Favourite Pot Roast

The kind of pot roast you set up in the morning and forget about until dinner. Rump or chuck beef gets rubbed with a simple blend of salt, seasoned salt, seasoned pepper, and paprika, then slow cooks in beef bouillon with onion for 8 to 10 hours on low. That’s it. No searing, no fussing, just time and heat doing the work.

The long, low cook breaks down all the tough connective tissue in the chuck or rump roast until the meat practically falls apart when you touch it with a fork. The paprika in the rub adds a subtle sweetness and color to the outside of the meat that you wouldn’t get from salt and pepper alone.

The pan juices are liquid gold. After removing the meat, thicken them with a flour-and-water slurry cooked for a few minutes and you’ve got a rich, beefy gravy that’s already seasoned from hours of braising.

The recipe invites you to add vegetables right alongside the meat. Potatoes, carrots, celery, small white onions, or turnips all cook beautifully in the same pot for a complete one-pot dinner.

Pro Tips

• Chuck roast has more marbling than rump and produces a more tender, flavorful result. Rump is leaner and slices more cleanly.
• Don’t lift the lid during cooking. Every time you open it, the temperature drops and adds 30 minutes to the cook time.
• If adding vegetables, cut them in large chunks. Small pieces will disintegrate over 8-10 hours. Add them in the last 3-4 hours if you want them to hold their shape.
• The gravy will be thin. Whisk the flour slurry in slowly and cook until it reaches your preferred thickness.

Variations

• Add a splash of red wine or Worcestershire sauce to the bouillon for deeper, more complex flavor.
• Swap paprika for smoked paprika for a subtle barbecue-like undertone.
• Use the shredded leftover meat in sandwiches, tacos, or over egg noodles the next day.