Mistral's red wine-braised tri-tip pot roast
Good things take time, especially when it comes to a great pot roast. Reader Jim Malmberg emailed us about the red wine-braised tri-tip pot roast he had at Mistral, the French bistro in Sherman Oaks that has been a San Fernando Valley favorite for 29 years. “It was amazing,” Malmberg wrote. “It is without a doubt one of the best beef dishes that I’ve tasted in a very long time.”
Mistral’s tri-tip is slowly braised in a flavorful red wine reduction made with carrots, celery and onion, along with fresh thyme and bay leaves, until the roast is tender, a couple of hours. Once accomplished, you could serve the roast and be happy. But if you can stand the wait, allow the dish to rest overnight in the refrigerator, to give the flavors time to reach their peak, then heat it up and serve; you won’t be disappointed. Mistral was happy to share its recipe, which it offers as a special about once a week, and which we’ve adapted below.
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Season the tri-tip all over with 1½ teaspoons salt and ¾ teaspoon pepper, or to taste.
In a heavy Dutch oven or lidded pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add the meat and sear to brown on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes.
Remove the tri-tip, then add the carrots, celery and onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened and beginning to caramelize, 6 to 8 minutes.
Add the red wine and continue to cook, scraping any flavoring from the bottom and sides of the pot. Continue cooking until the wine is reduced by half, 10 to 15 minutes.
While the wine is reducing, make a cornstarch slurry: Whisk the cornstarch with 2/3 cup water until the cornstarch is dissolved.
When the wine is reduced, stir in the thyme and bay leaves, then the slurry. Finally, add the meat back to the pot and take the pot off the stove.
Place a piece of parchment paper over the meat and vegetables, then cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. Place the pot in the oven and cook until the tri-tip is fork tender, 1½ to 2½ hours, checking occasionally.
When the meat is tender, remove the tri-tip from the pot and strain the sauce, discarding the vegetables and herbs. Set the tri-tip aside to rest. The roast is best made up to this point and refrigerated for a day to give the flavors time to marry before serving.
Remove any fat that has accumulated at the top of the sauce. Slice the roast (it’s easiest to slice when cold), then reheat both, tasting and adjusting the seasoning as necessary, before serving.
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