Lesley's Pot Roast

Ingredients

3 to 5 pound chuck roast
6 to 8 carrots
2 medium size sweet onions (1099 or Vidalia)
1 package au jus (Pioneer is best)
Olive oil
Salt (sea salt best)
Pepper (Lawry’s Season Pepper works well)
¼ cup red wine
2 cups water
½ cup flour

Instructions

Put two tablespoons olive oil in the Dutch oven and heat on high. Cut the onions in half and remove the ends and outer layer of skin. Once the oil is very hot, place the onions face down and sear for 1 to 2 minutes. Then turn the onions and do the same on the outside. Once done, remove to a plate. Take the carrots, wash them, remove ends and then slice in 2 inch pieces. Do not peel. Put carrots into the hot Dutch oven and sear. About 1 to 2 minutes. Remove to plate. While carrots are searing, coat the pot roast with sea salt and pepper. Make sure to really cover the roast entirely. Bring the oil back to temperature and then put the roast in to sear. About 2 to 3 minutes. Then turn and sear other side. While searing the roast, make up the package of au jus and bring to a boil – make the au jus with 4 cups of water instead of 3. Remove roast to plate. Take ¼ cup red wine and a quarter cup water and deglaze the pan. Make sure to get all the bits off the bottom and into the liquid. Next return the roast to the Dutch oven. Add 3 cups of au jus over the roast. Then put the onions and carrots on top of the roast. If using a 3 pound roast, don’t add the 4th cup. If cooking a 4 to 5 pound roast, then add the remaining cup of au jus. Now cover Dutch oven and put into an oven at 275 for 3 to 4 hours (depending on size of roast).

When you remove roast, let cool for 15 minutes. Then take roast, onions and carrots out. Keep liquid in pan and heat. Take 2 cups of water and ½ cup flour to make a white wash. Mix into the drippings from the roast and heat for gravy.

Serves 5 to 8 depending on size of roast.