Grandma's Roast Beef with Gravy

By ezunich

Ingredients

• 1 (4-5 lb) boneless top-round roast, tied
• salt
• pepper
• 1 tbs vegetable oil
• 4 tbs unsalted butter
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1 onion, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch rounds
• 1 celery rib, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 tsp tomato paste
• 2 (10.5 oz) cans beef consommé
• 1 1/2 cups water

Preparation

Step 1

Season meat: Pat roast dry with paper towels and rub with 2 tsp salt. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour to 24 hours.
Heat oven to 225°. Pat roast dry with paper towels and rub with 2 tsp pepper. Heat oil in large oven safe skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown roast all over, 8-12 minutes; transfer to plate. Pour off all but 2 tbs fat from pan. Add butter to skillet and melt over medium heat. Cook carrots, onion and celery until lightly browned, 6-8 minutes. Add flour and tomato paste and cook until flour is golden and past begins to darken, about 2 minutes.
Off heat, push vegetables to center of pan and place roast on top of vegetables. Place skillet into oven. Cook until meat registers 125° - 2 1/2 -3 1/2 hours. Transfer roast to carving board, tent with foil and rest 20 minutes.
For gravy:
Return skillet with vegetables to medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are deep golden brown, about 5 minutes. Slowly wish in consommé and water, scraping up any browned bits and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until thickened, 10-15 minutes. Strain gravy through fine mesh strainer into serving bowl; discard vegetables. Season with salt and pepper. Carve roast and serve with gravy.