Pot Roast (Pioneer Woman's Recipe)

I heard Ree (Pioneer Woman) was going to be on Good Morning America so I taped the show.  She made Pot Roast.  I had seen the recipe on her blog but have never made it.  Something about watching her make it on TV made me go out and buy a Chuck Roast that same day.  This was comfort food at it's best.  It brought back childhood memories of having Pot Roast every Sunday after church.  If you haven't checked out her blog, click here Pioneer Woman.  What I love about her blog is she explains EVERYTHING every step of the way.  Once you go to her blog beware it's hard to leave!

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Cook Time: 4 Hours

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 10

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 whole (4 To 5 Pounds) Chuck Roast (I used a 3lb Chuck Roast and it served 5)
• 2 whole Onions
• 6 whole Carrots (Up To 8 Carrots)
• Salt To Taste
• Pepper To Taste
• 1 cup Red Wine (optional, You Can Use Beef Broth Instead) (I used all Beef Broth)
• 2 cups To 3 Cups Beef Stock
• 3 sprigs Fresh Thyme, or more to taste (I used dried Thyme 1/4 teaspoon)
• 3 sprigs Fresh Rosemary, or more to taste (I used dried Rosemary 1/2 teaspoon)

Preparation Instructions

First and foremost, choose a nicely marbled piece of meat. This will enhance the flavor of your pot roast like nothing else. Generously salt and pepper your chuck roast.


Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Then add 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil (or you can do a butter/olive oil split).


Cut two onions in half and cut 6 to 8 carrots into 2-inch slices (you can peel them, but you don’t have to). When the oil in the pot is very hot (but not smoking), add in the halved onions, browning them on one side and then the other. Remove the onions to a plate. Throw the carrots into the same very hot pan and toss them around a bit until slightly browned, about a minute or so.


If needed, add a bit more olive oil to the very hot pan. Place the meat in the pan and sear it for about a minute on all sides until it is nice and brown all over. Remove the roast to a plate.


With the burner still on high, use either red wine or beef broth (about 1 cup) to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom with a whisk to get all of that wonderful flavor up. When the bottom of the pan is sufficiently deglazed, place the roast back into the pan and add enough beef stock to cover the meat halfway (about 2 to 3 cups). Add in the onion and the carrots, as well as 3 or 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary and about 3 sprigs of fresh thyme.


Put the lid on, then roast in a 275F oven for 3 hours (for a 3-pound roast). For a 4 to 5-pound roast, plan on 4 hours.


To make the gravy - Mix 2 tablespoons flour with 1/4 cup water.  I put this in a jar with lid and shake until well mixed.  After taking out roast, carrots and onion leave broth in pan and bring to a boil.  Add flour mixture slowly and stir until thickened.  Only use enough flour mixture to thicken to your liking.