Instructions

1. Add the olive oil to a 6 quart dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the roast on both sides with 1 tablespoon of the salt and the black pepper. Place the roast into the pan and sear on both sides until a brown crust forms, about 5 minutes per side. Remove to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the butter to the pot along with the sliced onions and apples and the additional teaspoon of salt (we also like to add more black pepper to taste). Cook for 15-20 minutes until softened and slightly caramelized, stirring occasionally.
4. Sprinkle in the flour and stir until the flour disappears. Cook for one minute, then pour in the apple cider, stir and bring to a boil. Pour in the beef broth and stir to combine.
5. Place the roast back into the pot, spooning some of the juice, onions and apples over the top. Add the fresh thyme and bring to a boil. Cover and place into the oven for 2 1/2 – 3 hours until the roast is tender.
6. Remove the roast from the pot to a cutting board and tent with foil.
7. Skim off some of the grease from the juices in the pan and remove the thyme stems. Blend the gravy with an immersion blender until the gravy is smooth. If you don’t have an immersion blender, carefully pour the juices into a blender and let cool for 5 minutes. Blend carefully, starting slowly, until the gravy is smooth, return it back to the pot to warm it up again.
8. Shred the roast with two forks, we like to keep some pieces larger and some smaller for texture. Add the shredded beef back to the pot and toss together with the gravy. Serve the pot roast over mashed potatoes or noodles with extra gravy spooned over top.