Roast and Gravy (Courtenay South)

Courtenay and Andrew have perfected the art of pot roast and gravy making. They've made this for us several times and we always love it. I finally got around to asking for the recipe and trying it. Success! I altered the portions slightly as noted.

Roast

Olive oil
1½ lb roast, cheapest cut (Originally 2-3 lb.)
1 lb baby carrots (Originally 2 lb)
Potatoes, peeled and left whole ~1 per person
1/2 onion, peeled and cut in half (Originally 1 onion)
Optional: Celery tops and bottoms (the parts you usually throw away) – helps tenderize the roast
½ c beef broth* (beef bouillon and water or just water, and add the bouillon when making the gravy)
Montreal Steak Seasoning (Grill Mates 29oz from Costco)

1. Heat frying pan to medium-high. Drizzle with olive oil. Generously season one side of the roast, coating the entire side. This seasoning will flavor all of the food in the slow cooker, as well as your gravy. Place the seasoned side down into the frying pan to brown it. While it is browning coat the upper side with the same amount of seasoning. When the bottom side is brown, flip and brown the other side.

2. Meanwhile, pour your carrots into the slow cooker, and add your water/beef broth. Place browned, seasoned roast on top of carrots. Place the potatoes around the roast. Divide the onion into 4 sections and place on top of the roast (onions add flavor and help to tenderize the meat). Add celery on top of onions if using. Add broth OR *add HOT water to the frying pan and use a spatula to gather all of the remaining seasoning. Pour that seasoned water into the slow cooker instead of using broth. Use HOT water so you don't warp your pan.

3. Put on the lid and cook on high for 4 hours (or low for 8 hours) or until meat and carrots are tender. Make sure you cook it long enough or the meat will be tough, and the carrots hard. The potatoes cook the fastest so make sure they are not in any liquid (which speeds up cooking). If you are going to cook the roast on low for 8 hours you may want to add the potatoes a few hours into the cooking time. 

Gravy
Makes 2-3 cups. Not the healthiest part...but it will make or break your dinner. This is half of the original recipe.

¼ c butter (or fat drippings from the roast) 
¼ c flour 
2 c water 
2 cubes beef bouillon 
½ tsp Kitchen Bouquet Browning & Seasoning Sauce (This also works great in stew.) 

1. Remove cooked items from slow cooker, put in glass or stainless steel bowls, cover with foil or lids, and place in a warm oven while making the gravy. Throw away the celery and onions. Keep all of the liquid to use in the gravy. 

2. Make a roux: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium low heat. Add the flour and whisk to combine. Continue whisking until butter/flour mixture begins to bubble. Whisk for 1 more minute to cook out the flour taste. 

3. Add 2 cups of liquid, first using the liquid from the slow cooker and then add enough beef broth to make 2 cups. Increase heat to medium/medium-high. Continue stirring/whisking as you heat the gravy. While you stir, taste the gravy and season as needed (use beef bouillon, seasoning salt, garlic, etc). Add the browning sauce. Continue whisking until the gravy comes to a boil. Once the gravy is boiling it is about the consistency it will be. 2 cups of liquid makes a pretty thick gravy, so add more broth to thin as desired. 

Serve the gravy over the meat, potatoes and carrots. Enjoy!

Thank you, Courtenay and Andrew!!!