Weeknight Pot Roast

Pot Roast always makes a hearty and warm weeknight meal, especially during the winter. I love making pot roast on my days off and letting it simmer in the oven until it falls apart. Pot roast is not only the perfect one pot meal, it is also super cheap to make as it uses a tough cut of meat and simple veggies. Here is my recipe for Weeknight Pot Roast.....

1 3-4 lb boneless chuck roast
2 tablespoons of both unsalted butter and olive oil
1 onion, peeled and quartered
5 carrots, peeled and rough chopped
1 1/2 cups button mushrooms, brushed clean
6 Yukon gold potatoes, washed and cut in half
3 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon herbs de provence
2 tablespoons of cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set a dutch oven on the stovetop and turn the heat to medium. Put the butter and oil in the pan, once hot place the chuck roast inside. Sear the roast on all sides, this will lock in the juices and create some caramelization in the pan. Once all sides are seared, remove roast and put all the veggies in the pot. Saute for 3-5 minutes, then deglaze with the beef stock. Return the roast to the pan. Season with salt, pepper and the herb de provence. Put the lid on the dutch oven and place in the oven. Let cook for 2 1/2-3 hours. This is the kind of meal that the longer you cook it, the better it is. After 3 hours, take it out of the oven. Carefully, take the roast out of the pan and place it on a cutting board. Turn the burner on to medium and bring the "sauce" to a boil. Make a slurry with the cornstarch and water, then whisk into the veggies and stock. This will thicken, once it comes to the boil. Adjust the seasonings. Slice the roast and return it to the pan, along with the veggies. Enjoy!