Celeste's Great Roast

3 lb. roast (shoulder, chuck, eye)
garlic to taste
salt and pepper to taste
red pepper flakes (optional)
Tony's Creole Seasoning Salt (optional)
1 cup red wine
1 packet Lipton Onion Soup Mix
1/4 cup olive oil (or vegetable oil)
Flour to roll meat plus 2 Tbs.

Prep. time: 3 hours
Yield: 6 servings

Preheat oven to 325º. Boil water.

In dutch oven or large pot, pour oil and heat over medium-high flame.

Rinse and dry roast. Season with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, Tony's Creole Seasoning Salt, and garlic. Once roast is seasoned to taste, roll roast in flour. Braise roast in oil till brown on each side and crispy, approximately 5 minutes each side if oil is very hot. Take out of pot and set aside.

In the hot oil, scatter 2 Tbs. flour in the pot and fry in the oil for a minute or two. Turn flame down to medium. Deglaze the pot where the roast was braised. Use the cup of wine and a cup of the hot water, pouring steadily and stirring constantly to remove fried flour and seasoning from the pot, approximately 5 minutes. Add Lipton Onion Soup Mix packet. Avoid lumps. Once a gravy base is made, turn heat off and return the braised meat to the pot. Add more hot water to cover the meat.

Cover pot and place in oven until tender, approximately 2.5 hours. Occasionally add hot water as needed to maintain a good broth of the thickness you desire.

Serve roast with the rest of the red wine you used in cooking.

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