Nana's Roast Beef, Carrots and Potatoes!

This was always one of my favorite meals when we were growing up.  It's something that has to cook slowly most of the day and I can remember the smell would make me so hungry all day long until dinner. It's a meal that takes time to prepare, but it's really not a difficult dish.  The key is to start it early and make sure the meat has time to get tender.  There is nothing worse than a tough roast.   I prefer to use a chuck roast for this, but you can also use a shoulder roast or rump roast.   This just happens to be a shoulder roast.  The trick with a shoulder roast is to be sure to slice it across the grain. 

I know that in most cook books or on tv, this is referred to as a 'pot roast'.  If you call this pot roast, it tells me right off you are not from the south or your family was not originally from the south, because the term 'pot roast' is used in other parts of the country, but here it is called a roast, roast beef, or less frequently a beef roast.  I notice little things like this when I watch cooking shows or read magazine articles about cooking or cooking blogs and it's so telling when someone is pretending to be southern and a southern cook and they make mistakes like this.  It would be like me trying to pretend to be an Italian American from New York and doing a blog or article on the food and culture,  no matter how much I researched it, I would slip up and a true  New Yorker would know it wasn't real.   That is just something that bugs me for some reason.   Now, back to the recipe....

Sprinkle both sides of the roast with salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Heat enough oil in a dutch oven to cover the bottom on about medium.  Place roast in hot oil and sear on both sides well.  It should be browned on both sides.   Add 6 cups of water to the pan, cover and cook on medium to low heat for 3 hours. 

Sorry about this picture, meat is really hard to photograph, especially half done meat that is down in a pot...lol.  It does improve in appearance three hours later when it's cooked..thank goodness!

After three hours, remove the roast to a platter and cover with foil to rest.  Take 3 cups of the cooking liquid out of the pan for a gravy.  Peel carrots and potatoes.  If using big carrots, cut them in thirds and quarter the potatoes.  Place the potatoes and carrots in the rest of the juices left in the pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Cook on medium until tender...about 30-40 minutes.

In the reserved cooking liquid, mix in 1 pk. au jus mix and 1 Tbs. cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water.  Whisk together and microwave for 2 minutes.  Remove and whisk and if not thick microwave for 1 more minute.  This can be served on the side or poured over the roast. 

Slice the roast and place on platter with the carrots and potatoes around it.  Drizzle the pan juices over the meat and potatoes and serve the gravy on the side.

Ingredients:

1 roast (the cut of your choice, but I think chuck is best)

7-8 potatoes

7-8 carrots or a whole bag of baby carrots.

1 pkg. au jus mix

1 Tbs. cornstarch

1/4 cup water

6 cups water to cook roast in

salt

pepper

garlic powder