Fresh and Hearty: Pot Roast Sandwich with Mint Infused Jelly and Crisp Microgreens
I know what you’re probably thinking.
“Pot roast? Jelly? MINT?!”
Hear me out on this one.
Going to the Boise Farmers Market is a weekly ritual for Tony and myself, barring any work obligations of course. Every week we have our essentials we buy, from delicious meats to fresh herbs and seasonings, to locally grown organic produce. One item rises to the top for me though, and that’s jelly. It’s my vice! I grew up with the standard PB&J sandwich and having a nice selection of jams and jellies keeps my taste buds on their toes! The Jelly Lady at the market has been graciously supplying my habit, and in the course of trying out all their fantastic flavors (Pear and Pineapple, Tropical Delight, and Tequila Sunrise are my personal favorites), I’ve amassed a veritable Everest of jars as the centerpiece of our dining room table.
Tony thinks it might be time for an intervention. If this is wrong, I don’t want to be right!
As much as I love my PB&J, I’ve recently taken a keen interest in the more nontraditional flavors The Jelly Lady provides. Jams and Jellies aren’t just sweet, you know! The varieties of Jalapeno jam (Huckleberry Jalapeno is a must-try) are mind blowing, and such a mouthwatering combination of sweet, yet spicy with a bit of back heat. Still others, like the Red Pepper Jelly, add a sweetness that compliments their savory undertones.
Seriously, Those Jalapeno flavors are the bomb!
Their Mint Jelly does this incredibly well, and immediately jumped out at me as something to try. The mint is subtle, but just present enough to remind you of the delicious spread. Its savory-ness and freshness comes through incredibly well and, just like any other time I try a new ingredient, recipes and flavor combinations started prancing around in my head like equestrian dressage.
And that’s where this sandwich comes in.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And I am beholding!
Mint is a surprisingly versatile herb, which means it can be used effectively in both sweet and savory dishes. Even more surprising is how well its freshness compliments perfectly tender beef. It really didn’t take that long to put two and two together to realize that this could make a fantastic addition to a hearty and hefty sandwich.
Beds upon beds of microgreens!
The best part? While this sandwich is loaded with meat, the addition of microgreens along with the mint make this incredibly light for what it is. Tree City Microgreens holds one of the keys that unlocks the success of this sandwich. The crisp flavors that microgreens introduce transforms this sandwich into an experience. The blend we used for this was Leek, Radish, and Mustard greens; This introduces a refreshing spiciness that kept us salivating for more! Other blends of microgreens work just as well (Tony likes speckled pea on his, which adds a little sweetness). Combine all these hearty and fresh ingredients with perfectly toasted bread, and you have an extraordinary sandwich that will please even the pickiest eaters. Seriously, you owe it to your taste buds to try this out!
So good it needs to be seen a second time!
First, we took a 3 pound arm roast and set it in our cooker. We use an Instapot, because we have a small kitchen and having a versatile piece of equipment was a no-brainer for us. A slow cooker or crock pot works just as well for this, too. After the roast came to room temperature, we added the salt, pepper, and a blend of seasonings we got from Purple Sage Farms called the Idaho Bean Blend. While there certainly isn’t any beans in this dish, the combination of Oregano, Sage, Basil, and Marjoram encompasses the meat in herbaceous goodness.
Next, we sliced the onion into wedges, crushed the garlic cloves, and added both items to the pot. We then added the rosemary (it’s beef, so this was a must have!), and gently placed our generously seasoned roast right on top. Lastly, we added the beef stock, carefully pouring it around the roast so as not to wash off any of the glorious seasoning that we wanted to sink into the meat.
It looks so comfortable on top of its’ flavorful bed of vegetables!
In our Instapot, we set the valve to sealing, selected the Meat/Stew setting, and let it go for 90 minutes. After that, we let it vent naturally for 30 minutes before releasing the valve. In a slow cooker, this would be the equivalent of setting it to low and letting it cook for about 8 hours. You really want this meat to Fall. Apart. Make sure to go until its nice and fork tender!
