elaine wrote:
> As per instructions, I made a dry spicy rub which I coated the blade
roast
> with and let sit in the fridge overnight. Seared the roast for a
couple of
> minutes on each side, then removed from heat. Fried up some onions
and
> celery, added a little bit of red wine, brown sugar and garlic. Put
them in
> a roasting pan below the roast. Cooking at 300 degrees, this was
supposed
> to be ready in 3 hours.
>
> It's now been 4 hours - the roast is tough, tough, tough. Now if I
kept it
> in for another 3 hours or even perhaps turn the oven off and leave
overnight
> will it become more tender?

You didn't mention whether you covered the roast (or how big the roast
is, to gauge cooking time). My experience with the tougher cuts of
meat used for pot roast, esp cuts from the shoulder, is that tightly
covering the roasting pan is essential to break down the tough fibers.
That and at least 1 cup of liquid (or even a little more), whether the
liquid is wine, stock, etc. to generate steam and have the basis of a
sauce or gravy.

You may be able to rescue your roast, altho it may taste like a big
piece of stew meat. I'd add liquid, wine or stock, until you have
about 1.5 cups, then -tightly- cover/seal the roasting pan and let it
cook for about an hour more. Test for tenderness and if still tough
cook for about an hour more. If still tough after that....I really
don't know what to suggest, except maybe turning the meat into a stew.

Mac