My mom has always made Sunday a special day by making a nice meal. One of her more famous ones is what I like to call Mom’s Sunday Pot Roast.
As a kid, I remember walking into the house after church and smelling this delicious meal wafting through the house. She would use the self-timer setting on her oven so it would get done just as we got home.
Before we could eat we had to change our clothes, set the table (nicely…with a tablecloth and everything), and help prepare the side dishes, make gravy or make a special drink (usually Kool-Aid) for the meal. Sometimes I thought I would die before we could actually start eating.
My dad was always in charge of cutting the meat and we would hover around him hoping he was in a generous mood and would toss us a tiny morsel to taste. (He usually was)
This meal is still very nostalgic for me, and I like to make it for my own family.
I also love that the leftovers can be carried over and made into a yummy pot pie a day or two later.
Making a delicious roast is actually pretty simple. No fancy ingredients, just a beef roast, some potatoes, carrots, onions, and salt and pepper. Easy, Peasy!
The first step that helps bring out some of the delicious beef flavor is browning the roast on each side. It is best to do this in the roasting pot you plan to cook the roast in. If that isn’t possible, no problem, just brown it and transfer it to the roasting pot.
By roasting pot, I mean any pan large enough to put it in, has a lid and that is oven safe. If you do not have a lid for the pan you can cover it tightly with tinfoil or you could even use and oven bag to cook it in.
Salt and pepper the roast while you are browning it. Once it is browned on each side, add the potatoes, carrots, and onions, I usually do this in two or three layers so I can salt and pepper each one. You will be sad if you forget to salt and pepper the veggies, because even with adding gravy, there is still a huge difference in yum factor, if the potatoes have been salted.
I usually use a total of 2-3 teaspoons of salt between the roast and the veggies…depending on how many veggies I add. If you aren’t adding many veggies stick closer to 2 tsp. And black pepper can be to your own discretion. I use about a half teaspoon total and most of it on the meat.
Once you have the veggies in there and salt and peppered, put the lid on and pop it in the oven for 3 hours. Seems like a long time, but it’s perfect, the veggies come out extra soft and flavorful and the meat is fork tender and sometimes, even starting to fall apart. YUM!
At this point, I remove the veggies into one container and the meat onto a plate that I cover with foil. I keep all the drippings in the pan, add about a cup or so of water until it looks like the amount of gravy I will need, stir it up and then taste it to see if it is flavorful enough. If I feel that it needs it I add a little beef bullion. Another option would be to add a brown gravy packet.
Once I get the flavor where I want it, I bring the water/dripping mixture to a boil. Then I whisk together about 1/3 cup of flour with some cold water until it is smooth. While stirring with a whisk I slowly add the water/flour mixture into the boiling gravy water. I continue whisking mixture and watch for it to start thickening. (you can use cornstarch and water if you prefer). Once it is thickening I turn down the temp to a simmer and stir it regularly. If it starts to look too thick I add a little more water. If it looks too thin, I make a little more flour/water mixture.
If you make the gravy with flour it needs to simmer for at least 10 minutes. If you use cornstarch it can be ready as soon as it thickens.
Once the gravy is done it is time to eat! I can taste this meal just thinking about it and I am licking my lips. Next time you want to make a special meal for the people you love, Sunday or not, I hope you will give Mom’s Sunday Pot Roast a try!
More comfort food favorites
- 2 tbsp vegetable or canola oil
- 3-5 lb Beef Roast, I prefer a boneless rump roast
- ½-1 lb baby carrots or carrots cut into 2-inch chunks
- 2-3 lbs of potatoes, peeled and cut into fourths or 2-inch chunks
- 1 large onion, cut into wedges
- 2-3 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper or to taste
- Pour oil into roasting pan and heat on stovetop. Add beef roast and brown on every side. Use some of the salt and pepper to season it while you do so.
- Once all sides are browned, remove from heat and add carrots, potatoes, and onions, do this in a couple of layers so you can salt and pepper the veggies more evenly. Use 2-3 tsp of salt total between seasoning the meat while you brown in and the veggies when you add them. Use as much pepper as you prefer, I usually use ½ tsp.
- Put lid on roasting pan and place in oven at 350 degrees for 3 hours. If you do not have a roasting pan, use a large oven-safe pan that has a lid or cover whatever pan you use tightly with tinfoil if it doesn't have a lid.
- After 3 hours take it out of the oven and remove veggies into a serving dish and cover, and remove meat onto a plate and cover so they will stay warm while you make gravy. You can make homemade gravy with the drippings or prepare gravy from packets if you prefer. If you want to make homemade, I describe how I make mine in the post above.
- Cut meat into 4-ounce slices or portions and serve with the delicious carrots and potatoes, gravy and any other side dishes you prefer. Enjoy!
I told my daughter I was making pot roast for dinner today, and she told me that’s her favorite dinner. We especially like how the onions come out carmelized.
Awesome! I love hearing that! I love the caramelized onions too!
Do you add any liquids to the pot other than for gravy?
Hi Henry, No, I don’t.
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