My Mom made a country pot roast about every other week and it was one of our favorite family meals. I can still remember the aromas that met me at the front door when I came home from school. And her roasts was always so tender you could cut it with a fork. But we didn't use a fork...we used spoons so we never missed a drop of that thick rich gravy! I make three versions of Pot Roast. My Mom's Slow cooked Crock Pot recipe, My Mom's Oven Pot Roast and then a shortcut stove top recipe she taught me to make when I might be pressed for time. All three are fantastic!
Mom's Slow Cooked Pot Roast (pictured here)
1 boneless beef chuck roast, about 3-4 pounds
4 slices bacon
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut in 2-inch pieces
4 carrots, peeled, cut into bite size pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon dried thyme, divided
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 1/2 cups beef broth
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons flour
2 to 3 tablespoons cold water
Place uncooked bacon across the bottom of the empty crock pot. Arrange potatoes and carrots over the bacon. Sprinkle lightly with salt, pepper, and half of the thyme. Place the pot roast on top of the vegetables, then add the onions all over and around the roast. Sprinkle lightly with salt, pepper, and the remaining thyme.
Combine beef broth and tomato paste; pour over the pot roast. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours. Once the roast is fork tender, remove to a warm platter. With a slotted spoon, remove vegetables and arrange around the roast. Cover with foil to keep warm while making your gravy.
Skim fat off the top of the broth; discard fat. Put the broth in a saucepan and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. In a cup of small bowl, whisk flour with water until smooth. Whisk the flour mixture into the broth until thickened and bubbly. Serve gravy with the meat and vegetables.
Mom's Oven Cooked Pot Roast with Cream Gravy
3- to 4-pound Chuck roast
flour for dredging
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 beef bouillon cube
1/2 cup hot water
1 onion sliced
4 large potatoes, peeled and quartered
4 carrots, peeled and quartered
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cold water
1 cup sour cream, room temperature
Coat both sides of pot roast with flour. In a Dutch oven, melt butter and brown all sides of the roast. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Dissolve bouillon cube in hot water; pour over meat. Cover and place in a preheated 350 degree oven; cook 2 hours or until meat is fork tender. Add onions and carrots; cook another 20 minutes. Add potatoes; sprinkle with a little more salt. Cook about 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove meat and vegetables to a warm platter; keep warm while you make your gravy.
Pour drippings from pot roast into saucepan to make 1 1/3 cup. If it comes up short you can add a little beef broth. Blend together flour and water. Heat drippings to boiling; gradually stir in flour and water mixture and cook, stirring constantly until gravy is thickened. Cook 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat and slowly stir in sour cream. Heat through, but do not boil.
Mom's Quick And Easy Stove Top Pot Roast
1 3-4 pound chuck roast
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) cream of mushroom soup, (undiluted)
1 envelope Lipton dry onion soup mix
1 cup water, divided
6 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
6 carrots, sliced in bite size pieces
2 tablespoons flour mixed with 1/4 cup cold water
Sprinkle roast with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch Oven or Soup Pot, brown roast on all sides in oil. Remove and set aside. Pour off any excess oil. In the same pot, combine mushroom soup, Lipton onion soup mix, and 1 cup water. Heat to boiling. Return roast to pot and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 2 hours or until meat is fork tender. Turn roast occasionally to keep from drying out. Add potatoes, onions, and carrots. Cover and cook for another hour or until vegetables are fork tender. Remove meat and vegetables to serving platter.
Gradually whisk in the flour and water mixture into the drippings in pot, stirring until gravy boils and thickens. Serve thickened gravy over roast and vegetables.
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