pot roast with mushroom gravy

it was about this time last year that i grew up just a tad bit more and enjoyed ina's pot roast. and while that roast was super flavorful, it had a long list of ingredients, none of them mushrooms. mushrooms are a big hit in our house and mushrooms + beef are one of our favorite combos. lucky for me, claire robinson had a five ingredient pot roast with mushrooms. with the addition of three flavor enhancers from my pantry - garlic, worchestershire, and cornstarch - i have a new favorite. we liked this so much i made it again the following week. not sure what to do with leftovers? freeze them, or blend the gravy completely smooth, chop up the leftover beef, and toss with egg noodles. jason likes that better than the roast!

pot roast with mushroom gravy
adapted from claire robinson via the food network
20 minutes prep, 3 hours cook time, 15 minutes finish

4-5 pound boneless beef bottom round roast
1 pound cremini mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
2 medium yellow onions, halved and sliced

5 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups low-sodium beef broth

worchestershire sauce

1 pound carrots and/or potatoes, peeled and chopped (optional)

cornstarch

1. preheat your oven to 325F. 
2. pat the roast dry with paper towels and season all sides with salt and pepper.
3. coat the bottom of a large dutch oven with olive oil and place over medium high heat. once heated, add the roast and cook on each side about 4 minutes, until brown. transfer the meat to a plate.
4. add the mushrooms to the now empty pan. season with salt and pepper and cook until browned and just starting to release their liquid, about 5 minutes. add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
5. add the onions, broth, and a couple dashes of worchestershire sauce. move the mushrooms to the side of the pan and place the roast in the middle. if using, place the carrots and/or potatoes in the liquid around the roast.
6. cover the pan, bring to a simmer, and transfer to the oven to roast for about 2 hours. carefully flip the roast and cook an additional hour uncovered.
7. transfer the meat to a cutting board and tent with foil. if using, remove the carrots and/or potatoes from the pot.
8. place the uncovered pot on medium heat on the stove. use an immersion blender (or regular blender or food processor) to chop the mushrooms in the sauce to your liking. 
9. to thicken the sauce, ladle about 1 cup into a small bowl and whisk in 1 tablespoon cornstarch until smooth. whisk the mixture back into the pot and cook, whisking frequently, until thickened. if you prefer the sauce thicker, repeat with another 1 tablespoon cornstarch. taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
10. to serve, slice the pot roast and drizzle with gravy.