source: Great American Recipes
Pot Roast
Pot roast is an American beef dish made by slow cooking a usually tough cut of beef in moist heat. Tougher cuts such as chuck steak, bottom round, short ribs, and 7-bone roast are preferred for this technique. These cuts are American terms; different terms and butchering styles are used throughout the Anglophone world and beyond. While the toughness of the fibers makes them unsuitable for oven roasting, slow cooking tenderizes the meat as the beef imparts some of its flavor to the water.
Browning the roast before adding liquid is an optional step to improve the flavor. Browning can occur at lower temperatures with a longer cooking time, but the result is less intense than a high-temperature sear. Either technique can be used when making pot roast. The result is tender, succulent meat and a rich liquid that lends itself to gravy.
Pot Roast In America
In the US, where it is also known as “Yankee pot roast”, the dish is often served with vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, and onions simmered in the cooking liquid. Pot roast is a dish with influences from the French dish boeuf à la mode, the German dish sauerbraten, and Ashkenazi meat stews. The more recent “Mississippi Pot Roast” is typically made with chuck, ranch-flavored seasoning powder, and pepperoncini. (Wikipedia)
Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1 large onion, cut into wedges
3-pound boneless top round or rump roast
3 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
3 medium white potatoes, cubed
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 envelopes of onion soup mix (1.4 ponces each)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Directions
To make this Slow-Cooker Pot Roast, start by heating the butter and sunflower oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and beef. Brown the beef on all sides. Transfer the beef and onion to a slow cooker.
Arrange the carrots, potatoes, and bay leaves around the beef. Sprinkle with salt. In a heatproof bowl or measuring cup, combine the soup mix with 3 cups of boiling water, stirring until smooth.
Cooking The Pot Roast
Pour the soup mixture over the beef and vegetables in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high until the meat is very tender, 3 and 1/2 hours.
In a medium saucepan, combine the cornstarch and 1 teaspoon water; stir to form a paste. Add 2 cups hot liquid from the slow cooker and boil, stirring, until the gravy has thickened. Slice the beef and serve with vegetables and sauce.
Also, try: Pan-Roasted Rosemary Potatoes and Pears