Pot Roast

It's snowing. It's cold (it's only 15 degrees), and I'm sick of cooking, but don't really want to go out. Time to re-discover the good old Crock Pot!! I had a craving for beef and so made this pot roast, which I think turned out really well. Here's the recipe for my future memory and for you to try! 

Pot Roast 

Ingredients: 

1.5-2 lbs of brisket, trimmed of fat 

1 onion, cut into chunks

2-3 cups of beef broth (enough to cover the meat but not to fill the whole crock pot)

3 Tablespoons olive oil 

3 bay leafs (leaves?)

1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning (or thyme)

1/4 cup ketchup

1/2 cup red wine (optional)

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/4 teaspoon salt (if beef broth not too salty) - more to taste if needed, esp at the end with the gravy

pepper, to taste 

2-3 parsnips cut into french-fry type shapes

2-3 carrots cut into french-fry type shapes 

1/4 cup flour & 1/4 cup water, mixed into thickish paste

Mashed potatoes to your liking if you want. 

Instructions: 

1. Get out your crock pot and make sure it's not dusty. 

2. Trim any fat off of the brisket. In a large flat-bottomed pan / skillet, heat the oil until just before its smoking point. Add the brisket and quickly brown on each side (max 1 minute each side). Take the brisket off of the pan and put it into the crock pot. (Don't transfer any excess oil).  

3. Put the rest of the ingredients except the parsnips and carrots into the crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. 

4. 1-2 hours before dinner, put in the parsnips and carrots and cook for 1-2 hours. (Start the mashed potatoes soon if you want them). 

5. Take out the brisket and place on a cutting board and allow to rest for a bit. Then, cut against the grain into strips for eating. 

6. Remove the veggies with a slotted spoon and place them in a pan. 

7. Transfer the juice from the crockpot into a pot. When boiling, add the flour-water mixture and whisk until thick like a gravy. You may need to add more flour-water mixture or cornstarch-water mixture to get to the gravy consistency. There is no exact science. 

8. Serve the brisket and veggies topped with gravy and mashed potatoes on the side. Mmm.