I need a good Beef Pot Roast recipe

[ChefPete]

I have the beef and vegetables.

What I need are the herbs, spices, and stock that make a flavorful, robust, and hearty pot roast.

Also, occasionally I have difficulty creating the right balance of all these ingredients. It's either too "beefy" or too much potato or too much onion. Not enough or too much garlic... whatever. Some tips on ingredient balance would be very helpful.

Thank you.

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ChefPete

[nancya]

This is my friend Eric's version. Me? No, I'm really quite simple.


Eric's Command Performance pot roast

Ingredients

1) Big hunka beef chuck ( blade cut 7 bone about 3lbs )
1) Buncha little red potatoes ( the size of pearl onions ) washed but unpeeled
1) Small bag of peeled baby carrots ( or turned carrots if you got time )
1) Bunch of Scallions ( green onions with the tops on )
1) Big bag of mushrooms ( at least a pound... assorted preferably... tasty ones )
1) Small jar of pickled olives ( no pits or pimentos... just little green Spanish olives )
3) Stalks of celery ( either inside stalks or de-string w/ a vegetable peeler )
5) Cloves of garlic ( peeled but left whole )
1) 6 Oz V-8 vegetable juice ( Trust me )
1) Bay leaf
2) Tablespoons of dark soy sauce
1/4 Teaspoon of white pepper ( fresh ground if at all possible )
Salt to taste

Procedure

This has to be made in an oval crock cooker of good size and a low setting. This is best cooked on lowest setting for 8 hrs or more. [note: nobody tells me "has to"]

In a heavy skillet... set as hot as it will get... sear all sides of the meat quickly and set in bottom of cooker ( may have to cut to fit )... Deglaze the pan with the V8 Juice & soy sauce... lower heat and let slowly reduce... cut stems off mushrooms at the cap ( leave the stem even with the cap ) mince the stems and add to the reducing liquid... drain & add the olives to the liquid... toss the washed taters on top of the meat... throw in the carrots, chopped celery, garlic and bay leaf... then pour your liquid over all of that... top with the whole mushrooms and the bulbs of the onions... finely chop about the lower third of the green tops ( a good handful ) and sprinkle over the mushrooms ( mushrooms and onions love each other )... sprinkle white pepper and add salt to taste... place the lid on and set to low... fuggitabowdit, don't stir it, don't peek, let it cook in peace... like I said 8 hrs or until the youngest kid says " Isn't supper ready yet!". Now I like the broth as it is... but you can remove everything except the broth and thicken it a bit... you have to get it almost boiling and then use 1 tsp flour to 4 tsp COLD water... stir till a smooth paste and drizzle in... stirring constantly till absorbed and gravy thickens... cook for like 5 minutes or you taste the flour.

Enjoy

[ChefPete]

Thank you nancya!

That's exactly what I needed. Will let ya know.

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ChefPete