Pot Roast with Vegetables

Sunday dinner in a single pot, with a tangy twist that sets it apart from the usual brown-gravy version. A chuck roast gets dredged in seasoned flour and browned hard, then settles in to simmer low with water, a splash of vinegar, and a good shake of dill weed until it pulls apart at the touch of a fork.

The vegetables go in by the clock so each one lands perfectly cooked: potatoes and carrots in the last hour, tender zucchini only in the final twenty minutes so it stays whole instead of melting away.

What makes it memorable is the finish, a sour cream gravy stirred into the savory pan juices. The vinegar and dill running through the dish echo a German Sauerbraten, bright and tangy against all that rich beef.

Pro Tips

• Brown the roast hard on every side before any liquid goes in; that crust is where the deep flavor comes from.
• Keep the simmer gentle and the lid tight, so the meat braises tender instead of boiling tough.
• Stir in the sour cream off the heat or at a bare simmer; boiling it will curdle the gravy.
• Cut the vegetables to even sizes so they cook through at the same rate.

Variations

• Swap the zucchini for green beans, parsnips, or pearl onions.
• Stir a spoon of mustard or horseradish into the sour cream gravy for more bite.
• Use beef broth in place of the water for an even richer braise.