Mushroom and Blueberry Balsamic Pot Roast

Drizzle 2 Tablespoons of olive oil over chuck roast and generously salt and pepper.

Preheat your oven to 275 degrees F.

Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Then add 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil.

Cut two onions in quarters and cut 6 carrots into 2-inch slices (you can peel them, but you don’t have to). When the oil in the pot is very hot (but not smoking), add in the onions, browning them on one side and then the other. Remove the onions to a plate. Add the carrots into the same pot and toss them around a bit until slightly browned, about a minute or so. Add a little more olive oil if necessary and add mushrooms and sliced garlic. Stir everything until the mushrooms just begin to brown, then remove to a plate.

If needed, add a bit more olive oil to the pot. Place the meat in the pot and sear it for about a minute on all sides until evenly browned. Remove the roast to a plate.

With the burner still on high, add balsamic vinegar and beef broth to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom with a whisk to get all the brown bits up. Add tomato sauce and blueberries. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer. Allow the berries to cook for about 3 – 4 minutes until they plump, then using the back of your spoon mash some of the berries against the side of the pot.

Place the roast back into the pan, add in the onion, mushrooms and the carrots, as well as 3 or 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary and about 3 sprigs of fresh thyme.

Put the lid on, then roast in a 275F oven for 3 hours (this time is for a 3-pound roast). For a 4 to 5-pound roast, plan on 4 hours.