It's a Roast!

I usually do not cook a roast of  beef  until Fall and Winter, this kind of meal fits those two seasons.  The meal just warms the heart when you eat it, it's a stick to your ribs kind of meal and very satisfying.  My mother taught me how to make a tender and juicy beef roast a long time ago, and I still make it "her way".  It's always a favorite at my dinner table.  Recipe below.

I used a chuck roast for this recipe, but any roast of beef will do.  The cheapest cut of beef will be tender.  Season with salt and pepper and sear in olive oil on both sides.  

Add carrots, celery and onions.  All roasted up and half eaten already!  I served my roast with Yukon gold mashed potatoes and homemade gravy.

And don't forget the Wondra to make the no-lump  gravy!

Roast Beef with Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients
2 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 - 2 to 3 lb roast of beef, I used a chuck roast
1 cup of water
2 tsp Kitchen Bouquet Browning Sauce
2 Tbsp of vegetable flakes
2 stalks of celery, cut on the diagonal, in 2 inch pieces
2 cups of carrots, I used bagged fresh carrots
1 whole onion, peeled and quartered

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Pour the oil into a dutch oven, and heat on medium high.  I use a cast iron dutch oven, if you don't have one, use a heavy lidded pan or a roasting pan that can go into the oven. Season the beef with the salt, pepper and garlic powder. Sear the beef in the hot oil on both sides until browned. Turn off the heat and add the water, browning sauce, vegetable flakes, celery, carrots and onion.   Put a lid on the roasting pan and put into the oven.  Roast for 2 1/2 hours. When ready to serve remove the beef and vegetables from the pan to a serving platter and cover with foil.  Make the gravy.

Gravy Recipe 
Pan drippings from the beef
2 Tbsp Gold Medal Wondra Quick Mixing Flour
1/4 water

Place the pan with the beef drippings on medium heat on top of the stove.  Mix the flour with the water, and gradually stir into the beef drippings.  Stir constantly and scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Heat for about 2 minutes until boiling.  Makes about 1 cup of gravy.

TIP: You can also roast potatoes in the pan.  Just cut and quarter 6 potatoes and put in the pan with the other vegetables.  Everything roasted in the pan together makes the flavor so good!