FYI:This recipe is my Grandma's Stephenson's Baked Pot Roast, a dish I watched her make many times in the old house on Front Street. My Grandmother's family (on my Fathers side) were English. This recipe was handed down to her from her ancestors. A "One Pot" dinner !
HINT: I like to use a Bottom Round Rump Roast. I find it is the most tender cut to use. The size you buy is up to you. I duplicated her old her old pan from the 40's ...a deep lighter weight aluminum pan w/the handles on each side, that cleans up well w/brillo after it's all done. These pans can still be found in thrift stores or flee markets.
The Secret: Preheat the oven to at least 350. You know your oven so you be the judge. I use convetion bake at around 360. Dredge your Rump Roast in flour. Place the pan on the stove with oil aready heated in the pan (enough to cover the bottom) you may add more as needed during this process, then add a large sweet or white onion (sliced up not too small) and add a fair amount of fresh garlic chopped up or sliced very thin. Get the onions & garlic frying in the pan on a low heat. Add the floured roast. You are going to brown up the roast and turn it every 7 minutes or so to a different side. Add kosher salt & pepper also. Stir those onions and garlic around. They will begin to carmelize (brown up) don't worry if they end up burning a little because that is the secret of this dish. The carmelization of all the ingrediants The smell is inviting as the garlic melts into it.
In between carmelizing: Keep your eye on the roast! Cut up carrots, slice celery, peel potatoes and cut up (not too small or you will have mashed at the end) I sometimes if they are small just leave them whole. If larger just slice in half. They will surround the roast when added to the pan for baking. Make sure liquid is sufficient or you will not have gravy.
Next: Remove the pan from the stove and now add *water to the pain DO NOT DRAIN OFF THE OIL or any of the carmelization. Most oil is absorbed by now. The bottom of the pan by this time may look like it is semi burnt...no problem, it all adds to the flavor in the end. *The water added should come up to about half of the roast you do not want to completely submerge it but you want to make sure you have enough liquid to cook in the potatoes, carrots & celery you will be adding. You will not place the entire 1 pot dinner in the oven. Cover tightly w tinfoil or lid. It will go for usually an hour and a half to 2 hours depending on the size of the roast. If you see your vegtables and potatoes are cooked. Remove them to a tin foil tray or a baking dish. Roast should be done when a large fork goes into it easily. Do not remove it too soon.
Final Step: Remove roast when done...remember those potatoes, carrots, celery you removed. Put them back into the oven under a low broil...you now want to dry them out a little and give them a nice browning. Oven browned potatoes are great and they look great when you serve this dinner.
The Gravy: If you did this right you will have wonderful gravy with a rich brown color. Remove roast from pan and add about a half a cup of flour int a glass of water or milk you will know if you need more. stir it up good or put it in a shaker to avoid lumps. Scrape the bottom of the pan as you are making the gravy...that is where the flavor is.
The Best Part: Time to eat! Serve the dinner on a large platter with the oven browned items garnished around the meat. Enjoy...and say..... "Thankyou Grandma Stephenson"
You can also make it on top of the stove in a pressure cooker or cast iron pan if you have one. I would still put the potatoes and carrots etc...under a slow broil to brown them up.
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