We have reached a state with our pot roast that we can repeat it with (mostly) consistent results. The sauce/gravy is damn good. The piece of meat seems to make an enormous difference. A Diamond Jim Cross Cut Roast is good; the Kobe Roast is fantastic. The marinade time is important- overnight is good.

• Rinse and pat dry the roast. Put it in a bowl that holds the following ingredients nicely around the roast:
• About a half a bottle of good red wine
• A Cup each of:
• carrot, sliced thin
• onion, sliced thin
• celery, large slices
• Garlic- two or three cloves, halved
• Thyme- a grab
• Bay Leaves- a couple
• Parsley- fresh, handful
• Allspice Berries- a few
• Olive Oil
• Sea Salt and Black Pepper, course
• Cover and leave in fridge over night

Remove the roast from the marinade, and keep the marinade handy; let the roast sit and dry at room temperature (3o mins, give or take) Heat a dutch oven with a good shot of olive oil, and a dollop of butter.

• Brown the roast in the Dutch Oven, turning, browning once a side
• pour off the fat
• Put the meat back in the Dutch Oven
• Pour in the marinade, and boil down over high heat to half
• Add enough beef stock (home made makes all the difference), to cover half the roast
• Bring to a simmer on the stove, cover, and place in a 350ºf oven for three (3) hours
• Remove the meat; let rest, loosely covered
• Strain the liquid from the Dutch Oven through a sieve, pressing
• Boil down the now strained liquid, for a good 30 mins- I like to thicken with a Beurre Manie, but whatever thickener you like, or just heat and time, until the sauce has thickened considerably (but, monitor it, do not let it burn, or two days of work have just gone down the drain)
• taste the sauce- add salt if need be
• Cut the roast in thick slices (nothing like Roast Beef); plate, cover with a touch of gravy and serve gravy at the table

Any starch is good. Potatoes- like pan roasted new, or mashed (heaven); any rice, or a good egg noodle pasta. Also, roasted carrots, with pearl onions are a wonderful touch. And, of course, left-0vers are even better.