Sunday Pot Roast

OK, it wasn't a Sunday but it was a windy, cold day.  Nothing better than a slow cooking meal to fill the house with warm, delicious smells.  Everyone kept asking me when I was going to serve dinner!  It was hard to get a good picture because everything was steaming and no one wanted to wait to eat. I served his with smashed potatoes and steamed green beans. Amazing that so few ingredients could make such a flavorful dish.

Ingredients:

3 1/2 lb bottom round beef roast

1 large onion, peeled and diced

2 stalks of celery, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 bay leaf

1 cup of dry red wine

1/2 of a 1 lb bag of baby carrots

4 cups of beef broth

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

2 heaping tbsp of cornstarch dissolved in water

Preheat oven to 350.  In a large oven safe dutch oven, heat a small amount of oil over medium high heat.  Season roast liberally with salt and pepper.  Sear the meat on all sides (including ends) until well browned, approximately 5 minutes per side.  Remove the roast to a plate.  Turn the heat down to medium and add the onions and celery to the pot.  Stir frequently for 5 minutes until the vegetables are beginning to soften.  Add in the garlic and bay leaf and continue to cook, stirring for another 3 minutes.  Turn heat up to high, pour in the wine and stir to loosen the browned bits at the bottom one the pot.  Stir frequently for the next 5 minutes until the wine has reduced by half. Add in a cup of the broth and the carrots.  Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine.  Add back in the roast and any accumulated juices.  Pour in the remaining broth until the liquid comes about half way up the roast.  Cover the top tightly with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 3 hours and 40 minutes.  Remove the roast to a plate to rest for 20 minutes.  Skim off any fat from the gravy.  When your meat is nearly rested, bring the liquid to a low simmer and stir in dissolved cornstarch bit by bit until desired  consistency is reached.  Slice the meat into 1/2 in slices and add back to the gravy.  Stir to coat and serve!