Sunday Pot Roast

I have to give the credit for this recipe to The Pioneer Woman.  I got the recipe from her.  I have cooked Pot Roasts for years and they all seem to be ok.  Well, they never was anything left, but I was always hoping to find a better recipe.  I have found it!! Her recipe called for cooking it in the oven, which is fine, but I put mine in the crockpot and cooked it all day.  It fell apart -- there were NO left overs!!!

**This recipe is for the crockpot.  Will give oven options at the end.**

1 whole (4 to 5 pounds) chuck roast
2 Tbsp olive oil
Butter
2 whole onions
6 whole carrots
salt & pepper to taste
2 cups (up to 3 cups) beef stock
3 sprigs of thyme
3 sprigs of rosemary

In an iron skillet, place olive oil and butter.  While heating up skillet, chop onions into quarters and chop carrots into quarters or thirds.  Place onions into skillets and let brown, don't over cook, you just want to brown them.  Then do the same with the carrots.  While these are browning, put salt & pepper on both sides of roast.  Then you will brown both sides of the roast. 

While you are doing all the browning, get your crockpot ready.  Turn on and put in almost all the beef stock, put some aside to use at another time. 

After roast is browned on both sides, put into crockpot.  Then put in onions & carrots on top of roast.  Take the small amount of stock, that you put aside, put into skillet.  Use this to de-glaze any brown pieces that were left on the bottom on pan.  Then pour into crockpot.  Now put in the sprigs of thyme & rosemary.

Put the setting on low, put lid on and leave alone.  Don't fuss over ... just let it hang out and do it's business.  Let cook for 6 to 8 hours on low.  You really want to let it cook at a slower time.  I think this really makes the difference. 

To serve:  Cut up roast beef, spoon over onions & carrots and some of the wonderful juice that is left. 

** To make in the oven **

Use a dutch oven pan.  In the dutch oven pan you want to brown the onions, carrots & then the roast.  Use a small amount of stock to de-glaze the pan.  Then add the rest of the beef stock, roast, onions, carrots and then springs of thyme & rosemary.  Place lid on pan and put into oven.  Cook  at 275F oven for 4 to 5 hours (4 to 5 pound roast).  Again, don't fuss over or bother .. let it hang out and do it's thing. 

I promise this will be the BEST pot roast you have ever eaten.  You won't even have to cut it up .. it will fall apart.  Hope you enjoy!!!