Pot Roast Possibilities

Red wine goes particularly well with braised beef, but you can use almost any liquid you like: white wine, beer, hard cider, broth, even rum. You can also shape the flavor of the braising liquid with herbs, either cooked with the meat in a bouquet garni (slow-cooking herbs such as thyme and bay leaves) or chopped and added to the pot at the last minute to impart a fresh note (chervil, parsley, chives, basil, or tarragon, or a combination). The garnish can be the aromatic vegetables included at the beginning, or you can strain out those vegetables and cook new vegetables, either separately or with the roast, during the last 30 minutes to 1 hour of braising.