Pot Roast

Why I Love This Recipe
This recipe is originally from Everyday Food. A great excuse to use my Le Creuset : )
Inexpensive chuck is one of the most flavorful cuts of beef. Simmering it slowly and gently in the oven makes the beef wonderfully tender.
Ingredients You'll Need
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 five-pound beef chuck roast
Salt and pepper
2 cups beef stock or reduced sodium canned beef broth
1/2 cup red wine (optional)
3 onions, cut into large wedges
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 dried bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 pounds carrots, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
2 pounds potatoes, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°.
In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle roast all over with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
Place in pan, and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes.
Turn meat fat side up.
Add stock, wine, if using, onions, garlic, bay leaves, and thyme.
Stir in tomato paste.
Bring to a simmer, cover; put in the oven, and roast for 3 hours.
Add carrots and potatoes, and cook until vegetables are tender, about 1 hour more.
Transfer the roast, carrots, and potatoes to a platter.
With a spoon, skim the fat off the surface of the cooking liquid.
Cut the roast into thick slices, and serve with the vegetables.
Pass the pan juices separately.