Crockpot Roast

I can't count the number of times I used to come home and smell something my mother was preparing in the crockpot. As a working family it allowed her to have a meal ready for us when we all got home after a day at our respective jobs (or school in my case!). Those aroma's that would permeate the air as soon as you walked in the door immediately triggered the salivary gland and had you walking right into the kitchen to get a closer look. Now that I'm married, I always look to recreate those experiences for my wife (and soon to be son!!!).

Yesterday I decided it was a good day to put the crockpot to use. Using a nice chuck roast purchased from our local market, I was able to re-create an experience my mother gave to me for my own family! Here's what I needed and what I did:

Ingredients:

3 lb chuck roast

1 Tbsp butter

1/4 C AP Flour

3/4 C Red Wine
3 Garlic Cloves

1 Yukon Gold Potato

2 Celery Stalks

4 Purple Carrots

1/4 Red Onion

1 tsp dried thyme

1/4 C water or low sodium beef broth
red pepper flakes

salt and pepper

(note: the vegetables are what I had on hand ... orange carrots would of been just fine ... also, I usually like to add porcini mushrooms but Mama Zuri (my wife) is not a fan of mushrooms)

Directions:

1.) Place the flour, thyme, a pinch of pepper and a pinch of salt (if using grinders I would suggest 4-5 turns) in a bowl big enough to fit the roast ... also, heat the butter in a pan on medium high heat

2.) flour all sides of the roast and then place in the pan with the melted butter ... you'll have some flour left over, don't discard it just yet! ... place the roast in a pan and be sure to sear all sides of the roast

3.) remove the roast from the pan and put the red wine into the pan ... also, take half of the leftover flour and place it in the pan too along with three garlic cloves ... wait till the wine reduces by half and then remove from the heat

4.) take the vegetables and cut to your desired preference (make it your own!) ... place the meat in the center of the crockpot and place the vegetables around them ... put the remaining flour on the vegetables ... add the beef broth and then the red wine and garlic from the pan ... lastly, I added a pinch of red pepper flakes (rubbed between fingers to get those flavors moving), big pinch of salt (not more than a tsp), and a pinch of pepper

Mine Looked Like This!

5.) set the crockpot to low and let simmer away for 6-7 hours or until the roast is fall apart tender

ENJOY!