MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06

     Title: Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Categories: Beef, Vegetables, Herbs, Wine
     Yield: 6 servings

MMMMM-------------------------POT ROAST------------------------------
     4 lb Beef chuck roast; cut into 3
          - chunks
          Salt & black pepper
     2 tb Vegetable oil
     7 oz Frozen pearl onions -OR-
     1    Yellow or red onion; peeled,
          - in wedges)
     6 cl Garlic; smashed, peeled
 1 1/2 c  Dry red wine
     1 tb Red wine vinegar
     5    Fresh woody herb sprigs;
          - such as thyme, sage or
          - rosemary -OR-
     1 ts Dried thyme, sage or
          - rosemary
 1 1/2 lb Peeled root vegetables; in
          - 2" chunks
     2 tb Unsalted butter; room temperature
     2 tb Flour (optional)

MMMMM--------------------PICKLED ONIONS (OPT-------------------------
     1 c  Red wine vinegar
     2 tb Granulated sugar
     7 oz Frozen pearl onions -OR-
     1    Yellow or red onion; peeled,
          - in wedges)
          Salt

 Season the beef generously all over with about 1 heaping tb salt.
 Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add one chunk of
 the beef and sear on one side, undisturbed, until deeply browned, 5
 minutes.  Using tongs, remove the first chunk and place it in a 6-
 to 8 qt slow cooker. Repeat with the second and third pieces,
 searing one side and then placing the beef in the slow cooker. (You
 can certainly brown more than one side of each chunk, but one side
 is enough to build flavor without spending too much time on this
 step.)

 Add the pearl onions and garlic to the skillet. Season lightly with
 salt and generously with pepper and cook, stirring, until just
 softened, 3 minutes. Pour in the red wine, vinegar and 1/2 cup
 water. Scrape up the browned bits with a wooden spoon or spatula
 and let the mixture come to a bubble. Tip the mixture into the slow
 cooker, and add the herbs. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.

 Make the pickled onions, if desired: Bring the vinegar and the
 sugar to a boil in a small saucepan over high. Add the pearl
 onions and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, to dissolve
 the sugar and warm the onions through, about 1 minute, then remove
 from heat. Set aside at room temperature to pickle until ready to
 serve, at least 1 hour. (Ideally, make the pickled onions in the
 morning, when you prep the dish. You could even make them up to 5
 days ahead and store them in a sealed container in the
 refrigerator.)

 Uncover the slow cooker, flip the pieces of beef with tongs, and
 add the root vegetables, pushing them under the liquid. Cover and
 cook on low until the beef and vegetables are both very tender, an
 additional 4 to 5 hours. Check to see if the meat is tender by
 testing it with a fork; it should be juicy and flavorful, and pull
 apart easily. If the meat is not yet tender, cover and cook another
 1 to 2 hours. (The amount of time can depend upon the leanness or
 fattiness of your cut, or how hot your slow cooker runs.) Using
 tongs and a slotted spoon, remove the beef and vegetables to a
 serving platter. Break the beef into large chunks to serve. Drizzle
 some cooking liquid over the top of the beef and vegetables, and
 top with drained pickled onions to serve. Discard the remaining
 cooking liquid or strain it, refrigerate it, discard the fat and
 freeze the remaining liquid as beef stock.

 If you'd prefer a thicker gravy, strain the cooking liquid into a
 medium pot and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Meanwhile,
 combine the butter and flour in a small bowl and knead it together
 with your fingers until it is uniform, almost like a dough. Once
 the liquid is boiling, drop the butter-flour mixture into the pot,
 whisking well to combine. Let it bubble until it is lightly
 thickened, about 5 minutes, then drizzle some gravy over the pot
 roast and vegetables, and top with the drained, pickled onions.
 Serve extra gravy on the side.

 Recipe by Sarah DiGregorio

 RECIPE FROM: https://cooking.nytimes.com

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