The Neelys’ savory pot roast with vegetables

Food Network stars Pat and Gina Neely share a classic, easy-to-make meal

Video: The Neelys make savory pot roast

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>> got much more coming up.

>>> this morning on "today's kitchen back to basics" down- home cooking with the husband and wife team, high school sweethearts, owners of neelys barbecue in nashville and they have their own food network show and now a cookbook "down home with the neelys." good morning.

>> good morning, meredith .

>> this smells so good. i want to get this as quickly as possible, but one question about the book. every recipe you have comes with a back story. why is that important to have a story with the recipe?

>> i think any time you have a recipe -- most of the recipes in our book are generational. they come from families, because if you think about it, that's where all the good loving and the good food comes from. the thing about home, you love it and just want to do. it this pot roast for one is very economical, it's very easy to make, feeds a family of four as a happy meal and guess what, adult working moms, we love that.

>> perfect. one pot, low-cost pot roast .

>> yes. easy, simple.

>> easy breezy .

>> we come from large families that we like to have very economical meals. so, what we've got is a three to four-pound roast here.

>> no bone in that, i take it.

>> no bone.

>> no bone.

>> we're going to season this baby with salt and pepper .

>> simple enough.

>> very simple. great thing about all of the recipes, they're so easy and simple and most of the ingredients are right in your cupboard.

>> absolutely.

>> then we want to sear it.

>> how long do you do this for?

>> just until it browns on every side.

>> okay.

>> kind of depends on the size. this one is browned beautifully.

>> beautiful.

>> we want to take it out of the pot --

>> and then one?

>> sit it there. look how delicious that looks.

>> just by itself.

>> right. then we've got some italian seasoning.

>> you throw that into the pot.

>> throw that in.

>> that's all going to go back in.

>> and in memphis, we've always got some beer.

>> of course.

>> got to have some beer. all right, so, then you pour the beer in.

>> yes, sir.

>> we've got two bay leaves . we take about eight garlic cloves --

>> whole.

>> just dump them in, whole.

>> whole, because they're going to cook down.

>> we've got some beef broth, all right?

>> to add flavor.

>> it's not beer, but all right.

>> then we've got some ported onions, all right? now, we dump these in, and you want to give it a vigorous stir.

>> okay.

>> and there are brown bits in the bottom that you want to rake off, because that's where all your flavor is.

>> right.

>> that's from the meat, from searing the meat.

>> people think it's best burnt, but you want to pull that flavor out.

>> once it comes to a boil, guess what? we're putting this baby right back in.

>> right back in.

>> you get that cooking.

>> so, you've got all the flavors going. now, we're going to lid this. it's going into the oven for about 300 degrees for three hours. it's going to be so tender. oh, my god, so tender.

>> and for a great piece of roast, you need vegetables. baby carrots , red potatoes and onions. now, meredith , i'll have you salt and pepper .

>> as much as i want?

>> as much as you want.

>> all right.

>> don't go crazy, though. we don't want to kill anybody.

>> i won't go crazy. you obviously know me. all right, i've done enough.

>> and drizzle in some olive oil .

>> okay, again --

>> and you just want to add in a little thyme to give it some more flavor.

>> you've got time, so add a little thyme.

>> you've got time for the thyme. then toss it around. that's all you do. very, very simple. so, put it on your baking sheet and let it roast for 45 minutes. dump it all in here --

>> what temperature? in the same oven as the pot roast ?

>> you sure can put it right in together. then that's it. when this is done, you want to add some lemon juice , some partly sun parsley and lemon zest --

>> now this is what it looks like.

>> come on back.

>> listen --

>> oh, man.

>> when you get back here, it's on, meredith .

>> this is southern at its best.

>> it's on.

>> oh, look at this!

>> coming in --

>> we knew they would show up.

>> we knew you were coming. you come at serving time.

>> we do, though.

>> what is this?

>> this is beautiful.

>> stop the presses!

>> broccoli cheddar corn bread . oh, my god, so amazing.

>> how are you doing?

>> and if you have kids and you want to sneak in a vegetable and they don't know it, that's a good way to do it.

>> right.

>> that sure is. this is good.

>> there you go, meredith . that's for you.

>> when you're in memphis and you've got the "down home with neelys" cookbook, try these recipes. i'm telling you. you know what we do when we're done with a great dish?

>> don't say that on air if --

>> no, listen, we rub our feet together. take your shoes off and rub your feet together.

>> i am taking my boots off right now.

>> there you go, baby. do it, do it, do it.

Show transcript

TODAY recipes

updated 11/10/2009 10:56:32 AM ET

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As co-owners of Neely’s Bar-B-Que, Pat and Gina Neely are known for their traditional Southern cooking. On their Food Network show “Down Home With the Neelys,” the couple share secrets to their tasty, classic dishes that incorporate everything from family recipes to their Memphis roots flavor. Find out how to make their simple and delicious pot roast with vegetables:

Recipe: Pot roast with roasted vegetables (on this page)

Recipe: Pot roast with roasted vegetables

The Neelys

Ingredients

Pot roast
2 tablespoons olive oil
One 3- to 4-pound boneless chuck roast, trimmed
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
12 ounces beer (not dark)
1 cup beef broth
One 2-ounce envelope Italian dressing mix
2 bay leaves
10 to 12 garlic cloves, smashed
2 onions, quartered
Roasted vegetables
1 1/2 pounds red new potatoes, halved
1 pound baby carrots
2 medium onions, quartered
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preparation

For vegetables:Place the potatoes, carrots, and onions in a large bowl. Add the olive oil and thyme, and season generously with salt and pepper, then toss until the vegetables are evenly coated.

Transfer the vegetables to a baking sheet or a large cast-iron skillet, and roast for 45 minutes, or until they are tender and well browned, using a metal spatula to flip them every 15 minutes or so. Remove the vegetables from the oven, cool for 10 minutes, then add the parsley, lemon zest, and lemon juice, and toss to combine. Taste for seasonings, and add more salt or pepper, as desired.

For meat: Preheat the oven to 300° F.

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over high heat. Season the pot roast generously with salt and pepper, then add it to the pot, and sear on all sides until nicely brown.

Transfer the roast to a plate, then pour the beer into the Dutch oven, whisk to scrape up any browned bits, and whisk down the foam. Stir in the broth, Italian dressing mix, bay leaves,
garlic, and onions. Put the roast back in the Dutch oven, and bake, covered, for 3 hours, or until tender, turning once. Remove the bay leaves, and serve with roasted vegetables.