pat's Recipe

Fork-Tender Pot Roast

Category: Beef

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. ground white pepper
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. dried marjoram or basil, crushed
1/2 tsp. dried thyme, crushed
1/2 tsp. dried oregano, crushed
1/2 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 2-1/2- to 3- pound boneless beef chuck pot roast
1/4 cup butter
2 carrots, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
2 stalks celery, sliced into 1-inch pieces (1 cup)
1 large onion, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry red wine or cranberry juice
1 14-oz. can lower-sodium beef broth
1 bay leaf
Beef broth (optional)

Directions
1. In a small bowl, combine flour, garlic powder, white pepper, mustard, marjoram, thyme, oregano, parsley, paprika, and black pepper. Trim fat from meat. Coat all sides of meat with flour mixture, reserving flour mixture that doesn't cling to the meat.

2. In a 4- to 6-quart Dutch oven, brown meat on all sides in 2 tablespoons of the hot butter. Remove meat and set aside.

3. In the same Dutch oven, cook carrots, celery, onion, and garlic in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, covered, for 10 minutes or until just beginning to brown, stirring occasionally. Stir in reserved flour mixture; mix well. Add wine, stirring and scraping up browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Add one 14-ounce can beef broth and bay leaf; cook and stir until slightly thickened and bubbly. Return meat to pan.

4. Bake, covered, in a 350 degree F oven for 2-1/2 to 3 hours or until meat is very tender. Transfer meat to a platter; slice. Remove bay leaf; discard. If you like, thin gravy with a little additional beef broth to desired consistency. Serve gravy with meat. Makes 6 to 8 servings.