Beef Pot Roast

Ingredients

• 1 2 1/2- to 3-pound beef chuck pot roast
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 3/4 cup water, dry wine, or tomato juice
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon instant beef bouillon granules
• 1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
• 12 ounces whole tiny new potatoes,
• 2 medium potatoes, or 2 medium sweet potatoes
• 8 small carrots or parsnips
• 2 small onions, cut into wedges
• 2 stalks celery, bias-sliced into 1-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Instructions

1. Trim fat from roast. In a Dutch oven brown roast on all sides in hot oil. Drain fat. Combine water, Worcestershire sauce, bouillon granules, and basil. Pour over roast. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.
2. Remove a narrow strip of peel from the center of each new potato, or peel and quarter each medium potato. Add potatoes, carrots, onion and celery to meat. Cover; simmer 45 to 60 minutes or until tender, adding additional water if necessary. Remove meat and vegetables from pan.
3. For gravy, measure pan juices with a cup. If necessary, add water to equal 1 1/2 cups. Combine flour and 1/2 cup cold water. Stir into juices; return to pan. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 1 minute more. Season to taste.
4. Microwave directions: Trim fat from roast. In a 3-quart casserole combine water, Worcestershire sauce, bouillon granules, and basil. Add roast. Micro-cook, covered, on 100% power (high) for 5 minutes. Cook, covered, on 50% power (medium) for 25 minutes. Turn roast over. Prepare potatoes as above. Add vegetables. Cook, covered, on medium for 25 to 40 minutes or till tender. Remove meat and vegetables.
5. Crockery-cooker directions: Trim the fat from roast and brown as above. Thinly slice vegetables and place in the bottom of a 3 1/2- or 4-quart electric crockery cooker. Gush roast to fit crockery cooker; place atop vegetables. Combine water, Worcestershire sauce, bouillon granules, and basil. Pour over roast and vegetables. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 10 to 12 hours. Prepare gravy as above, using a saucepan.