Slow Sunday Pot Roast

Is there anything better than the smell of a pot of delicious ingredients simmering on the stove all day, especially when it’s cold and miserable outside? Throw this simple pot roast together in the morning and leave it alone all day – on the stove or in your slow-cooker. You can add large chunks of potatoes for last hour but I prefer to serve this with hot, buttery mashed potatoes, so I don’t.

Recipe:

• 1 4-5 pound chuck roast (boneless)

• 2 large yellow onions, roughly chopped

• 3 to 4 medium carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

• 3 to 4 celery ribs, chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

• Kosher or fine sea salt to taste

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 2 Tbsp neutral oil, such as avocado canola oil, vegetable oil, safflower oil

• ¼ cup tomato paste

• 1 1-oz packet onion soup mix

• 2 cups chicken stock, beef stock, or water

• 1 cup red wine

• ¼ cup pomegranate molasses or balsamic vinegar

• Optional : 2-3 peeled russet potatoes cut into large chunks

• Serve with white rice or mashed potatoes

Steps:

1. Pat meat dry with paper towel and season well with salt and pepper.

2. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven and brown the meat well on all sides. (About 4 – 5 minutes per per side). Remove the meat.

3. Add the vegetables to the same pot and cook over medium heat until softened. Add the garlic & tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.

4. Pour over the soup mix, broth wine & pomegranate molasses or balsamic vinegar.  Add the meat and all its juices back to the pot, cover and simmer on low for 4 -5 hours until the meat is tender. Break apart the meat into large pieces with a fork and transfer to a serving platter . Pour the the sauce over the meat and serve with mashed potatoes or white rice.