From the AJC archives: The easiest pot roast you’ll ever make

Recipes using affordable cuts of meat, like chuck roast, are timelessly hearty and comforting. This week’s archive pot roast recipe took up only a small portion of The Atlanta Constitution in 1990, because it called for just four ingredients, with an extremely short set of instructions.

What cut of beef should a pot roast use?

Slow braising makes the toughest cuts of beef edible. Pot roast was a common way to feed a family on a tight budget, usually with a successful result no matter which cut was used. Although these cuts have tripled in cost since the original recipe came out in 1990, it is still a more affordable version versus premium steaks.

The most affordable cut goes by a few names — rump roast, bottom round or round roast. It is the leanest option, and tends to dry out easily if not carefully monitored. Adding some butter or oil to replace the fat can help keep it moist, if you choose this cut.

Chuck roast, which is what we used for this recipe, is the most common choice for its lean-to-fat ratio, which prevents it from drying out. The long roasting time allows the connective tissue and fats to break down, ensuring a richer, more gelatinous gravy.

Brisket is also another option, with a lean-to-fat ratio in between round and chuck. Brisket tends to remain intact after a long braise, which makes it ideal for slicing (and sandwiches).

How to cook the pot roast

The original recipe called for a long braise in a roasting pan with foil or lid. While the lower sides of a roasting pan make it ideal for dishes with crisp exteriors (especially for chicken and turkey) we recommend cooking your pot roast in a large Dutch oven, which is made for long braises at lower temperatures.

Using a slow cooker would be the next best method. It requires the least fuss, and can braise without much attention (or need to turn on the oven).

A pressure cooker can reduce your cooking time from three hours to two, but at the cost of less-developed flavors.

Two surprising ingredients that keep your pot roast moist and tender

With only four ingredients in this recipe, they all need to do some heavy lifting. Beer and ketchup carry this roast; use these two shortcut ingredients instead of multiple ingredients to achieve a similar affect.

Like wine, beer adds a layer of complexity, with different types imparting different flavors. And while the enzymes in beer have a slight effect in breaking down muscle fibers in the meat, it is not as significant as simply being a (tasty) liquid that keeps the roast from drying out.

Ketchup adds naturally occurring umami from concentrated tomatoes, along with sweetness and acidity. The vinegar in the ketchup tenderizes the meat as it breaks down the muscle fibers.

The question is, does it matter what type of ketchup and beer?

Has ketchup changed in the past decades?

Considering we have more sugar in our foods than we used to, it was surprising to find the formulation for ketchup hasn’t changed as much as I thought it would over the past few decades.

For most brands, the biggest change was the switch from cane sugar to high-fructose corn syrup. There isn’t a noticeable difference in flavor when using either type in a pot roast. Heinz does offer a version which uses cane sugar, called Heinz Simply Tomato Ketchup.

Which beer to add to your pot roast?

Different beers impart different flavors to your pot roast. When choosing a beer, go for low-hop varieties such as lagers, ales, porters and stouts. These will add balance and accentuate the flavors of the roast, not overpower it. A deeply flavored coffee stout or coconut porter could add something unique. Or dump a can of Bud Light in and call it a day.

Stay away from high-hop beers like IPAs — when cooked for a long time, they impart a bitter flavor.

To sear or not to sear?

Cooks usually sear meats to “seal in the juices,” and in the case of a roast, searing creates extra flavor from the caramelized bits on the bottom of the pot, called fond. Do it if you wish, but with strongly flavored components like ketchup and beer, feel free to skip this step to save time.