Mom's Pot Roast

Summary
Prep time	45 min
Cook time	~3.5 hrs @ 325
Source	Fresh Every Day (pg 218) by Sara Foster
Yield / serves	4-6 servings
Rating	Very good

Note: The author's mom. Not either of ours.  ;-)

Ingredients

• 3 lb chuck roast, at room temperature
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 2 T canola or safflower oil
• 1 large onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
• 9 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 6 fresh thyme sprigs
• 6 fresh rosemary sprigs
• 1 c dry red wine
• 4-6 c beef broth
• 1.5 lb small red-skinned or fingerling potatoes

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 325.

Season the roast generously on all sides with salt and pepper.

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or deep, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the roast and sear to a rich brown color, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Transfer the roast to a plate and set aside.

Add the onion, 3 of the carrots, and the herbs to the pot you cooked the roast in. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are light brown and the onion is soft, 3-4 minutes. Return the roast to the pan, add the wine and enough broth to nearly cover the roast, and bring to a low boil over medium heat.

Cover with a lid or aluminum foil and place the meat in the oven to roast for 2.5 hours. Add the potatoes and the remaining carrots and continue roasting for another 40-60 minutes, until the meat breaks apart easily and the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.

Transfer the roast to a shallow serving bowl and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Remove the herb stems from the pot or skillet. Use a large spoon to skim the fat off the top of the pan juices, pour the juice and the vegetables over the roast, and serve warm.