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"It&amp;#039;s time to start tackling those big cuts of beef in my freezer, and one of the best ways to do it is to crack open Molly Stevens&amp;#039; All About Braising. This recipe is a pretty basic roast, but the braising liquid includes 1/4 cup hard apple cider. I used Woodchuck&amp;#039;s Fall Cider, which along with some cloves and a bay leaf lent a sweet and spicy undertone to the meat. This roast is slice-able but so tender that my 1-year-old devoured it with no problems.   One sweet tip from Stevens&amp;#039; book is this: peel an onion, then attach a bay leaf to it with 3 cloves. Nestle this in the braising liquid, clove side down, to flavor the braising liquid and make removing the aromatics easy.  I started with a 3-inch-thick, flat piece of chuck roast. I seasoned it with salt and pepper on both sides, then browned it for 5 minutes on each side in my Dutch oven. Removed the meat, then added 1/4 cup hard cider and deglazed the pan. Then I put the meat back into the pot, sprinkled with dried thyme and poured 1 cup stock over the top. (I used chicken, stock, but beef stock would be more appropriate, no?) Add the onion with cloves and bay leaf attached. Brought the liquid to a boil, then put the roast in a 300-degree oven. When I turned the meat after 45 minutes, the liquid wasn&amp;#039;t simmering, so I turned the oven up to 315 degrees (so it might take some adjustments to get the temp right to maintain a gentle simmer). I peeled 4 potatoes and cut them in big chunks and put those, along with 1/2 pound baby carrots, in with the meat at this point. Cooked for another 2-plus hours, then removed the meat and vegetables from the braising liquid. I tried to reduce the liquid for a sauce, but I&amp;#039;m not patient enough. I kind of wish I had made a gravy; it would&amp;#039;ve been delicious.  Some more fall braises:  Chicken with Leeks Pork and Apple Stew Osso Buco \u2014 Kim Walker "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.womansday.com/food-recipes/a44038/hard-ciderabraised-pot-roast-3854/>