When I was little, my mom cooked the vegetables separately. I still like it that way sometimes. I cook the roast on the cooktop, using a heavy dutch oven. You can brown the meat and transfer to a slow cooker and cook for 4 - 8 hours, depending on the temperature setting for the cooker.
2 - 3 lb. pot roast (California chuck or boneless beef chuck roast)
1 can chicken broth
1 cup red wine
1 cup Port
Fresh or dried herbs - marjoram, parsley, oregano, dill, sage or whatever you have (half teaspoon each of dried, 1 teaspoon or so if fresh)
Salt, pepper or season salt
flour (3 - 4) tablespoons (use remains plus more to make the gravy.)
Oil for browning
Celery, carrots, onion, potatoes
Dredge meat in salt and pepper then flour or seasoned salt and flour. Use Renee’s baggie method. Brown meat in heavy dutch oven, then add chicken broth and wines. If necessary add water to half way up the meat. Reduce heat to simmer.
Meanwhile, prepare vegetables. If you decide to cook the vegetables separately, you should still add some celery to the pot roast for the flavor it gives to the meat. Add celery and herbs to pot roast an hour after adding the broth and wine.
(Start vegetables 30 - 45 minutes before meat is done). Cook roast for an additional 1 - 1 1/2 hours. Total cooking time for meat should be about 2 1/2 hours. Remove meat and any veggies to platter. Drain or spoon off fat from pan juices, reduce and/or add flour shaken with water poured through fine strainer. (about 3 - 4 heaping tablespoons flour to I cup water.) Add gradually, stirring all the time to make gravy. Taste and adjust seasoning. Pot Roast can be done in the oven at 325º or on the stove top.
Note: If you are cooking vegetables separately, obviously you can cook other vegetables such as leeks, broccoli, peas or squash. Mashed potatoes instead of boiled are nice.
-Kate