re: How do you do a tender pot roast...

Made one Sunday that came out fantastic. I always find that the gravy in the pot roast is too thin, so I made a roux.

1 - 3.5 lb chuck roast stuffed with 4-6 garlic cloves and rubbed with olive oil, course black pepper and kosher salt
2 med onions
2 med bellpeppers
4 stalks celery
5 garlic cloves minced
4 cups beef stock
1 cup red wine
4 sprigs fresh thyme
3 bay leaves
Few shakes of dried Rosemary and oregano

For the mushroom/carrot accoutrements

1 package of Shitake mushrooms
5-6 carrots
1 shallot (minced)
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 cup cooking sherry

Browned the beef chuck roast on all sides.
Remove, scrape bottom, gather bits.
Make a roux, 1/1.25 of canola oil/flour. Did 1 cup of oil for this one.
Added the chopped veggies.
Roux was a nice dark chocolate color.
Add the stock and red wine, stir good with a whisk.
Bring to a boil, simmer. Add roast back to cast iron pot.
Put pot in oven @ 325 for 2.5 hours.

Mushroom carrot accoutrement

Sauté shallot in 4 tbsp canola oil
Add mushrooms and carrots and continue to sauté a few more minutes
Add 1 cup of cooking sherry and white wine vinegar
Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 20-30 minutes.

Remove cast iron pot from oven.
Pour in mushroom carrots
Stir, put back in oven another 30 minutes.
Serve with rice and good bread. Egg noodles or grits would also do well with this.