Pot Roast

Ingredients:

2-4 lb cross rib, chuck or blade beef roast
1 - 2 Tbsp olive or canola oil
1 1/2 cup onion in 1” dice
1 1/2 cups sliced or chopped mushrooms (optional)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 cup beef/chicken broth (or water)
(1-2 tsp Beef Better than Bouillon- optional)
2 - 4 Tbsp tomato paste (optional)
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp regular or balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp basil
1/4 tsp thyme
2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
3 cups potatoes chunks (about 1 ½” pieces)
4 -6 carrots, in 3” pieces
3 Tbsp flour
1/2 cup water

Directions:

Pat the roast dry with paper towel and generously season with salt and pepper. Press Saute on the Instant Pot and when the display says Hot, add the oil. Put the roast in and brown it well without moving it for 3 or 4 minutes. Then flip it and do the same on the other side. If you want, you can brown the sides, too. Browning it will produce a rich, beefy flavour. Then transfer it to a plate.

Add the onions and mushrooms and stir for a couple of minutes. Add the garlic and press Cancel. Stir in the garlic as the pot cools down. Add the celery and the broth (or water) and stir to deglaze the pan, scraping all the brown bits off the bottom. Be sure to get ALL the bits up or you could end up with the “Burn” warning and your IP will shut off.

Add the tomato paste, if using, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, basil, thyme, bay leaves, brown sugar and salt and pepper.

Put the roast and any juices back in the pot. Close the lid and make sure the valve on the top is set to Sealing. Press Pressure Cook (or Manual) and use the +/- buttons to get to 50 minutes. Then, just walk away.

When it beeps that it's done, leave it for 15-20 min natural release. Then flip the valve from Sealing to Venting and when the pin drops, open the pot and take a whiff. Delicious, right?

Remove the roast and cover it with foil. Throw away the bay leaves. Put the potato chunks and carrots in the pot and give them a stir. Close the lid and set the valve to Sealing. Press Pressure Cook (or Manual) and adjust the time to 5 minutes. While it's cooking, mix the flour and water until completely smooth or shake it in a jar.

When it beeps that it's done, press Cancel and flip the valve to Venting for a quick release. When the pin drops, remove the lid.

Scoop out the vegetables into a bowl and hit the Saute button again. When it comes to a boil, add about half the flour/water slurry and stir to thicken. If you like it thicker, add more but keep in mind it will thicken a little as it cools.

Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and You. Are. Done.