Company Pot Roast

The meat needs to be marinated for 8 hours - I always forget that! Now that the kids and I are back in the north, this one will be made regularly. Adapted from Cooking Light: Essential Slow Cooker, p. 20.

Company Pot Roast
1 (2 lb) boneless chuck roast, cut in half
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup beef broth
1 small package of shiitake mushrooms
Ground black pepper
3 Tablespoons tomato paste
2 medium onions, quartered
1 16-oz package of carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
16 small red potatoes, halved
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 1/2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 Tablespoons water

1. Combine roast, soy sauce, and garlic in a large ziploc bag and marinate in refrigerator at least hours, turning bag occassionally.

2. Bring beef broth to a boil in a small saucepan, add mushrooms. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 20 minuts. Drain mushrooms over a bowl, reserving broth mixture.

3. Remove roast from bag, reserving marinade. Sprinkle roast with pepper, gently pressing pepper into roast. Combine reserved marinade, mushroom broth mixture and tomato paste, stir well, and set aside.

4. Place mushrooms, onion, carrot, and potato in slow cookr.

5. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and add roast, browning well on all sides. Place roast over vegetables in cooker. Pour tomato past mixture into pan, scraping to loosen browned bits. Pour tomato paste mixture over roast and vegetables. Cover and cook on LOW 10 hours or until roast is tender. Place roast and vegetables on a serving platter, keep warm. Reserve cooking liquid in cooker, increase heat to HIGH.

6. Place flour in a bowl. Gradually add water, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Add flour mixture to cooking liquid in cooker. Cook, uncovered, 15 minuts or until slightly thick stirring frequently. Serve gravy with roast and vegetables.