Sunday Pot Roast

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Rinse the roast under cool water, then pat it completely dry with paper towels. With a small, sharp knife, cut 12 1-inch wide, 1-inch deep slits around all sides of the roast. Rub the roast all over with the cut sides of the garlic cloves. Once a clove seems rubbed-out (meaning it starts to fall apart a little bit), insert it into one of the slits, and start with another clove, until all the cloves are tucked inside the roast. Generously sprinkle all sides of the roast with salt, pepper and garlic powder, rubbing the seasonings into the meat.

Slick the bottom of a large Dutch oven or roasting pan with olive oil – a couple of tablespoonsful. Heat the Dutch oven or roasting pan on the stove over high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the roast. Sear it on all sides for about 3-4 minutes per side. Depending on how big your roast is, you might want to use two sets of tongs for the flipping.

When the roast is browned and a little crusty on all sides, pour enough water into the pan to come half-way up the sides of the roast. Cover the pan tightly with a lid or aluminum foil. Place the covered pan in the oven and roast for 4 hours, a little less or a little more, depending on the size of your roast. You’ll know the roast is done when it falls apart when you poke it with a fork.