POT ROAST WITH CRANBERRIES

Steps:

• Put the butter or oil in a casserole or skillet that can later be covered and turn the heat to medium-high. Put the sugar on a plate and dredge all surfaces of the meat in it; reserve the remaining sugar. When the butter foam subsides or the oil is hot, brown the meat on all sides, seasoning it with salt and pepper as it browns.
• When the meat is nicely browned, add the vinegar and cook for a minute, stirring, then add the cranberries and remaining sugar and stir. Strip the zest from the orange (you can do it in broad strips, with a small knife or vegetable peeler) and add it to the pot; juice the orange and add the juice also, along with a pinch of cayenne. Turn the heat to low and cover; the mixture should bubble but not furiously.
• Cook, turning the meat and stirring for about 1 hour, or until the internal temperature is 125°F to 130°F (medium-rare); you can cook it longer if you like.
• When the meat is done, taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Turn off the heat and let the roast rest for a few minutes, then carve and serve, with the sauce.
• A Note On Pot Roasts, Stews, and Other Braised Beef Dishes
• Pot roast and its ilk are true no-brainers: since they are always cooked well done, timing is pretty flexible, and since they are cooked in a covered pot with liquid, neither source nor level of heat matters much.
• You can cook a pot roast on top of the stove or in the oven, at a very low heat, something more moderate, or even quite high. You can even cook it in advance and reheat it, or cut the meat up before cooking and call it beef stew.
• Tender cuts of beef, like sirloin and even tenderloin, will markedly reduce the cooking time but will not produce the same rich, silky sauce created by the tougher cuts. Thus inexpensive cuts like chuck and brisket are best-and you can use either one. Chuck becomes tender a little faster, but it is fattier; brisket becomes a little drier, but the sauce takes care of that, and it slices beautifully.
• Remember that when you are browning the meat, a step called for in each of the following recipes, you should keep the heat high and not move the meat around. Only when it appears good and browned-really browned, not just colored-should you proceed to the next step.
• The best part is that flavoring pot roast is no more than a matter of taste; you can hardly go wrong as long as the ingredients that go in the pot all appeal to you.