising or during the last 20 minutes of braise, prepare the onions and carrots. Bring a small pot of water to a simmer, add peeled cippolini onions and blanch 2 minutes to loosen skins. Remove, cool briefly, peel fully if needed, and dry.

Heat 1 tbs vegetable oil and 2 tbs butter in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the cippolini onions and baby carrots. Season with 1 tsp salt, 0.5 tsp pepper and 1 tsp brown sugar. Sear, turning occasionally, until caramelized and tender, about 8–12 minutes. If they brown too quickly, lower heat and add a splash (1–2 tbs) of the reserved braising liquid to deglaze and finish cooking. Keep warm.

Warm the reserved 1 cup strained braising liquid in a saucepan over medium heat. Reduce slightly if you want a thicker sauce (3–5 minutes). Remove from heat and whisk in 2 tbs cold unsalted butter, one piece at a time, to mount the sauce and give it a glossy finish. Taste and adjust seasoning.

To serve (makes 2 mini pot roasts): Spoon a generous portion of celery root purée in the center of each plate. Halve each beef cheek if large, and place one piece on top of the purée. Arrange 4 cippolini onions and 4 seared carrots around the meat. Spoon the finished braising sauce around and over the meat. Garnish with 1 tsp chopped fresh parsley per plate. Serve immediately.