Try to buy a nicely marbled piece of meat. This will improve the flavor of your pot roast, and you'll be glad that you did. Generously salt and pepper your chuck roast.

Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Then add 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil (or you can do a butter/olive oil split).

Cut two onions in half and cut 6 to 8 carrots into 2-inch slices (you can peel them, but you don’t have to).

When the oil in the pot is very hot (but not smoking), add in the halved onions, browning them on one side and then the other. Remove the onions to a plate.

Throw the carrots into the same very hot pan and toss them around a bit until slightly browned, about a minute or so. During the last 30 seconds of lightly browning the carrots, add the whole garlic cloves. Remove the carrots and garlic and set aside.

If needed, add a bit more olive oil to the very hot pan.

Place the meat in the pan and sear it for about a minute on all sides until it is nice and brown all over. Remove the roast to a plate.

With the burner still on high, use either red wine or beef broth (about 1 cup) to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom with a whisk to get all of that wonderful flavor up.

When the bottom of the pan is sufficiently deglazed,

add the tomato paste and stir (or whisk) to combine. Add the Worcestershire sauce. Taste, and add more salt and pepper, if necessary and to your taste.

Tie the herbs with kitchen twine, so that you can easily remove it from the pot, once the roast is finished cooking.

Place the roast back into the pan and add enough beef stock to cover the meat halfway (about 2 to 3 cups). Add in the onion, garlic and the carrots, as well as the tied sprigs of fresh rosemary fresh thyme.

Put the lid on, then roast in a 275F oven for 3 hours (for a 3-pound roast). For a 4 to 5-pound roast, plan on 4 hours.

Serve over creamy mashed potatoes (or cooked noodles). It is optional if you want to thicken the pot roast braising liquid with flour or cornstarch. We prefer it just as it is!