Slow Cooked Beef Roast with Mushroom and Onion Sauce

Slow Cooked Beef Roast with Mushroom and Onion Sauce

I'm going to have to warn you.  I love roasts.  This time of year is perfect for tender, juicy, succulent, cut with a fork, melt in your mouth, heartwarming roasts. 

A very long time ago, I made a roast for easter dinner.  I remember it being very dry and tough.  When I look back on it, I am embarrassed about the lack of culinary skill I had at the time and I'm thankful that it most likely wasn't a "memorable" meal and hopefully everyone forgot how horrible it was.  Thank goodness for lessons learned.  Since then, I have pursued learning more about roasts and with some help from my wonderfully talented aunt Adrienne, I have produced some of the most flavorful and tender roasts imaginable.   To me, a roast in the oven is one of the most welcoming aromas, but what's better, is to have one prepared for you after a long day.

This roast recipe can be made a day ahead of time.  After the cook time, the roast should fall apart.  Pulling the roast apart, covering it in a dish and allowing it to sit overnight in the sauce makes for a very tasty and inviting meal the next day.  Try it.  I guarantee you will be back for more.

Slow Cooked Beef Roast with Mushroom and Onion Sauce

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

Ingredients
2 lb. Top Round or Chuck Beef Roast
salt & pepper
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. onion powder
1 t. thyme leaves
2 T. canola oil
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
16 oz. sliced mushrooms
8 C. beef broth
1 C. red wine (optional)
2 T. Flour

Directions
Prepare roast by massaging in the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and thyme.  Add oil to dutch oven and turn heat to medium high.  When the temperature is up, sear roast on all sides until browned.  Remove roast from dutch oven and set aside.  Add onions and mushrooms and cook for three minutes.  Add roast back into pot and add beef broth and wine.  Cover with lid, bring to a simmer and then turn off the burner.  Place roast in oven for three hours.  Remove from oven. 

Sauce
Strain out four cups of broth and place it in a saucepan over medium high heat.  Bring to boil and reduce to a simmer, cooking for about 15 minutes uncovered.   During this reduction, take 3/4 cup of remaining broth from the dutch oven and pour it in a small bowl.  Add flour.  Carefully whisk in flour until combined.  Add flour mixture back in to the saucepan and continue to reduce until 2 1/2 C. remain.  Remove saucepan from heat.  Carefully scoop out mushrooms and onions with slotted spoon from roastpan and add them to the saucepan.  Set aside. 

Remove roast and pull apart into pieces.  Place in a shallow dish.  Pour mushroom and onion sauce over the top.   Serve hot.  If you are making this dish ahead of time, cover it with a lid and let cool for about 20 minutes.  Refrigerate overnight and reheat in oven or microwave the following day. 

Depending on size of roast, this meal can serve 4 to 6 people.