Mom's Pot Roast

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Season the roast generously with salt and pepper. Heat a 5 to 7-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the oil. Once the oil is extremely hot, add the roast and sear for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until the roast is nicely browned on every side. Remove the roast and set on a plate to the side.
2. Add the onion, garlic and salt/pepper, to taste. Saute over medium-high heat until the garlic is fragrant and the onion is just beginning to soften. Add the broth, and as soon as it boils, immediately reduce the heat to low. Once gently simmering, lower in the roast. Add the thyme sprigs around the roast.
3. Cover, transfer to the oven, and braise for 1½ hours. Then add the carrots around the roast, cover and cook for another 1 to 1½ hours, or until the meat is falling-apart tender.
4. Remove the roast and veggies to a platter, and cover with foil to keep warm. Discard the thyme stems. Reserve 3½ cups of the cooking liquid for the gravy.
5. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 45 seconds. Gradually whisk in the cooking liquid until the desired consistency is reached. (You may not use all of the reserved liquid.) Continue stirring until completely smooth and then remove from the heat. Enjoy the roast and veggies with a generous ladleful of gravy per serving.