Ingredients

  • 1 large onion
  • 6 carrots
  • 2 zucchini
  • 2 summer squash
  • 1 lb mushroom
  • 3 dashes liquid smoke
  • 2 lbs chuck roast (or larger)
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 16 ounces diced tomatoes with juice
  • 4 cups half strength beef stock (or more)

Method

  • Sear pot roast on both sides on high heat.
  • Dice onion in large chunks.
  • Cut carrots into thick rounds.
  • Put can of tomatoes and juice in pot.
  • Put tomatoes with liquid, onions and carrots back into pan you seared meat in, put meat on top of veggies, fill with 1/2 strength beef stock until it is 1/2 way up the side of the meat.
  • Season lightly with salt/pepper.
  • Add garlic.
  • Cover pot.
  • Set stove so it slowly simmers the pot - med-low to low.
  • As it cooks, periodically check the liquid level, take some out if covering the meat more than half way, add some if less.
  • After 3 hours, quartered the mushrooms, place them in the pot, rearrange the meat so the mushrooms are under the meat and liquid is halfway up the beef.
  • Check flavor, add salt/pepper as needed - add a little water if flavor is too strong instead of stock.
  • After 1.5 hours, cut the zucchini and summer squash into large chunks, place in pot, also rearrange meat so it is on top of the veg and liquid is halfway up the meat.
  • During cooking, check liquid levels so the meat is not covered; causing a stewing effect instead of braising. Take liquid out and out into a container for when you need to add liquid later.
  • Periodically baste meat with the liquid in the pot.
  • Always leave pot covered or else meat will dry up.
  • Full cooking time is 5 to 6+ hours, depending on how much you would like to cook it. I cook it until it can be torn apart with a fork and the meat is falling apart.