This is one of our favorite meals. It does take some prepping but it is completely worth it. Serve it with some fresh bread and it can't be beat.
This isn't the roast I grew up on. This is the roast that my amazing husband taught me to make. (My northern food is just too dry for him.)
There is also no exact recipe. You have to make judgement calls by how many people you want to feed. The amount I made here is enough for four people and one meal or two people and two meals. (Probably a little more but we'll say that to be safe.)
What you'll need:
Carrots - 8
Potatoes - 6
Rutabaga -1 large or 2 small
Onion - 1 medium
Beef Chuck Roast - 2 pound
Flour - 1 1/2 cups
Corn starch - 2 tablespoons
Salt
Pepper
Oil
Beef bouillon - 2 cubes or 2 teaspoons
Water - 1 1/2 quarts
Peel your carrots.
Peel and cut your rutabaga. Not sure how? Go HERE to see how easy it is.
Peel and cut potatoes. These were fairly small so I just cut them in half. They will cook faster than the carrots or rutabaga so don't cut them too small. Cut up an onion into larger size dices. (My picture has disappeared!)
Drop your bouillon into 2 cups of water in a microwave safe container. Heat for 2 minutes and mix to dissolve. Set near the stove. You will need it soon.
In a bowl that your roast will fit in mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, 2 tablespoons corn starch, salt and pepper. My husband tells me this, "Add pepper until you think you have too much, then add some more." I used over a tablespoon in this mix.
Get your roast out of the package. When buying a roast make sure it has fat marbled through it. This is what gives you a tender juicy roast when it's cooked.
Add enough oil to a large stockpot to cover the bottom. You probably want it 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep. Turn on medium to start heating.
While the oil is heating, thoroughly cover the beef roast with your flour mixture. Press it in and make sure you get the mixture into all the nooks and crannies of the roast.
Carefully put the roast into the hot oil.
Let it brown for several minutes. Turn and brown the other side. Once it is browned place it into a large roasting pan.
Here is the hard part and I'm not sure how well pictures will work. This really needs a video tutorial but I'll try.
Make sure your hot bouillon is near the stove along with 1 quart of very hot water.
You are now going to make roux. What is that? A mixture of flour and fat that is cooked and used to thicken soups and sauces. There are three types of roux: white, blond, and brown. White and blond roux are both made with butter and used in cream sauces while brown roux can be made with either butter or the drippings from what you are cooking and is used for darker soups and sauces. This is a brown roux.
Pour the leftover flour mixture into the hot oil. Stir to mix it up. If it's too dry add just a few drops of oil at a time until it looks more like a thick paste. Keep heat on medium high.
Watch carefully so you don't burn the mixture
Continue to cook the flour mixture until it turns a deep golden brown. You will have to stir constantly at this point so it does not burn.
Carefully start to pour in the hot liquids. Bouillon first, then the water. This creates a great deal of steam and if you have an overly sensitive smoke alarm like we do it will probably go off. Have someone nearby to fan the steam away from the alarm.
Continue to boil the liquid until it has thickened into gravy. Stir often. In between stirring place the vegetables around your roast.
Once your liquid has turned into gravy pour it over the meat and vegetables. The goal is to have everything submerged. (Mostly anyway.)
Bake at 350F for a couple of hours then begin to check for doneness of vegetables using a fork. This roast cooked for just a little over 2 hours before it was done and very tender.
It is best to let the roast set for 30 minutes untouched before serving. While you are waiting make some rice to put gravy on.
Honestly the best pot roast ever. The time and steps involved are worth it.
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