The Best Pot Roast

For years, this is the only pot roast I've ever made.  It was easy and very tender.  I decided to give another one a try that I felt like was more work.  The truth is, it is still super easy to make, it just takes some planning ahead to have it ready when your family is ready to eat supper.

The Best Pot Roast

Salt and ground pepper
1 (3-5 lb.) chuck roast
2 or 3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 whole onions, peeled and halved
8 to 10 whole carrots, peeled, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 c. red wine
3 c. beef broth
3 sprigs fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to 275.  Generously salt and pepper the chuck roast on both sides.  Heat the olive oil in large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  You want the pan HOT!  Add the halved onions to the pot, browning them on both sides.  Remove the onions to a plate.  Throw the carrots into the same very hot pot and toss them around a bit until slightly browned, about a minute or so.  Place carrots on same plate as reserved onions.

Add more oil, if necessary and get the pan really hot again.  Sear the roast on both sides for about a minute until nice and brown all over.  Remove the roast to a plate.  Deglaze the pan with red wine (can use beef broth as an alternative) scraping up all the bits on the bottom of the pan.  Place the roast back in the pot and pour enough beef broth over the roast to cover halfway up.  (I did a little more.)  Add onions and carrots back to the pot.  Cover and place in the preheated oven.  Bake a 3 lb. roast for 3 hours and a 5 lb. roast for 5 hours until fall apart tender.  Serve with mashed potatoes.

You could also add potatoes to the pot to cook along with the roast.