Let’s talk about cheap meat and the traditional Passover Seder roast. There is a lot of meat being sold in the kosher market that is grass fed from South America, primarily Uruguay that tends to cost significantly less than domestic beef. It tends to be very tough and lean. Some people think it has a metallic taste, while others think it tastes more “beefy”. I personally think that grass fed beef does lack some texture and flavor due to its lack of inter-muscular fat caused by the cows diet and high activity level.
That being said, with all the costs associated with Passover I wanted to figure out a way to make this more affordable meat palatable. By cooking it low and slow with some strong flavors you can get a decent texture and infuse some flavor back in to the meat. I figured, why not use some of the items already included in the Seder to help further keep costs down? There always seems to be an open bottle of wine and some extra apples from making Charoset,so I figured it would be both economical and tasty to incorporate them.
I include a lot of liquid to create a braise in this recipe, as many Ashkenazic Jews have a custom that we not to eat dry roasted meat at the seder. This recipe works well with any tough cut of meat. I used a french roast, but it would work the same for a top of the rib or a brisket. You may want to adjust the cooking time down slightly for a top of the rib if it’s on the smaller side or up for a large brisket.
Making chicken instead of or in addition to your roast, check out my super simple Honey Roasted Chicken recipe. It is great for a smaller crowd.
Recipe: Seder Roast
A classic holiday dish. This recipe works well with cheaper cuts of beef such as the grass fed meat from South America on the kosher market these day. It works well with French roast, top of the rib, or brisket, but I wouldn't use this recipe with something like a rib roast. As for the wine, try to use something on the drier side. I like Rioja for its natural spiciness, but a Cabernet or Merlot should work just fine.
- 1 750 ml Bottle Semi Dry Red Wine
- 1 Large Roast French roast, top of the rib, or brisket
- 3 Large Onions Chopped
- 1 Head Garlic Cloves peeled and smashed
- 3 Large Apples Peeled, cored, and diced
- 1 tbsp Dried Thyme
- Salt and Pepper To taste
- 3 tbsp Olive Oil No need for extra vrgin
- 1 Large Pot or Dutch Oven A deep stove top safe roasting pan will do in a pinch
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Trim any large pieces of fat or silver skin from your roast. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
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Add the olive oil to the pot and place over high heat. Once the oil is hot add the roast and sear on all sides. Remove the roast, leaving the fat in the pot.
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Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions start to brown. Add the apples and cook until the apples soften.
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Add wine and thyme. Roast at 275°F until tender about 4 hours. Allow the roast to rest until cool enough to handle, slice, and serve. Alternatively, allow the roast to cool completely, and slice and rewarm it in the liquid.
Don’t forget to check out Rachel’s new Passover recipe: Broccoli Cheddar Jalapeño Scones For Passover
Check out all of our Passover recipes here!
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