Sunday Pot Roast with Vegetables and Gravy

This recipe is a combination one from the Super Suppers cookbook and one from my Fix-It-and-Forget-It Light book. One was written with plans of freezing, the other was created for the crockpot. We just figured out how to use the best of both to make it tasty, freezable, and crock-pot-able (what a word!)

3-4 servings

2 TB vegetable oil
1 1-pound boneless beef tri-tip or chuck roast
1 1/2 cups prepared coffee
1 bay leaf
6-8 new potatoes
2 large carrots, sliced
1 1/2 onions, quartered
1/2 C. beef broth
1/2 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

1. Preheat oil in a 4- to 6-quart Dutch oven. Add roast and brown on both sides. Add coffee, bay leaf, and enough water (or broth) to cover roast. Transfer to a crock-pot (cook on low for 7-8 hours) or, in Dutch oven, cover and simmer about 1 hours or until meat falls apart with a fork. Add potatoes, carrot, and onion. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes more or until vegetables are tender.
2. Transfer roast and vegetables to a serving platter; keep warm. Turn heat to high. Boil juices until reduced to 1 1/2 cups. Remove bay leaf.
3. To make gravy, place 1/2 cup water (or broth) and flour in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Cover and shake to make a smooth slurry, or put water and flour in a bowl and whisk until smooth. With juices boiling, slowly whisk in slurry. Turn heat to medium; whisk until thick. Stir in salt and pepper. Serve gravy with roast and vegetables.

MAKE AHEAD
Prepare through step one. Freeze cooked roast, vegetables, and juices in freezer bag up to 2 months. Defrost completely in refrigerator. Reheat over medium-low heat and continue with step two.