Beef Pot Roast (Pot, Oven Or Slow Cooker)

Ingredients 1 boneless beef roast, 2 1/2-3 lb, cut to fit pot or crockpot ( chuck, shoulder or round) 2 tablespoons oil salt and pepper, to taste 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon instant beef bouillon 1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed 3/4 lb new potatoes or 2 medium sweet potatoes 1 lb carrots or 6 medium parsnips, peeled, cut into 2-inch pieces 2 onions, cut into wedges 2 celery ribs, bias-cut in 1-inch pieces 1/4 cup flour

Directions Trim fat from meat. Brown meat on all sides in hot oil in a 4- to 6-quart Dutch oven. Drain fat. Mix 3/4 cup water, Worcestershire sauce, bouillon, basil and salt and pepper to taste. Pour over roast. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 1 hour. Peel a strip of skin from center of each new potato or peel and quarter sweet potatoes. Add potatoes, carrots, onions and celery to pot. Return to boil. Reduce heat. Simmer covered, until tender, 45 to 60 minutes. Add water as needed. Transfer meat and vegetables to platter. Reserve juices.

To prepare gravy, measure juices, skim off fat, and add enough water to make 1 1/2 cups. Return to Dutch oven. In a small bowl, stir 1/2 cup water into flour. Stir into pan juices. Cook, stirring, on medium heat until thickened, then 1 minute more. Season to taste. Serve with pot roast.