Beef Roast with Trimmings

Sunday lunch was THE meal of the week when I was a child. I was fortunate enough to have good meals most every day fresh out of the garden, but Sundays brought out the best of it all, with plates of fried chicken, baked ham, pork chops, and beef roast with all the trimmings. Do you prefer potatoes or rice with your beef roast? I'm happy with either one!

Isn't this a gorgeous piece of beef? I regret to admit I threw away the butcher paper before I got the specifics of exact cut and weight. I had wanted to prepare this fresh but had to freeze it instead. Today was the perfect day to bring it out for a thaw.

I was reluctant to use my Dutch oven but, alas, that was my only choice. I love how it looks blanketed by its lovely veggie friends. I used a recipe from memory and we all know how memory can fail us from time to time, but I'm pretty sure I got it right.

Oven Beef Roast

Ingredients:
Beef roast, 3-5 pounds
1 large yellow onion, quartered
2 large Russet potatoes, washed and quartered or sliced
6 carrots (I leave mine whole, but you can slice on diagonal or as desired.)
1 packet Onion soup mix
Olive oil, to coat
2- 8 oz. cartons beef stock

Salt and black pepper, to season

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Rinse roast and pat dry. Coat both sides with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place in roasting pan or Dutch oven. (Note: Some people sear the roast on both sides at this point, I do not.)
3. Wash and prepare vegetables. Place on top of roast. Add onion soup mix.
4. Add the two cartons of beef stock over beef and vegetables. (You may substitute beef bouillon. Dissolve each bouillon in one cup of water, using the microwave.)
5. Cook for three hours-plus or until tender.

This was not quite as tender as I would have liked. It was meal-worthy for me, but it was not ready for guests or prime time Sunday lunch. I'll keep practicing. Any suggestions? Too much water? Not enough cook time? Should I break down and sear it?