When I cook a pot roast, I cook it in an electric frying pan. I put in a chub of butter (1/4 lb), melt it and add the roast, brown on both sides real well. The butter is, at this point, turning a nice brown. I add Swanson's low salt beef broth, maybe a couple of cans, put the roast on low and let it cook all day. Then I mix my cornstarch and water, add that to the pot roast, bring the juice to a boil (otherwise you have a lousy tasting gravy) and stir til thickened. Then put the roast back in and let it do its thing and at this point you can add your potatoes, carrots, celery, onion and kick back and relax. Dinner will be done and so will the gravy. That's the way I have made it for over 54 years. Good one pot meal. In the summer when it is hot outside, I cook it on the table on the patio, smells up the whole neighborhood and it smells sooooo good! But now, you can smell up the house - we are right at this moment in the throes of our first Minnesota snow storm. Yucchhhhhh! Think I'll fix me a nice pot roast. Innard-warmer so to speak. Edie