Beef Pot Roast with Gravy [+ 4 variations]
From: Marielle, Quebec, Quebec, Canada
Servings: 6 to 8
IngredientsPreparation
  • 1 [3 to 4-pound / 1.4 to 1.8-kilos] beef pot roast
  • Flour
  • 2 tablespoons [30 mL] salad oil
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 cup [125 mL] beef broth or water [more if needed]
  • Small peeled potato halves, to taste [optional]
  • Small whole onions, to taste [optional]
  • Peeled medium carrots into 1-inch [2.5-cm] long pieces, to taste [optional]
Gravy
  • Water, if needed
  • 1/2 cup [125 mL] cold water
  • 1/4 cup [35 g] all-purpose flour
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
Variation 1
  • 1/2 cup [125 mL] tomato juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon [2.5 mL] Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 tablespoons [26.25 g] instead of 1/4 cup [35 g] flour
Variation 2
  • 1/4 cup [60 mL] vinegar
  • 1/4 cup [60 mL] water
  • 2 small onions, sliced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 5 whole cloves
  • 1/4 cup [60 mL] vinegar
  • 1/4 cup [60 mL] water
Variation 3
  • 1 tablespoon [15 mL] dillseed
  • 2 medium onions, sliced
  • Sour cream gravy
Variation 4
  • 1 [8-ounce / 250 mL] can tomato sauce
  • 1 envelope dry onion soup mix
  • 1 teaspoon [5 mL] caraway seed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 tablespoons [17.5 g] instead of 1/4 cup [35 g] flour
Sour Cream Gravy [Variation 3]
  • Water, if needed
  • 2 tablespoons [17.5 g] instead of flour
  • 1 cup [250 mL] sour cream
  • 3 tablespoons [26.25 g] all-purpose flour
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Coat beef pot roast with flour.
  • Heat salad oil into a large deep skillet; slowly brown beef on all sides.
  • Season beef with salt and pepper.
  • Remove skillet from heat before pouring in beef broth or water.
  • Cover skillet.
  • Leave roast to simmer slowly until tender, for 1 1/2 hours, adding some beef broth or water whenever needed.
  • If desired, add potato halves, small onions and carrot pieces.
  • Simmer slowly for 1 more hour.
  • To prepare gravy, lift cooked pot roast to a hot serving platter reserving pan juices.
  • Remove pan from heat and measure pan juices, with fat; pour back into skillet.
  • If needed, pour in, all at once, enough water to get 1 1/2 cups [375 mL] liquid.
  • Pour cold water into a shaker; add flour and shake mixture well.
  • Stir flour mixture into pan juices.
  • Simmer, stirring, until gravy is thickened and bubbly.
  • Season garvy to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Stirring occasionally, leave gravy to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes more.
  • Slice then serve roast coated with gravy, or serve gravy on-the-side.
Variation 1
  • Use tomato juice instead of beef broth or water.
  • Add Worcestershire sauce to liquid.
  • Use only 3 tablespoons [26.25 g] flour instead of 1/4 cup [35 g] to thicken sauce.
Variation 2
  • Brown onion slices.
  • Cook pot roast along with browned onion slices, bay leaves and cloves, using vinegar and water as cooking liquid.
Variation 3
  • After browning beef, also season beef with dillseed.
  • Top meat with onion slices.
  • Serve roast along with sour cream gravy.
Variation 4
  • Mix together tomato sauce, dry onion soup mix, caraway seed and bay leaves.
  • Pour cooking liquid all over browned beef.
  • Use only 2 tablespoons [17.5 g] flour to thicken sauce.
Sour Cream Gravy [Variation 3]
  • Lift cooked pot roast to a hot serving platter reserving pan juices.
  • Skim fat from pan juices; measure pan juices.
  • If needed, pour in enough water to get 1 1/2 cups [375 mL] liquid.
  • Blend in sour cream and flour.
  • Slowly stir in pan juices.
  • Pour sauce back into skillet.
  • Cook, stirring, until thickened and bubbly.
  • Salt and pepper, to taste