Recipe: More Goleden Corral Pot Roast Information

Source: WLKY,Louisville, KY, FOOD, July 20, 2005
By: J. Scott Wilson, Staff Writer

Q: I recently made a trip to Florida, and went to the Golden Corral restaurant. Their pot roast was the greatest, with a really seared crust. I would love to know how they did that. I do not think it was just done by searing for quite awhile. But what do you think? -- Nana

A: Ah, the lure of the all-you-can-eat roast. I won't lie to you and say I never succumb, but once you make your own pot roast at home, you'll never be quite as satisfied with the buffet version.

The formation of crust on meat is a chemical process called the Maillard reaction. It's not the time so much as the heat that governs your crust formation. For my pot roast, I put my cast-iron skillet over high heat for about five minutes, then put my roast (which has been allowed to warm up a bit from refrigerator temperature and dusted with kosher salt) into the skillet. There will be a tremendous amount of noise and a marvelous aroma.

For a "flat" roast, give it about two minutes on each side. For a round one, just roll it a bit every 90 seconds or so until your desired crust is achieved.

You can then braise the roast with your choice of fixings and enjoy the results!