Braised Beef Roast with Caramelized Onions ♥ Jury Duty

I have dodged the bullet so far. I got called one year, for the first session after the Holiday break and they had so much leftover business, I was sent home after lunch.
That was the closest I got to the inside of a jury room.

In NW New Jersey you are called for a 2DayCall-in/1Trial term of service. You call in after 5pm the night before to see if your number is called.

This is my second calling in 15 years, but no trials so far. I think I am overdue and there is a good chance I will finally serve on a jury.

Working at home spoils me for dinner preparation where I can get everything done during breaks in my day. I rarely have need for many 30 minute meals but I will need them for the next two days.

Right now I have a 3 pound chuck roast in the oven, slowly braising at 325° on a mound of thinly sliced onions, studded with pancetta (called larded) and cloves. At a little over $7.00 it is a true 5 ingredient oven miracle, there will be enough leftovers to toss WITH pasta, to stuff IN pasta or to make a pretty darn good chile con carne for the Super Bowl (goooooooo Giants!!!)

This would also make a good crock pot dish. Requires no browning, no liquid and very little preparation.

Here we go......

Beef Roast Braised with Onions
Serves 4-6

* 1/4 pound pancetta or salt pork a single piece
* 2 pounds boneless beef roast, preferably brisket
* 5 cloves
* 4 medium onions, sliced very, very thin (I used a V-slicer)
* Salt
* Black pepper from the mill

1. Cut pancetta into strips and then into 1" pieces. With the fatter end of a wooden chopstick, make a hole in the meat, push a piece of pancetta and then a clove into the hole.
Continue until all the cloves are used and evenly spaced.

2. Make a bed of the onions in a heavy Dutch oven or oven-safe stock pot, place the meat on top of the onions and salt & pepper liberally.
Place a sheet of foil over the pot and place the lid on top.

3. Bake for 1 hour and turn the meat over. Repeat 3x and cook for 30 minutes more (total 3 1/2 hours). If using a slow cooker, set on low for 8 hours, high for 4.

4. Remove and serve or wrap for later day. You will get about 1/2 cup of juice which I would use for a gravy or a tomato sauce or in a pot of chili.

Enjoy!!

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