Southern Braised Pot Roast

Ingredients

3-4 pound boneless beef chuck roast
1-2 tablespoons avocado oil substitute for olive oil
2-3 yellow onions sliced into half rings
6-8 fresh garlic cloves minced
4 cups beef stock
2-3 tablespoons of flour
Fresh herbs like parsley, thyme, or rosemary, optional
Salt and pepper to taste
Rice, mashed potatoes, or noodles for serving optional

Directions

About 30 minutes prior to cooking, remove chuck roast from the refrigerator and let sit at room excess fat if needed. You can cut up the chuck roast into more manageable chunks if needed. Salt and pepper roast generously on all sides. Slice onions and mince garlic. Heat up a large pot or dutch oven over medium high heat until it is fully heated.

Add avocado oil to the pot and swirl to coat. Place in beef and allow to sear for about 5 minutes on each side, forming a browned crust. Once you place the beef down, don’t move it for a few minutes to help it fully sear. Once all browned, remove the beef from the pot and set aside.

SAUTÉ: Add onions to the pot and saute for about 8-10 minutes, or until turning translucent, stirring occasionally. Scrape the bottom of the pot to incorporate the fond (browned bits). Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the browned roast back on top of the onions, and pour in beef broth. You can add some of the onions on top of the beef. Add in fresh herbs if using. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook covered for 3-4 hours until roast is fall-apart tender when pierced with a fork. Check occasionally to make sure liquid has not gotten too low. If there is not enough, add a splash of water or beef broth. If there is still too much liquid, simmer uncovered for a few minutes until it reduces.

Remove some of the broth into a separate cup. Whisk in 2-3 tablespoons of flour into the removed broth, and stir until all lumps are gone. Add the flour and broth mixture back into the pot and stir well. Start with a little at a time and add more if needed. Simmer for 10-15 minutes more on low heat until the gravy thickens. Add salt and black pepper to taste.

Remove herb stems before serving. Shred beef into smaller pieces, or cut into large chunks for serving. Serve over rice, mashed potatoes, or noodles. Top with fresh herbs.