Classic Pot Roast. Why haven’t I featured this on Bready or Not before? Because Arizona is not conducive to prolonged use of the oven outside of the two months of ‘winter.’

But I’m in the Midwest now. That means I can whip up a proper pot roast (quite likely on a Sunday), and might just use local ingredients, too.

Fun fact: I hate celery, but I like celery flakes. That’s why you see me use celery flakes in recipes like this. You can absolutely use a couple stalks of celery instead.

If you have a large can of tomato paste, portion out standard amounts that are used in recipes (like tablespoon dollops), freeze them on wax paper, then store them in a quart freezer bag to toss into recipes. If you forget to thaw them before cooking, no biggie, just add it in frozen and give it a touch extra time to break down.

PrintBready or Not: Classic Pot RoastThis is a classic stove-to-oven pot roast with beef, potatoes, and all the fixings. It takes about 3 hours total. Leftovers, of course, are wonderful heated up in a smaller pot over the next day or two. Modified from Taste of Home February-March 2015.Course Main CourseCuisine AmericanKeyword beefCook Time 3 hours hoursAuthor Beth CatoEquipmentlarge oven-safe Dutch oven or pot with lidIngredients3-4 pound chuck roast tied2 teaspoons pepper1 1/2 teaspoons salt plus another 1/2 teaspoon2 Tablespoons canola oil2 medium onions cut into 1-inch pieces3 garlic cloves minced2 Tablespoons celery flakes1/4 cup tomato paste1 teaspoon dried thyme2 bay leaves1 cup dry red wine or reduced-sodium beef broth1 can reduced-sodium beef broth1 1/2 pound small red potatoes cleaned and quartered1 1/2 cups baby carrots1/2 Tablespoon apple cider vinegardried parsleyInstructionsPreheat oven at 325 degrees. Dry roast and sprinkle with the pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt on both sides.In a large pot on the stove, heat the oil. Add the roast and brown on all sides. Set meat aside.Add onions, garlic, and remaining salt to the pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, 8-10 minutes, until browned. Add celery flakes, tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaves, stirring in for about a minute.Add wine (or extra broth) and stir to loosen browned bits from pan. Add the can of broth. Return roast to the pan. Arrange vegetables around the roast while bringing the pot to a boil. Once that mark is reached, turn off burner and carefully transfer pot to oven. Cover and bake for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until meat is fork-tender.Pull pot from oven. Carefully remove meat and vegetables to a platter. Discard bay leaves and skim any fat from the top of the liquids. Bring pot to a boil again, cooking for 10-12 minutes, until liquid is reduced by half. (While this is going on, prepare meat by removing string and slicing or cutting into chunks.) Add vinegar and parsley to the pot. Add more salt and vinegar to taste.Serve meat, potatoes, and veggies with sauce. Any leftovers are great reheated on the stove over the next day or so.OM NOM NOM!