Pot Roast

This is a great tasting pot roast with a slightly italian bent...not enough to be called italian, but the influence is there. There are no cream of something soups in it, and everything is fresh. It is like the pot roast your Mom made for Sunday dinner.

• Ready In: 3 hrs 36 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 4  lbs bottom round beef roast or 4  lbs  chuck
• 1  large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
• 1  cup  chianti wine or 1  cup dry red wine
• 1 (16 ounce) can chopped tomatoes, undrained
• 2  teaspoons dried basil, crumbled
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1⁄8 teaspoon black pepper
• 4  small potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
• 4  medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch lengths
• 4  stalks celery, cut into 2 inch lengths
• 4  medium zucchini, sliced 1/2 inch thick

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Heat the oil in a 6 quart oven ready casserole or dutch oven over medium heat for 1 minute. Using paper towels, blot the roast dry, then add it to the casserole/dutch oven. Brown on all sides. This takes about 10 minutes. Remove the roast and set aside.
3. Skim all but 2 tbsp of the drippings from the pot, then add the onion and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
4. Return the roast to the pot, and add the tomatoes, basil, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover, and transfer the dutch oven to the oven. Bake for 2 1/2 hours, turning the roast every 30 minutes.
5. Add the potatoes, carrots, and celery, cover and bake for 15 minutes. Add the zucchini, cover, and bake until the meat and vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes more.
6. Transfer the meat and vegetables to a serving platter. Skim any fat from the drippings, then serve over the pot roast.