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1
Put the butter or oil in a casserole or skillet that can later be covered and turn the heat to medium-high.
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2
Put the sugar on a plate and dredge all surfaces of the meat in it; reserve the remaining sugar.
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3
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.
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4
When the meat is nicely browned, add the vinegar and cook for a minute, stirring, then add the cranberries and remaining sugar and stir.
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5
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.
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6
Turn the heat to low and cover; the mixture should bubble but not furiously.
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7
Cook, turning the meat and stirring for about 1 hour, or until the internal temperature is 125F to 130F (medium-rare); you can cook it longer if you like.
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8
When the meat is done, taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
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9
Turn off the heat and let the roast rest for a few minutes, then carve and serve, with the sauce.
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10
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.
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11
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.
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12
You can even cook it in advance and reheat it, or cut the meat up before cooking and call it beef stew.
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13
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.
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14
Thus inexpensive cuts like chuck and brisket are bestand you can use either one.
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15
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.
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16
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.
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17
Only when it appears good and brownedreally browned, not just coloredshould you proceed to the next step.
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18
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.
