Kittencal'S Beef Pot Roast #2 - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 (4 lb) beef, blade or (4 lb) chuck roast
seasoning salt
pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh minced garlic
2 tablespoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried chili pepper flakes (optional)
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons tomato paste (use tablespoons!)
2 cups dry red wine (can use more red wine)
1 (10 ounce) can beef broth, undiluted
1 (10 ounce) can consomme, undiluted (or use all broth or all consomme)
1 (2 ounce) package Lipton Onion Soup Mix
1 lb fresh small button mushroom
1 small potato, peeled
1 carrot, chopped

Preparation

Season the roast all over generously with seasoning salt and pepper.
Heat oil in a small roasting pan that has a lid.
Brown the roast well on ALL sides, this should take about 20 minutes; remove to a plate (make certain to really brown the roast well, it will add to the flavor of the gravy).
To the same roaster pan add in onions, garlic, dried thyme, basil and dried chili peppers (if using) and the bay leaf; saute, stirring with a wooden spoon for about 5 minutes.
Add in tomato paste and stir with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add in the wine, consumme, broth and onion soup mix (do not add in any salt as yet!) bring to a boil and simmer on top of the stove for 5 minutes.
Set oven to 350 degrees.
Place the roast fat-side up in the broth mix and cover the roaster.
Cook in the oven for about 1 hour.
Remove from oven and turn the roast onto the other side.
At this point, add in small potatoes, chopped carrots and/or small fresh button mushrooms if desired, and season the gravy with salt if needed.
Place back in the oven to cook for another 1-1/2 hours, or until roast is tender (if the roast is not tender yet, turn over yet again and place back in the oven , cook until tender).
Remove the roast to a cutting board and let rest for 20 minutes before slicing.
Remove any fat from on top of the gravy and serve with roast.
**NOTE** If you prefer a thick gravy, mix 2-3 tablespoons COLD water with 2 tablespoons flour to make a paste add to the simmering gravy and stir until thickened.
Delicious!