Classic Pot Roast recipe

I love comfort food. Pot roast is a great family dinner for a cool spring Sunday dinner.  We recently had a spring snow which makes it even more comforting.  

A lot people say make pot roast in a crock pot but I prefer the old fashioned method of making it in the oven.  The texture of the roast is meatier and less sloppy than the crock pot version. The flavor profile is more diverse when you make it in a dutch oven. I also like to use organic rainbow carrots; each color has a unique carrot taste.

Recipe: 

2 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

1 4-pound beef roast

3 cups beef broth

1 onion halved

6 rainbow carrots, pealed and sliced

4 medium potatoes, pealed and cubed

2 stalks of celery, chopped

1 can diced tomatoes

4 cloves of garlic, minced

A large splash of Worcestershire sauce

salt and pepper

fresh thyme springs

Take roast out of refrigerator, set on a plate, and allow to reach room temperature (about 20 minutes).

While roast comes to room temperature, prep the vegetables.

Peel skins off of onions, carrots, garlic and potatoes.  

Cut onions, carrots, potatoes and celery into nice size pieces.  

Crush garlic and mince.  Set aside.

Once the roast reaches room temperature, pat it dry with a paper towel, season all over with salt and pepper.

On stovetop, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a dutch oven.  Brown the roast on each side (about 5 minutes per side).  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

After pot roast has browned, remove from dutch oven and set aside on a plate. 

Add onions, carrots, celery and garlic to dutch oven, saute until tender. Add another tablespoon of olive oil, if needed.

Add one cup of beef broth and scrap all of the tasty brown bits from the bottom of the pan.

Return roast to dutch oven, simply place it on top of the veggies.

Add remaining 2 cups of beef broth until it covers the roast, about halfway.

Add cubed and peeled potatoes to the dutch oven.

Pour can of tomatoes over the roast.

Season with thyme sprigs, salt and pepper.  Roast in oven for 3 hours.

Check every hour to make sure it doesn't dry out.

Optional: Place a few tablespoons of butter on top of the roast for the last hour of cooking.  It keeps the meat moist and makes the gravy extra yummy. 

Remove roast from oven and return to plate. Garnish with fresh thyme.  Let it rest for 15 minutes.  

Plate the pot roast and veggies.                                                                                                           Serve with yummy homemade Amish Bread (recipe on my blog)