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Beef Pot Roast with Button Mushrooms


Every meat-eater loves a pot roast. I mean, c'mon. Meaty, beefy goodness. Especially when it's served in a thick gravy with whole button mushrooms scented with rosemary. Who says Sunday dinner has to wait until Sunday? Not me. In my house, this kind of dinner is welcome at our table any day of the week.

It's cold and rainy on the south island right now. Bright and warm fall days are better, of course, but a little break from the perfection of clear skies and colourful fall colours twinkling through sunlit branches always makes me appreciate the nice days even more. So, to pass the time and make our home cold-weather cozy, I use the grey days to go a little nuts in the kitchen. I'm using the time this week to give things a deep clean and whip up some eats that are about taking my time in the kitchen.

This pot roast actually comes together pretty quickly on the stove top, then finishes in the oven for two hours until tender and delicious. The cooking juices are then turned into the most incredible gravy, then the beef is sliced thick and added back to the gravy and mushrooms in the pot. It's fall, and this is fall eating.

Scroll down for the simple and delicious recipe...


Beef Pot Roast with Button Mushrooms
Makes 4 servings

1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil
2 1/2 lb (1.125 kg) beef pot roast
2 tbsp (30 mL) butter
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 tsp (10 mL) chopped fresh rosemary, plus one extra sprig
A pinch of salt
1 lb (450 g) whole button mushrooms
2 tbsp (30 mL) cornstarch
2 tbsp (30 mL) soy sauce

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

Warm the oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed pot with lid that can go from stove top to oven (such as a Dutch/French oven). Brown the pot roast on all sides, allowing about 1 minute per side. Transfer the beef to a plate and set aside.

Melt the butter in the same pot, still over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, rosemary and salt. Cook 5 minutes until beginning to soften, stirring occasionally. Clear room in the middle of the pot by moving the vegetables to the edges. Return the beef to the pot. Arrange the mushrooms around the beef. Place the extra sprig of rosemary on top of the works. Cover and place in the oven for 2 hours.

Transfer the beef to a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes. Meantime, transfer about 1/4 cup of the cooking juices from the pot to a small bowl. Stir the cornstarch into the removed juices. Pour this slurry back into the pot, along with the soy sauce. Set over high heat and bring just to the bubble to thicken. Remove from the heat. Slice the beef into thick slices and return to the pot. Stir to coat the sliced beef in gravy.

What are some of your go-to family favourites this time of year?