Myrna’s Pot Roast

When you exited the elevator in my mother-in-law Myrna’s building, you were led by the nose to her doorway. The aroma of something great always wafted down her hallway. Her impromptu feasts didn’t require a special occasion, just a butcher order and knowing friends or family might be stopping by.

This pot roast is one of my favorite dishes she prepared. It’s so tender you can cut it with a fork. If unexpected guests arrive, you can always toss in a few extra carrots and potatoes to stretch the meal.

Pot roast involves browning beef and then braising it on the stove covered in liquid for several hours. This moist cooking process tenderizes the meat. Inexpensive cuts of meat work best. I am not sure why pot roast has dropped off the radar screen of younger cooks, but when you try this recipe, you’ll rediscover why our mothers and grandmothers prepared it so often.

Yield: 8 Servings

Ingredients:

• • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • Flour
  • 1 5-pound boneless pot roast (I like shell roast.)
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 1 ½ packages dry onion soup mix (from a 2 ¾-ounce box)
  • 3 carrots, peeled and sliced (or 2 cups baby carrots)
  • 3 Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 2 parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
  • Prepared horseradish or store-bought barbecue sauce

Instructions:

1. 1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil. Sprinkle flour over the meat.
   2. When the oil is hot but not smoking, sear the roast on all sides until golden brown. Remove from pot; set aside.
   3. Add the sliced onion to the pot. Sauté about 5–6 minutes or until translucent, scraping up the brown bits from the pot as you sauté the onion.
   4.  Return the roast to the pot. Add water to cover two-thirds of the way up the roast. Sprinkle with the dry onion soup mix. Bring to boil. Reduce to a simmer; cook, covered, for 2 hours.
   5. After 2 hours, turn the pot roast over. Add the carrots, potatoes, and parsnips. Re-cover and cook for another 1 – 1 ½ hours.
   6. Transfer meat to cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice meat.
   7. Place on platter with the vegetables. Serve with either jarred prepared horseradish or bottled barbecue sauce.