You can smell this through the screen!
Since you’ll have a bit of time on your hands while the beef is cooking, now’s a great time to get the toppings of the sandwich together. For our mint infused jelly, we took fresh mint from our garden, and minced it finely. We then combined it with the mint jelly that we purchased from The Jelly Lady. We found that adding fresh mint made the freshness of the jelly stand out, which in turn complimented everything else even more. Plus, I like adding a little extra mint for that added sharpness. Simply stir to combine and set aside. Then, we set our skillet onto the stove top on medium heat. We took our Caraway Rye Bread slices (Which we got from Acme Bakeshop), buttered them, and fried them. I prefer to butter both sides, not just to prevent sad, soggy bread, but also to ensure that every bite has a nice, crunchy texture.
The crispy bread on both sides is completely worth the effort!
Once the meat was done, we removed it and shredded it into delicious chunks of beefy goodness. Then, all we had to do was to put it all together! Starting with the bottom slice of bread, we spread our fragrant mint infused jelly, and placed a glorious heap of meat on top. Then, we trimmed our microgreens, and placed a generous portion on top of the meat. Finally, we finished the sandwich with the top slice of crispy bread. I personally recommend a homemade mayonnaise to use with the top slice, as it gives a richness that is a superb compliment to the ingredients we used. Tony personally recommends using goat cheese from Picabo Desert Farm instead of mayonnaise, as it gives a luxurious creaminess to the texture. In the end, this sandwich can totally be customized to your tastes!
Oh my heavens… I need a moment.
And that’s all there is to it! It’s a deceptively simple sandwich, with a melding of flavors that will tantalize your taste buds! Plus, it’s incredibly easy to turn this into a French dip by straining the leftover liquid, adding yet another dimension of flavor! Try this out for your next picnic for a refreshing, yet fulfilling meal!
This sandwich is ready for its closeup, and I’m ready to eat!
Pot Roast Sandwich with Mint Infused Jelly and Crispy Microgreens
Servings: 6 good sized sandwiches
Ingredients:
3 lb Beef Roast (arm roasts works very well)
3 sprigs of rosemary
1 medium yellow onion
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 cups beef broth
2 tbsp salt,
2 tbsp pepper, and
4 tbsp Idaho Bean Blend
3 cups microgreens from Tree City Microgreens
1 cup mint jelly
2 tbsp freshly minced Mint
Mayonnaise or goat cheese, as desired.
12 slices nice crusty bread (we used Caraway Rye Bread for our sandwich)
This recipe can be made using either an Instant Pot or Slow Cooker. Both methods are provided in this recipe!
Instructions:
Prepare the meat. Allow the roast to come to room temperature first (you’ll get more even cooking this way). Apply a rub of Salt, Pepper, and the Idaho Bean Blend of herbs to the roast and allow to rest.
Chop the onion into wedges. Crush the garlic, and add onions, rosemary, and garlic to the bottom of the cooking vessel. Place the roast over the vegetables and herbs and pour in the beef stock, being careful to avoid washing off the herbs.
For an instapot, select the Meat/Stew setting. Turn the vent to sealing, and cook under pressure for 90 minutes. Then, allow the pressure to release naturally for an additional 30 minutes before venting. For a slow cooker, simply cook on low for 8 hours until fork tender.
Make the mint infused jelly. Finely mince the mint and mix together with the mint jelly and set aside.
Toast the Bread. Set a skillet on medium to low heat. Butter both sides of several slices of good bread and toast until brown.
Once the meat is done cooking, remove it from the cooking liquid and shred.
Trim the microgreens and set aside.
Construct the sandwich. Spread the mint infused jelly on one slice of bread. Then, place a generous portion of shredded meat on top. Next, add the microgreens and cap it with the remaining slice, with an optional light spread of homemade mayonnaise or creamy goat cheese. Cut in half and Enjoy! To serve as a french dip, strain the cooking liquid into a cup or bowl. This is the jus, and adds a ton of flavor!
