Beef Pot Roast

4 pound rump, chuck or round roast
1/3 cup flour
salt, pepper, and thyme (1 teaspoon each)
3 to 4 Tablespoons olive oil for browning
1 cloves of garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 to 2 cups liquid (beef bouillon made from bullion cube), or red wine, or a mixture of both

Heat the olive oil in a 5 quart Dutch oven. Mix together the flour, salt, pepper, and thyme in a small bowl Sprinkle the flour mixture onto sever sheets of waxed paper and roll the beef roast in the flour mixture, coating all sides. When the olive oil is hot, place the roast into the Dutch oven to sear it. Turn it as it browns until it is browned on all sides. Add the bouillon or wine and the onion, bay leaf, and garlic.

Cover and lower the heat to simmer the roast. Turn the meat over several times during the simmering, and add additional liquid as may be necessary. Simmer for about 2 hours until meat is tender.

Variation: After 1 hour of simmering, add sliced carrots, potatoes, add/or small peeled onions and allow to simmer the final hour.