Lori's Pot Roast with Gravy

                                                             
Many people love a good pot roast with gravy, especially on a cold fall or winter day. I like to use a chuck roast or an arm roast. Arm roasts are harder to find unless you go to a meat shop or a small town grocery. I haven't seen one for years in any of the chain grocery stores. There is a small grocery in Thornville, OH which still sells arm roasts, and I stop there once in awhile and buy one. Either cuts work well. You could use a round cut, but the taste and texture is not the same, and not as good as it will be much drier.

Lori's Pot Roast with Gravy

Olive oil cooking spray
1 good sized roast, about 3-4 pounds (smaller, if you have a small family or don't want leftovers)
season salt
pepper
1-2 onions, sliced into rings
2-3 MSG-free bouillon beef cubes (Herb-Ox is a good choice)
potatoes, quartered*
1 pound of carrots, sliced
sliced or diced fresh mushrooms, if desired*
unbleached flour
water
About 1/2 Tbls. parsley flakes, fresh or dried, optional
1-2 small sprigs of fresh thyme, optional

In a large cast iron skillet or Dutch Oven, place pot over heat and spray with olive oil spray. Once pan is hot, add meat and sear well on both sides. I usually place fatty side down so some of the fat cooks off helping meat to not stick. Once seared, remove from heat. Sprinkle with season salt and pepper, to taste. Add onions to the top of roast, covering all over. Add bouillon cubes to sides of pan, and add 2 cups of water. Put on lid and place in 325 degree oven. Allow to cook for 4 hours, adding more water, as needed so it does not go dry.You want to maintain at least 1 1/2 cups of water by time done so you have some for gravy.
About one hour before meat is done, add mushrooms, if used,  potatoes and carrots over top of meat and around meat. Salt and pepper the vegetables, to taste. Cover and bake an additional 45-60 minutes, till vegetables are fork tender and done. Remove vegetables if you want to make gravy. Remove meat to a platter.
Place about 1/4 cup unbleached flour in a glass jar, add some water, and bout 1/2 cup, and shake well. Make sure no lumps are in water. Place pot on burner and turn to medium heat. When water begins to boil, add flour mixture, stirring constantly, until to desired thickness. Stir in parsley and some fresh thyme, if desired.

*We usually have mashed potatoes, though we sometimes make potatoes like this with the roast.
*I hate mushrooms so I usually cook some in butter and add them to a separate pan with some gravy for Bob.