INA’S COMPANY POT ROAST aka  My Fancy Pot Roast

Servings: 8

Here I go again, ANOTHER delicous Ina Garten recipe! I was looking for something fancy to serve for a family dinner and while looking through Ina’s collection I found this and well with all the delicious ingredients in this pot roast, I thought “how bad can it be?”   I was not dissapointed! I served it with a Ina’s baked potatoe recipe that will follow! Enjoy!

*Ina calls for the use of a dutchoven, since I do not have one yet I used my handy dandy slow cooker instead! *

INGREDIENTS:

1 [4-5lb] boneless beef chuck roast, tied

4 carrots

2 yellow onions

4 celery stalks

2 leeks

5 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

2 cups red wine

1 [28oz] can whole plum tomatoes

1 cup chicken stock

1 chicken bullion cube

3 branches fresh thyme

2 branches fresh rosemary

1 tbsp. unsalted butter at room temperature

all purpose flour

salt and pepper

olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Rough chop carrots, onions, celery,  and leeks [white and light green parts only].

3.  Pat beef dry with paper towel. Season roast all over with salt + pepper. Dredge the whole roast in flour, including the ends.

4. In a large  pot,  heat about 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add roast and sear each side for about 4 minutes, or until nicely browned. Remove roast to a large plate.

5. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to pot. Add the carrots, onions, celery, leeks and garlic, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and cook over medium heat for 10 – 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned.

6.  Add the wine and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, bouillon cube, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.  Tie the thyme and rosemary together with kitchen string and add to the pot.  Put the roast back into the pot, bring to a boil, and cover.

7.  Transfer the roast with all the veggie goodness to a warmed 5 qt. slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours or on slow for 8 hours, basically until meat hits 160 degrees.

8.  Remove the roast to a cutting board. Remove the herb bundle and discard.

9. We’re making sauce! Transfer half the sauce and vegetables to a blender and puree until smooth. Pour the puree back into the slow cooker pot, on low heat and return the sauce to a simmer. Place 2 tablespoons flour and the butter in a small bowl and mash them together with a fork. Stir into the sauce and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring until thickened. Taste for seasonings.

10. Remove the strings from the roast, and slice the meat. Serve warm with the sauce spooned over it.