Cola-Braised Pot Roast

Hmmm. What to feed kids who are begging you for a red meat meal. "Please Mom, I want cow."

Serves 6 and comes via Emeril:

4.5 lb boneless chuck roast
3 .5 tsp kosher salt, divided
2 tsp fresh ground pepper
2 Tbsp minced garlic
2 tsp minced fresh rosemary
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 C beef stock or low-sodium canned beef broth
12 oz cola soda
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2.5 Tbsp flour

Season the roast on all sides with 2 tsp of salt and pepper. Combine salt, minced garlic and rosemary in mortar and pestle--mash to a paste. Make thin slits into roast on all sides about 2in. apart and fill holes with the paste.

Heat a Dutch oven over high heat and add oil. When oil is hot, add roast and cook till well browned on all sides, 10-12 min. Remove from pan. Add stock and cola and bring to boil, scraping brown bits from bottom of pan with wooden spoon. Add tomato paste and stir to blend. Return roast to pan. (Here I added a handful of dry sundried tomatoes). Liquid should be 1/2 way up sides of roast. Cover, place in oven (325degrees for 3.5 hrs. or 250degrees for 5.5hrs). Turn meat every hour or so and add water if necessary to keep liquid 1/3 up sides of roast.

Transfer meat to platter and cover loosely to keep warm. Skim off fat, reserving 2 Tbsp in small bowl. Add flour. Stir to make paste. Add 1/2C hot cooking liquid and whisk to combine. Whisk this into the remaining liquid in Dutch oven over high heat on stovetop. Cook till it boils and thickens. Cook 5 min more till thick enough to coat a spoon. Serve roast with the hot gravy (there's enough here for potatoes).

I would show you pics but it's all in our bellies.