Pot Roast

• WIP
• notes from my first attempt!

Ingredients

• 3lb chuck roast
• 2 tbsp canola oil or other high smoke point oil (not olive or butter)
• 1 tbsp garlic, chopped loosely
• 1 sweet onion, chopped loosely
• 2 medium carrots, unpeeled chopped loosely
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2 cups crisp semisweet red wine (used barefoot merlot in first attempt)
• 2 cups beef stock

Preparation

• Begin preheating cast iron pan on 4, it needs to be evenly heated. Let it heat up at least 15-20 minutes as you do other prep work.
• Bring meat out and allow to warm as you do other prep work.
• Chop vegetables and garlic. Strip half the thyme leaves and reserve some sprigs for the crockpot. You can add the crockpot thyme to the crockpot now.
• Increase heat to 6-7 and add oil.
• Remove meat from wrapping and pat dry. Add salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle some thyme leaves on.
• When the oil is hot, add the meat and sear on each exposed side for 3 minutes until the maillard reaction has happened.
• Remove the meat and put it in the crockpot. (I split the roast in half to ensure it wasn't too tall)
• Allow the cast iron pan to cool off just a little bit, so the garlic won't burn.
• Set stove temperature to medium low. Add the garlic and a little bit more oil. Cook until fragrant.
• Add the vegetables and cook for 2 minutes. Add half of the wine and scrape up the browned bits from the pan.
• Add the stock and cook until the onions are starting to look translucent.
• Pour pan contents into the crock pot. Add remaining cup of wine (or a third cup of beef stock) into the crockpot as well.
• Set crockpot to cook on low for 8 hours. Check regularly to stir and flip the meat.