Bare-Bones Pot Roast

Choose a nice cheap piece of pot roast. This recipe makes a really nice, tender, juicy dinner!

Grab a large pot deep enough to hold your pot roast. Throw enough olive oil into the pan to cover the bottom (so the roast won’t stick) and heat to medium-high heat. Add the roast and sear each side (for colour and to lock in flavour). Rotate the roast so you get each side.

While the roast is cooking, wash, peel and slice enough carrots for everyone to have a few soft, delicious caramelized portions. I use 4 to 5 medium-sized carrots for my family of 3. Chop the carrots to about 1/4 inch pieces. You want them small enough so they’ll get soft, but not so small that they get mushy. Chop up the onion following the same guideline, nice and big.

After you’ve seared all sides of the pot roast, remove it from the pot and throw in the carrots and onions. Cook for a few minutes until they are just beginning to soften and brown. Add a cup of water (or beef stock), then the bay leaf and thyme, salt and pepper to taste. Let boil for a few minutes.

Turn the heat down very low, add the pot roast again, and cover. Turn the roast every now and then, but if you forget, it’s no big deal. Let simmer for 2 to 4 hours until dinner time!

I love this recipe because I can make it while my son is napping and not have to do anything except throw some garlic mashed potatoes on the stove at the last minute.

After you’ve tried it, change some of the veggies around, or the spices, and make it your own. You can use garlic or celery in addition to the carrots and onions. If you don’t like thyme, try tarragon, basil or oregano.