Poppy's Pot Roast

Secret Agent's Note:

We were stunned when Dad made this pot roast in a crock pot - he has a hard time making jell-o! It was very yummy and all the grandkids ate it and loved it. We jazzed it up a bit and loved the results. Make it easy on yourself and do up the veggies the day before. Add some biscuits or crusty bread and enjoy it!

• Total Time: 10 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 10 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 10

• 4 lbs chuck roast
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 (3 ounce) packet Lipton Onion Soup Mix (just use one packet)
• 4 celery ribs, chunked, with leaves
• 3 cups carrots, peeled and chunked
• 4 cups new potatoes, very small ones, halved
• 2 medium onions, quartered
• 3/4 cup parsnip, pared and sliced into coin-sized pieces
• 1 cup rutabaga
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon McCormick's Montreal Brand steak seasoning
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon Hungarian paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried herbs
• 1 (14 ounce) can stewed tomatoes, with juice

Directions:

1. Let the meat sit on a rack in the fridge unwrapped over night.
2. Dust the meat with flour, and salt and brown in a screaming hot cast iron skillet just until it colors up on both sides, about 3 minutes on each side. Remove and add to crock pot. Deglaze the pan with 1 cup of water and add it to the crock pot.
3. Sprinkle Onion Soup Mix over the roast and turn crock pot on High.
4. Add remaining ingredients and anything else you like.
5. The longer you cook this the better it tastes. 6 - 8 hours on low if you cook for 1 hour or so on high at first. Best if cooked on high for an hour and then 8 - 10 hours on low.
6. Remove meat and veggies to a platter and tent with foil. Turn the crock to high if you want to thicken the gravy.