Pioneer Woman's Perfect Pot Roast and Ultimate Mashed Potatoes

I made this meal several weeks ago, and am just now getting around to posting it. If you are looking for a perfect roast recipe, then this would be it in my book! I'm pretty sure I dreamed about this roast for a few days afterwards. And the mashed potatoes were just as good, definitely not low in calories, but amazing and so worth it. I pretty much followed her recipe exactly, except that I didn't have fresh thyme so I left it out. She also gave the option of using either red wine or beef broth, and I chose to use all beef broth. She used a large dutch oven that could go straight from the stovetop to the oven....I don't have one of these so I opted to transfer the roast and beef stock with veggies to a roasting dish when it was time to put in the oven, and it worked just fine. If you are having guests over and want to impress them, or just want to impress your husband then this is the dish to make!

Pioneer Woman's Perfect Pot Roast

You will need:

-1 chuck roast (mine was right around 4 lbs.)

-2 tablespoons olive oil

-2 whole onions (I used yellow onions)

-6 whole carrots

-salt and pepper (I used kosher salt)

-1 box beef broth

-3 sprigs fresh thyme

-3 sprigs fresh rosemary

*Generously salt and pepper the roast.

*Now prep your veggies: Cut the 2 onions in half and peel off the outer skin. Then, cut the carrots into 2 inch pieces. (I didn't peel them, just wash them off really well)

*Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over med-high heat (I think I added a tablespoon of butter too). When the oil is very hot, add the halved onions and brown them on all sides, then remove them and set aside on a plate.

*Now throw the carrots into the hot oil (be careful because it will splatter) and brown for 1 or 2 minutes, then remove to a plate with the onions

*Now brown the roast: if needed add another tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet. Place the roast in the skillet and sear it for about a minute on all sides until it is nice and brown. Remove the roast to a plate.

*With the burner still on high, pour in 1 cup of beef broth to skillet and whisk the bottom of the pan to remove all the browned bits and drippings (this is deglazing). Just whisk for a minute or so.

*Transfer roast to a roasting dish and carefully pour the beef broth from the skillet over the roast. Then pour the remaining beef broth from the box over the roast. Add in the carrots and onions and sprigs of rosemary and thyme.

*Put the lid on the roasting dish and roast in a 275 oven for 3 to 3 1/2 hours.

Here's where it gets really good. Go the extra step and make these. They are kind of labor intensive, but so worth it.

Mashed Potatoes

You will need:

-5 lbs. russet or yukon gold potatoes (I used a whole bag)

-3/4 cups butter, softened

-8 0z cream cheese, softened

-1/2 cup half and half

-1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon lawry's seasoned salt

-1/2 teaspoon black pepper

*I also added a little bit of garlic salt

*Peel and cut potatoes into pieces, make sure they are close to the same size so they will cook evenly

*Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook potatoes about 30-35 minutes until tender and fork will easily slide into the potatoes.

*Drain potatoes, then add them back into the dry pot on the stove. Mash potatoes over low heat to allow steam to escape and then turn off the stove.

*Add butter, cream cheese, and 1/2 and 1/2, and mash well with a potatoe masher.

*Next season with seasoning salt, pepper, and garlic salt if desired.

*I think I added a little butter to top it off

You can make these ahead of time if you need to and bake them to reheat them. Honestly these don't even need gravy they are so good, but we used the leftover gravy from the roasting dish and it was awesome. I can't wait to make these for Thanksgiving!