Mountain News - Best Pot Roast I've Ever Had In My Life

This pot roast recipe is from the cookbook 'Cowgirl Cuisine'. When I first read through the ingredients I thought, "This either has to be dreadful or completely wonderful." It has so many different flavorings. I couldn't imagine them all going together well. But it looked so odd that I had to try it and I'm so glad I did. IT. IS. WONDERFUL. And totally worth all the trouble. I promise.

Cowboy Pot Roast with Coffee and Whiskey

One 4-pound bone-in chuck roast (any old roast will do really)
1 Tblsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 Tblsp. cumin
2 Tblsp. dried thyme
2 Tblsp. dried rosemary
2 large onions, sliced
1 head garlic, (14-16 cloves), peeled and crushed or a heaping helping from a jar of        minced garlic
1-4 serrano chlies (I omit. Too hot for me!)(if using, slice each one from the top to the bottom so it is split but still intact)
2 cups beef broth
2 Tblsp. instant espresso powder
1 tsp. smoked spanish paprika (I omit - don't have any)
2 Tblsp. olive oil
2 cups canned tomatoes, with their juice
1/2 cup whiskey (I have substituted red wine for the whiskey and it was good but not as good as the whiskey)
2 bay leaves
1 pound carrots, sliced or chopped
1 pound fingerling potatoes cut into chunks (or just regular potatoes)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pull the meat out of fridge an hour before cooking (I never have). Combine the salt, pepper, cumin, thyme and rosemary into a big bowl. Put roast into mixture and massage evenly over the roast. (There will be some of this mixture left over. Sometimes I add more of it to the broth. )
In a large measuring cup, whisk together the beef broth, instant espresso and paprika until well blended.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the pan is very hot but not smoking, add the roast and cook until it is crusty and a rich deep brown on all sides. Transfer the meat to a plate. Lower the heat to medium and add the onions, garlic and chiles (if using). Cook, stirring frequently until coated with the beef fat and the onions start to break down, about 4 minutes. Add the beef broth mixture, tomatoes, whiskey and bay leaves, stirring up any browned bits. Return the roast to the pan and nestle into the liquid.
Cover the pot and place in the oven (this can be done on the stove top too. Simmer not boil.) Roast for 1 hour, then carefully turn the roast over and roast another hour.
Remove the pot from heat, tuck the carrots and potatoes around the meat, cover the pot and cook for a final hour. (this took three and a half hours for me - on the wood stove.) Remove from heat, and allow the meat to rest for 30 minutes before serving.
Even better the next day. :)