How to Feed a Family of Four on a Budget Mushroom Pot Roast

This recipe is, no kidding, at least 45 years old. It was a favorite of my brother's who has been requesting it ever since I started the blog. My mother has it in an old scrapbook and ironically, I also just found it on the web. I guess, for some reason, budget meals are back in...

Blade pot roast is also called bone- in chuck steak. I just bought one at the Winn Dixie here in Miami. It is the chest bone of the animal, and consequently, very inexpensive, flavorful and quite delicious. It was on sale for less than $3.00/lbs.

Don't change anything, particularly the sherry!

A delicious and simple roast recipe with a very tasty gravy. Great and economical for big families, particularly those with teenage boys! I like it with mashed potatoes, but it goes well with noodles. Pot roasts do not photograph as nicely as souffles, but believe me, they are just as tasty.

Ingredients

4 tbsp. flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

1 (2-3 lb.) boneless chuck roast

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced

1/4 cup water

Sauce:

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup ketchup

1/2 tsp marjoram

1/2 tsp rosemary

1/2 tsp thyme

1/4 tsp dry mustard

2 minced garlic cloves

1/2 cup dry sherry

1 bay leaf

Mix 2 tbsp flour, salt and peper in a small bowl. Pat over the beef covering all sides. Brown beef in hot oil in a large skillet

When browned, remove to a platter, add mushrooms and brown those for a couple of minutes.  Remove them, bring roast back in the skillet and pour pot roast sauce over the beef and add the onion. Reduce heat to low and cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.

Add the mushrooms and simmer for 1 more hour.(Check after 45 mins.)

Remove the beef to a platter and reserve the sauce in the pot. Discard the bay leaf.

Mix the remaining water and remaining 2 tbsps. flour in a bowl. Degrease sauce in pot if desired. Stir flour/water mixture into reserved sauce. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until thickened, stirring constantly.

Serve over beef.

The photo is from http://www.nancysrecipes.wordpress.com as mine didn't come out the way I wanted and she had the recipe on her blog.