"Pot roast" has got to be one of the great oxymorons of all time, right up there with "healthy tan" and "corporate culture." That's because pot roast isn't roasted at all -- it's braised.

Braising is a form of moist-heat cooking where the item to be cooked is first seared, then partially covered with liquid and simmered slowly, for a long time, at a relatively low temperature. This technique softens muscle fibers and dissolves connective tissues in tougher cuts of meat, leaving them tender, juicy and flavorful.

Braising is a great way to cook cuts of meat like beef chuck, flank, top round, oxtail, shank and shoulder. In yet another irony, retail cuts labeled "London broil" also make fine candidates for braising; indeed, broiling, a form of dry heat cooking, would be wholly inappropriate for London broil. Whoever comes up with these names clearly has a sense of humor. But that's okay -- this delicious and foolproof recipe for beef pot roast is bound to make you smile, too.
Is "foolproof recipe" another oxymoron? Swing by my culinary arts discussion forum and let me know what you think. You can also post questions or share anything else that happens to be on your mind.