When roasts are on sale I always load up. It doesn’t matter if it’s a pork or beef roast, we’ll use it. I love using my crock pot when cooking roasts but sometimes I just like how they taste cooked in the oven. This recipe is based on The Pioneer Woman recipe “Pot Roast” by Ree Drummond and it is delicious, super easy to make, and a nice change from our winter crock pot meals. The only changes I made, to keep it in my price range, were to substitute dried spices for fresh and use more vegetables than meat. If I was making this in the summer when my herbs are growing in the garden, I would definitely use those instead though. A nicely marbled roast is what you’re looking for like a Chuck Roast, but I tend to use what’s on sale. If there’s not a big difference in pricing, I always go with the Chuck Roast though.

So easy to make and full of flavor because the veggies and meat are browned before cooking.

Cut onions in half.

Brown in oil.

Chop carrots…you don’t even have to peel them.

Brown carrots in oil.

Brown all roast sides.

Add broth or wine to deglaze and get all the flavorful pieces up.

Put everything back in the pot.

Cook…

We like to eat this with mashed potatoes…so yummy!

 

EASY POT ROAST –

Prep: 20 minutes              Cook: 3 hours               Serves: 4 for approx. $11.76

Ingredients:

1 roast (2 to 2 1/2 pounds)

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 whole onions

6 whole carrots

salt & pepper to taste

1 cup red wine (you can substitute beef broth if you want)

1 to 1 1/2 cups beef stock

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

Use gluten free beef stock/broth to make this a gluten free meal.

 

Directions:

Generously salt and pepper roast.

Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil.

Cut two onions in half and cut carrots into 2-inch slices. When the oil in the pot is very hot but not smoking, add in the halved onions, browning them on one side and then the other. Remove the onions to a plate.

Put the carrots into the same hot pan and toss them around a bit until slightly browned. Remove carrots to onion plate.

If needed, add a bit more olive oil to the same hot pan. Place the roast in the pan and sear it for about a minute on all sides until it is brown all over. Remove the roast to a plate.

With the burner still on high, use either red wine or beef broth (about 1 cup) to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom with a whisk to get all of that delicious flavor up.

When the bottom of the pan is sufficiently deglazed, place the roast back into the pan and add enough beef stock to cover the meat halfway. Add in the onion and carrots. Sprinkle in rosemary and thyme.

Place lid on pot and roast in a 275 degree oven for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. (For a 4 to 5-pound roast, plan on about 4 hours.)

*Pricing info: The roast was on sale for $3.99 lb., I bought the broth at the Dollar Tree, and the wine I used was an $8.00 bottle.