Excellence isn’t a podium. It’s a practice. - Slow-Braised Beef Pot Roast with Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Growing up, my mom didn’t cook much. Most nights it was a TV dinner, or maybe some fish sticks and Kraft mac and cheese. But she did make a mean pot roast. It was the classic crock-pot version with dried French onion soup mix, cream of mushroom soup, carrots, and potatoes. We loved it so much that my brother’s dog once poached an entire Tupperware full off his counter while my mom was visiting him in college.

Most restaurant pot roasts aren’t cooked that way though. They tend to lean more toward an osso buco or short-rib approach. When I found this recipe a couple of weeks ago, I figured I’d give that style a try, especially since it came with what looked like a killer take on mashed potatoes.

It didn’t disappoint. The roast was rich and tender, the potatoes were next-level, and the gravy tied it all together in the best possible way. If you’ve got family visiting and you have to feed them this holiday season, this is the move.

Slow-Braised Beef Pot Roast with Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

For the Roast:
3 lbs chuck roast
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 cups beef broth
1 cup red wine (or more broth)
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp rosemary
1 bay leaf

For the Garlic Mashed Potatoes:
2 lbs potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 tbsp butter
½ cup warm milk or cream
2 cloves roasted garlic, mashed
Salt and pepper to taste