Garlic-Studded Rump Roast

Serves 8

Ingredients:

Directions:

1. Start with the roast at room temperature (remove from refrigerator 1 hour before cooking - keep it wrapped). Preheat the crock pot on high.
2. With a sharp knife make 8 small incisions around the roast. Place a sliver of garlic into each incision. Take a tablespoon or so of olive oil and spread all around the roast. Sprinkle around the roast with salt and pepper. Preheat large skillet on high heat and brown roast on all sides. Place the roast directly on top of sliced onions in bottom of the crock pot, fatty side up. (The roast is placed fat side up so that as the fat melts it will bathe the entire roast in its juices.) Sprinkle with Au Jus Mix and pour beef broth and red wine over roast and cover. Cook for 8 to 10 hours on low or until tender.
3. To make the gravy: Remove the roast from the crock pot and cover with foil to keep warm. Pour drippings from crock pot into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Dissolve a tablespoon of cornstarch in a little water and add to the saucepan. Stir quickly while the gravy thickens to avoid lumping. You can add more beef broth and red wine if it gets too thick or you want more gravy. You can also add a little butter if there is not a lot of fat in the drippings. Add the chopped fresh thyme and salt and pepper to taste, and serve over carved roast beef and mashed potatoes.