Recipe: Perfect pot roast

Are you craving slow-cooked meats and vegetables on cool fall days? We think you'll turn to this recipe for perfect pot roast again and again. Simmer a tough, but flavorful, cut of beef with herbs, wine and veggies until the meat is fall-apart tender and the aroma brings everyone to the kitchen.

Pick up chuck roast from Hedgewood Farms or JET Produce and Meats, and a bottle of dry red wine from Holy-Field Vineyard & Winery at the Lenexa Farmers Market. You'll also find plenty of carrots, onions and potatoes from our vendors.

Ingredients

2–3 pounds chuck roast
Salt and pepper
¼ cup olive oil
1 onion, medium dice
2 carrots, medium dice
1 cup sherry or red wine
4 cups beef stock
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon dry Italian herbs or dry thyme
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 large russet potatoes, large chop
2–3 carrots, large chop

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300° F.
2. In a large Dutch oven or ovenproof pot, heat ¼ cup olive oil.
3. Generously season the roast with salt and pepper. Place the roast in the Dutch oven with heated olive oil and brown both sides over medium-high heat. This is messy and takes about 15 minutes. Remove the roast from pot and set aside.
4. There should be some remaining oil in the Dutch oven. If not, add two tablespoons of olive oil. Add the diced onion and carrots, and sauté over medium heat until slightly softened.
5. Add the sherry, beef stock, bay leaf and dry herbs. Add the roast back to the pot, cover and cook in oven (or crock pot on high) for 3 hours.
6. Add the rough chopped potatoes and carrots to the pot roast. Cover and cook for an additional 1 hour.