Mom’s Pot Roast
September 1, 2006 by Andrea 
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Filed under Beef
Mom and Dad are visiting this week in anticipation of the baby’s arrival, and it’s wonderful to have them here. The boys enjoy playing with them and Mom is treating us to some of our favorite meals, like this pot roast. Of all the meals my mother and grandmothers ever made, this roast ranks as my all-time favorite from childhood. It’s good, old-fashioned, simple comfort food. The meat cooks slowly on the stove for several hours until it starts to fall apart and the aroma fills the house, drawing everyone into the kitchen. The meat melts in your mouth. Mom makes gravy from the drippings and broth, and we pour it over the meat and potatoes. And there are usually enough leftovers for another meal and sandwiches.
Grandma McClure added onions to her pot roasts, but Mom started experimenting with the Lipton Onion Soup instead of onions. Both ways are very good. The cider vinegar and ketchup are optional, but they do help to tenderize a cheaper cut of meat, so add either or both to a bottom round to help tenderize it. The chuck is more marbleized and naturally more tender and generally doesn’t require the acid.
Equipment
6 or 8 quart pot with a lid
Ingredients
4 to 6 pound chuck roast or bottom round roast
canola oil, twice around the pot
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 Lipton Onion Soup packet (optional, if you aren’t going to use fresh onions)
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (optional)
1 tablespoon ketchup (optional)
water to cover
3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
1 pound baby carrots
1 or 2 medium onions, cut into chunks (if you don’t use the Lipton Onion Soup)
3 tablespoons fine-sifted flour, such as Wondra or Pillsbury Shake & Blend
1/2 cup cold water (MUST be cold)
Preparation
1. Trim all the heavy excess fat from roast. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the meat and brown all sides over medium heat. Leave the drippings in the pot.
2. Add a little more salt and pepper to taste, onion soup mix, and water, enough to cover the roast. If you are using a bottom round roast, add the cider vinegar and ketchup as well. Bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer on medium-low, #3 temperature setting, for several hours. Cook until the meat starts falling apart.
4. Add carrots about one hour before serving, and potatoes and onions thirty minutes before serving. Leave roast in pot with vegetables.
5. When ready to serve, remove the meat and vegetables from the pot and place in servings dishes. Reserve some broth to spoon over carrots and mash potatoes (if desired).
6. Bring remaining broth to just boiling. Cut back to medium heat. Mix flour and cold water in a jar and shake. Slowly whisk into broth. Can add more flour/water mixture as desired. Don’t wait too long to add more, or it will be lumpy.
Notes
You can also cook the roast in a crock pot after browning the meat. Be sure to transfer meat AND drippings to crock pot. Add water and seasonings and cook on High for 2-3 hours, then turn to low. Add carrots 2 hours or so before serving, and potatoes an hour or so. You may need to turn the heat back to High when adding potatoes.
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Source: Germaine McClure, which she learned from both my grandmothers
