Homestyle Italian Pot Roast

Homestyle Italian Pot Roast

What you need:

• 2-3 lb chuck roast
• cumin (to taste)
• pepper (to taste)
• sea salt (to taste)
• 4 stalks of celery, chopped
• 1 medium sweet onion, sliced or chopped
• 3 cloves of fresh garlic, smashed
• 1 28 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• handful of kalamata olives
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon of dried thyme or 2 tablespoons of fresh
• Crock pot

Instructions:

Rinse, pat dry and season both sides of roast with cumin, salt and pepper.
In a screaming hot skillet, dry (no oil) sear both sides of meat until brown.
Place celery, onions and garlic in the bottom of the crock pot.
Place seared roast on top. Add tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, and olives on top.
Add thyme and bay leaf.
Set crock pot to low and cook 8-10 hrs.

*Notes-- depending on thickness of roast will depend on cook time. Example: short but thick roast will take 10 hrs. Longer, thinner roast, 8-8.5 hrs.
I would go with latter roast if using grass fed, finished beef. These types of meat need a slow braise to them.
*You can add potatoes and carrots to roast for a complete one pot meal. Picture above shows I placed roast over homestyle mash potatoes and oven roasted carrots along side.


An  Alton Brown original. We have adjusted to our taste.