Roast with mashed potatoes and gravy is quite nostalgic for me. Growing up, my mom made a roast every Sunday. “I’m making a ‘nice roast’ “, she would say. And thus, as I grew older and started inviting my Mom to Sunday dinners, being the sarcastic gal that I am, I had to tease her that I was making a “mean roast,” or a “psychotic roast”….or anything other than “nice.” My poor mother…
But no matter how I described it, I discovered that slow-cooking a roast this way makes it super tasty and so tender that you can almost eat it with just a fork!
You can make this roast with other cuts of roast, but I prefer a chuck roast. It has enough marbling of fat to make it very flavorful and tender. I used to like to use a “rump roast” which has a good flavor, but I just don’t think it’s as tender in the end (pun intended. ) The chuck roast reminds me of a brisket (which I also love), only it doesn’t have the layer of fat on the top and it is a little thicker….both pluses in my book.
I have learned 3 tricks over the years that really make a roast tasty: 1) season it well on all sides. I like to use California Style Garlic Salt and Seasoned Salt, but if you prefer other seasonings, knock yourself out! Just DON’T SKIMP on the seasoning! 2) Put some water in the bottom of the pan and check it after 4-5 hours to make sure all of the liquid doesn’t evaporate. If it cooks for too long without any juices, I have noticed that it has a tendency to dry out. In fact, you don’t want too much liquid, but just some of the juices in the bottom of the pan makes a huge difference! 3) Cooking for a longer period of time at a lower temperature also makes for a more tender roast. If I am short on time, I will cook for a couple of hours at 350* and then turn the temperature down to 275*. I would not suggest cooking it at a higher temperature than 350*.
This roast is so yummy served with mashed potatoes and gravy and roasted vegetables! Once you try it, you just might want to make this roast every Sunday too!
| Prep Time | 10 min |
| Cook Time | 7 hours |
| Servings |
servings
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- 4 lb chuck roast (or other cut of beef roast)
- garlic salt
- Seasoned Salt
- 1/3 c water
- 4 tbsp flour or corn starch
- 2 c water
- salt
- pepper
Ingredients
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- Season roast on all sides with garlic salt and seasoned salt (or desired seasonings.) Place in a 9x13" aluminum pan or roasting pan with the side with the most fat facing up.
- Pour 1/2 c. water in the bottom of the pan and cover tightly with foil.
- Roast in a 275* oven for 7 hours. Check roast after 4 -5 hours if possible and add a little water if there is no liquid or juices in the bottom of the pan. (about 1/4 c water should be enough.)
- Remove from oven. Let sit about 10 min before cutting. Slice against the grain.
- To make gravy, Set the pan on your stove burner. Add 1 c. water to the pan. Scrape any dried on drippings off the bottom of the pan. Turn to high. Pour flour or cornstarch into a bowl or glass measuring cup, slowly add the second cup of water, stirring to remove lumps. Pour into pan on stove. Stir with a whisk to combine. Turn to medium and simmer until thickened. (For thicker gravy, add more flour or cornstarch. For thinner gravy, add more water. If you need more gravy, add more of both by stirring together first to avoid lumps and then adding to the pan.) Salt and pepper to taste.
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