SUNDAY POT ROAST

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Sunday suppers mean sitting at the table with family and friends with good food and fellowship. A pot roast is an excellent recipe for Sunday supper. Everybody should have a great pot roast recipe and here is the one. The meat is moist, tender, and cooked with a special combination of herbs and spices.

It’s all about choosing the cut of meat. This recipe calls for rump roast and the name says it all. It comes from the rump of the cow. It is the most tender as well as the most flavorful cut from the round, which is the hindquarter of the steer from the ankles to the rump. The hindquarters are toughened by exercise, so they are more flavorful, but also need long, slow cooking.

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 (4-pound) boneless rump roast

3 medium onions, sliced

2 tablespoons paprika, preferably Hungarian

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

4 garlic cloves, crushed

2 cups beef stock or reduced-fat, low-sodium beef broth, more if needed

1 cup dry red wine

1 cup water

2 pounds new potatoes, scrubbed

8 carrots, cut into 1½ -inch-thick pieces

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Preheat the oven to 300°F. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottom Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the roast and sear on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes. (A good dark brown sear is important and equals flavor.)

• Transfer the roast from the pot to a plate. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until deep golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the paprika, bay leaves, rosemary, oregano, thyme, and garlic. Stir to combine and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds.

• Add the broth, wine, and water. Bring to a boil. Add the potatoes and carrots. Return the roast plus any accumulated juices to the Dutch oven. Season with the salt and pepper to taste. Cover with a tight-fitting lid.

• Transfer to the oven and bake for 2 hours. Turn the roast, add stock if necessary, cover, and bake an additional hour or until tender. Remove the pot from the oven. Transfer the roast to a warm platter. Tent loosely with foil to keep it warm. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if necessary. Spoon the sauce and vegetables over the roast and serve immediately.