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Can I prepare a pot roast in a foil container a few days before cooking? I also want to brown the meat and veggies, and add the stock and wine. Then place it in a foil roasting pan with the foil lid, and cook it two days later. What are the dangers if any??? I think the pot roast will be full of flavor as it been marinating for a few days.

user15096
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1 Answers1

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If you follow proper cooling and food storage methods you should be able to treat this just like any other par-cooking method. I would suggest browning the meat and veg and then cooling it quickly by placing it in a large zip top bag with cold stock to rapidly cool the meat. This will enable you to quickly cool the meat and allow you to store/marinate the meat until you want to cook it at a later date. I would add the wine to the bag the day before you are planning on cooking the roast so you don't overdo it with the wine flavor.

Basically, as long as you rapidly cool the meat after browning and then store properly in the fridge you should be just fine.

Brendan
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  • This is mostly correct, one thing I would add is that you have to be careful with certain acidic foods/ingredients reacting poorly with aluminum foil. (like tomatoes) Don't want your roast tasting like it came from a can! ;-) – JesseW Jan 06 '13 at 21:26
  • thats why i said to store it in a plastic bag. Cooking in the tray isn't going to make a difference even if its with tomatoes. – Brendan Jan 07 '13 at 01:01
  • Regarding the wine - it depends on the flavor profile and texture you want. If you marinate in wine for a couple of days, the wine will help tenderize the meat, and you'll end up with something that tastes like beef bourguignon. One of my favorite things to do with a tough cut of beef is to marinate in wine for a few days before cooking. Use something with a little more acidity, and you'll end up with sauerbraten. But if the goal is "American pot roast," your advice is absolutely correct. – Athanasius Jan 07 '13 at 01:36
  • Aha, sorry @Brendan I missed that. – JesseW Jan 07 '13 at 02:44