Perfect Pot Roast (with sneaky easy gravy!)

Perfect Pot Roast

Ingredients

3-4 pound boneless chuck roast

4 TBS, olive oil

2 large onions, diced

5 celery stalks, diced

4 carrots, diced

1 TBS minced garlic (about 5 cloves)

2 TBS tomato paste

2 cups red wine

1 cup beef broth

3 bay leaves

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. 

On stove, heat a large dutch oven or other pan large enough to hold the roast over medium heat (you will need a lid). Season the roast liberally with salt and pepper on all surfaces. Add the olive oil to the hot pan and when it starts to shimmer, place the roast into the pan and brown on each side for a couple minutes. 

Remove from the pan and set aside on a plate.

To the same pan, add the celery, carrots, and onions and sauté for 4 – 5 minutes until softened and starting to brown lightly.  

Add garlic and continue cooking for additional minute.

Next, add the tomato paste and stir until well combined with the veggies. 

Return the roast to the pan along with any juices that have accumulated on the plate and add the wine and broth and bay leaves.

Bring the liquid to a boil, cover the pot and transfer to the 325 degree oven for 4 hours. 

Check the roast once an hour to be sure the liquid is simmering nicely and turn the roast once in the middle of cooking.  

When the meat is done, remove it from the oven, and place it on a cutting board, leaving liquid and veggies in the pot.  Throw away bay leaves.  This meat is so tender it practically falls apart.

 Now it's time to make the gravy.  Very carefully, put all the veggies (that's the sneaky part!) and about half of the liquid from the pot into the blender .  Leave the small top off of blender lid so steam can escape, cover with towel, and blend until smooth.  Add more liquid from pot until gravy reaches your desired consistency.

We serve pot roast with mashed potatoes and corn, and it was plated and eaten so fast that I didn't get any pictures!  This meal serves all seven of us with a little leftover (but not much!):

Looks like somebody gets a yummy lunch tomorrow!