Pot Roast - easy and delicious!

Fall is here and it's starting to get chilly - it's the perfect time a year to start making pot roast!

This is one of the few meals that our entire family can eat together. The girls love it and it's free of the top 8 allergens. The house smells delicious while it's roasting, and we have leftovers for the next few meals.

Prep: 25 minutes

Total: 4 hours 25 minutes

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I use canola oil)

1 5-pound beef chuck roast

Salt and pepper

2 cups beef stock or reduced sodium canned beef broth*

3 onions, cut into large wedges

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 dried bay leaves

1 teaspoon dried thyme   

2 pounds carrots, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks

2 pounds potatoes, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks

*I use Kitchen Basics Beef Stock. They test for allergens and their beef stock doesn't contain soy, gluten, yeast, or MSG. They also have an allergen statement on the package.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a Dutch oven (or roasting pan), heat oil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle roast all over with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Place in pan, and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes.

2. Turn meat fat side up. Add stock, onions, garlic, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover; put in the oven, and roast for 3 hours. Add carrots and potatoes, and cook until vegetables are tender, about 1 hour more.

3. Transfer the roast, carrots, and potatoes to a platter. With a spoon, skim the fat off the surface of the cooking liquid. Cut the roast into thick slices, and serve with the vegetables. Pass the pan juices separately.

Note: Browning the meat makes the whole dish tastier and gives the pan juices an appetizing deep brown color.

Serves 8.