Have you ever had gravy that’s so good that you want to eat it in a bowl with a spoon? This simple pot roast renders that kind of gravy – it’s rich, flavorful, and has a perfectly silky texture that stands up to anything you want to ladle it over. This roast is good enough for Sunday dinner with company and easy enough to make on a lazy afternoon with family.
Recipe: Sunday Pot Roast (Company Optional)
(Pictured with a round roast from Ebersole Cattle Company) Have you ever had gravy that's so good that you want to eat it in a bowl with a spoon? This simple pot roast renders that kind of gravy - it's rich, flavorful, and has a perfectly silky texture that stands up to anything you want to ladle it over. This roast is good enough for Sunday dinner with company and easy enough to make on a lazy afternoon with family.
Ingredients
- 3 to 5 lb beef roast chuck, round, or rump
- 4 TB ghee
- 2 yellow onions peeled and halved
- 8 carrots washed, unpeeled, cut in 1/2" circles
- 1 cup red wine
- 2-3 + 1/4 cups beef stock or broth
- 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary or 1 TB dry
- 4 springs of fresh thyme or 1 TB dry
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
- Smoked paprika *can be found at Trader Joe's, Penzey's, or online
- 2 TB corn starch
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
- Generously sprinkle the roast with the salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika. Set aside.
- In a heavy Dutch or French oven, melt the ghee over medium-high heat. Add the onions and carrots to the pot and cook until browned on both sides. Remove to a clean plate.
- Place the roast in the pot and sear on each side for about 3 minutes - don't move it around so that you get a good, brown crust going. Remove to the plate with the vegetables.
- Pour the wine into the pot and scrape the brown bits off the bottom as the wine boils.
- Once the pot is deglazed, put the roast back in and place the vegetables on top. Pour in enough beef stock to come at least halfway up the roast. Place the herbs on top.
- Put the lid on the pot and move to the preheated oven. Roast for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, or until the meat is fork tender.
- Remove the roast to a plate and keep warm. If using fresh herbs, remove the herb sprigs from the pot and discard. Using an immersion blender, or carefully transferring the cooked vegetables and liquids to a blender, blend until smooth. If the gravy is thinner than you would prefer, mix 2 TB corn starch with 1/4 cup beef stock and pour into the gravy while bringing to a boil over medium-high heat and cooking until desired consistency.
Notes
Slice the roast and serve topped with the pan gravy along side roasted or mashed potatoes, vegetables, and of course bread for sopping. Leftovers can be frozen by storing the beef and gravy separately - add a couple of TB of beef stock in with the meat to prevent it from drying out when reheated.