Pot Roast

There’s nothing better than comfort food on a cold winter day. Actually, there’s nothing better than comfort food on any day! And to me, pot roast is the perfect comfort food. It’s tender, flavorful, covered in gravy, and when paired with vegetables that have absorbed all of the wonderful juices…it’s just delicious.

I like to develop layers of flavor with my pot roast, so the pot roast itself is seasoned, the liquid it is cooked in is full of herbs and spices (and wine of course), and the gravy blends the flavors together in the liquid with the tender veggies to create a wonderful topping for that tender meat. I’m not really a person who brags much, but I think this recipe is a winner!

Ingredients:

3 lb. rump roast
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
½ envelope dry onion soup mix
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 large onion, sliced
1 small bag baby carrots
1 cup red wine
1 cup beef broth
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
½ tsp. dried thyme
½ tsp. salt
2 tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tsp. cornstarch

Step 1:  Generously salt and pepper the roast and put olive oil in a cast iron skillet or frying pan, then turn the heat to medium-high. Brown that hunk of beef on all sides, then place the roast in the slow cooker.

Step 2:  Using the same pan, sauté the mushrooms until lightly browned, then add the onions and continue to sauté for 1 minute, allowing the onions to absorb some of the flavors from the pan. Salt and pepper the veggies, then transfer them to the slow cooker.

Step 3:  Combine the rest of the ingredients (except cornstarch) and add to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 7 – 8 ½ hours, or until the meat is fork tender. Carefully remove meat onto a platter and spoon some of the liquid over it to keep it moist. Cover to keep warm.

Step 4:  To make gravy, pour liquid and half of the veggies from slow cooker into a blender or food processor. Leave the cover off for a bit to allow steam to escape. Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water. After the liquid has cooled slightly, add the cornstarch mixture, put the cover on, and blend until all veggies have been combined into the liquid and the gravy is smooth. Pour the gravy back into the slow cooker and turn the heat on high. Heat covered for about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 5:  Slice the pot roast (it will be super tender!), add the veggies to the platter, and pour the gravy over it. Yum!