by Victoria Brown: Comfort Foods are always welcome this time of year. Pot roasting is a great way to get the most out of cheaper cuts of meat and using a Crock Pot or a slow cooker makes the cooking process hassle free. Sheree DeLorenzo of Seaport Grille shows us how to make her New England pot roast of chuck beef complete with vegetables.

A pot roast is usually associated with beef, most commonly chuck or round cut, but can also be made with other meats, such as lamb or pork. A cheaper, tougher cut of meat, which would be unsuitable for oven roasting, is braised - slowly and at a low heat. This tenderizes the otherwise tough meat and the liquid, laced with aromatics, seasons the meat, resulting in a flavorful, succulent piece of meat with delicious gravy.

A pot roast can be made in a heavy based casserole over a low flame or in the oven, but one of the benefits of making a pot roast in a Crock-Pot or other slow cooker is that you have much more control over the temperature. This means you can guarantee wonderfully tender meat. It also means you can safely leave the pot roast cooking without having to check on it; as DeLorenzo explains “you put your Crock-Pot right on ten hours so it while you are at work and it cooks on a low heat and when you come home from work your whole dinner will be made and you just open it up and feed your family.”

As well as aromatics, such as onion, garlic, celery, rosemary and bay leaves, DeLorenzo also adds vegetables, such as butternut squash, potatoes and parsnips, to be served alongside. This is commonly known as a Yankee Pot Roast, since it is the traditional way of making pot roasts in New England. She also suggests serving it with some crusty bread to mop up the gravy and recommends a bottle of Pinot Noir, light and smooth, to complement the dish.

DeLorenzo is very happy with the results and she is sure your family will be too: “Oh my God, I just could eat this whole thing. It’s absolutely delicious!” she exclaims, “I’m very happy this dish … Your family is going to love it.”