Crock-pot Pot Roast and Vegetables

Rump Roast
Peppered Roast Rub
Onions, sliced
Carrots, diced
Celery, diced
Potatoes, diced

Generously season all sides of roast with Peppered Roast rub. If time allows, let roast marinate in fridge for an hour. Heat a sauté pan over medium heat, then add a small amount of olive oil.
Sauté onions until they are golden brown, then place roast in sauté pan and sear each side of the meat, cooking for just a few minutes on each side. Add sautéed onions, roast and remaining chopped vegetables to crock-pot.

Add water to sauté pan and deglaze pan to remove all the brown bits on the bottom of the pan to create a rich flavorful broth. Add the broth to the crock-pot along with additional water to bring the water level up to the top of the roast. Cook on high for one hour, then on low for 4-5 hours.

Strain liquid from meat and vegetables and thicken with arrowroot powder to make a gravy (I avoid cornstarch and use arrowroot powder as a replacement for a thickener. See below for more information). To thicken with arrowroot powder, create a slurry with 4 TBSP of room temperature water and 2 TBSP of arrowroot powder. Mix to dissolve. Wisk into 2 cups of liquid and simmer until thickened.


About Arrowroot powder:
Arrowroot powder has several advantages over cornstarch. It has a more neutral flavor, so it's a good thickener for delicately flavored sauces. It also works at a lower temperature, and tolerates acidic ingredients and prolonged cooking better. And while sauces thickened with cornstarch turn into a spongy mess if they're frozen, those made with arrowroot can be frozen and thawed with impunity. Flour is a better thickener for dairy-based sauces, since arrowroot powder will turn a dairy based sauce slimy. Arrowroot powder can be found at most health food or baking supply stores sold in bulk. Use 1 TBSP to thicken 1 cup of liquid. Resources: http://www.foodsubs.com/ThickenStarch.html