I have to believe that one of the most beloved dishes ever made is Pot Roast. I’ve never come across anyone who didn’t adore this one-pot meal until now. That’s right, Steve doesn’t like stews of any kind. I thought… how can I turn him around? This is one challenge I’m up for! Today I’m making my Slow Cooker Pot Roast.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours 10 minutes
Total Time: 6 hours 50 minutes
Yields: 4 to 6 servings
Equipment: 1 (12-inch) cast-iron skillet, 1 (7-quart) Crockpot, chef’s knife, 2 large mixing bowls, 1 small mixing bowl

Ingredients:
1 (3-pound) chuck roast, room temperature
2 tablespoons of Canola oil
2 tablespoons of garlic powder
2 tablespoons of Kosher salt
1 tablespoon of fresh ground black pepper

2 onions, quartered
5 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons of tomato paste
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
2 quarts plus 1/2 a cup of beef stock, unsalted (reserve 1/2 cup for *slurry)
1 pound of organic colored carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
5 medium-size Yukon gold potatoes, quartered
2 pints of whole Cremini mushrooms, cleaned
1 tablespoon of Kosher salt
1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
3 heaping tablespoons of cornstarch

Directions:
I needed to start with a pan that could take this 3-pound piece of chuck roast over the top. Yes, an affordable yet so forgiving piece of chuck roast. I compare this piece of meat to the Boston pork butt of the beef family. Lots of marbling and fat running through it. Cooking low and slow, this fat will melt and add so much flavor to the finished chuck roast.

Sart by allowing the meat to sit out on the counter until it reaches room temperature, about 30 minutes. Next, season the chuck roast, on both sides, with 2 tablespoons of Kosher salt, 2 tablespoons of garlic powder, and 1 tablespoon of fresh ground black pepper. Pour 2 tablespoons of Canola oil onto a sheet of paper towel. Wipe the bottom of the skillet down using the oil-dampened paper towel.

Preheat the skillet over medium-high heat. Just as it starts to smoke, lay the meat right into the skillet No matter what, don’t fuss with it. The meat will let you know when it’s ready to flip. How can you tell? Take your tongs, and try to lift up the roast. If it gives you no resistance, then it’s ready to flip, 3 to 5 minutes. Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes on the other side. Once both sides are beautifully caramelized, transfer the roast to a plate. Set aside.

Still over medium-high heat, *deglaze the skillet by adding in 1/2 cup of beef stock. Take a wooden spoon, scrape up all those delicious bits from the bottom of the skillet. Transfer the liquid to a bowl. Set aside.

Note: While the meat is searing, quarter the onions and roughly chop the garlic.

To the Crockpot add the quartered onions, sliced garlic, and tomato paste. Next, place the roast nestling it right on top with two sprigs of fresh rosemary. First, add the reserved deglazing liquid. Add enough beef stock to the Crockpot where it comes 3/4 of the way up the sides of the roast. Place the lid on, and set the timer for 4 hours on high.

Note: The liquid may vary depending on the size of the slow cooker. You want the liquid to come up 3/4 of the way up the sides of the roast.

Three and a half hours in, remove the roast, transfer it to a cutting board. Add the carrots, cremini mushroom, potatoes, Kosher salt, and fresh ground black pepper.

What I like to do at this point is… the meat is starting to become somewhat tender. It’s easy enough at this point to remove any connective fatty pieces. Trim those all off and cut the meat into large chunks. Place the meat back in over the veggies and continue cooking for another 2 hours.

During this part of the cooking process, the veggies will release their water and the meat will submerge back into the juices.

After six hours the slow the Crockpot is at a slow boil and it’s time to make the *slurry.  In a small bowl add 1/2 cup of beef broth with cornstarch, whisk until paste-like and combined.

Add the *slurry to the Crockpot, give a gentle stir to combine. Continue to cook for another 10 minutes until the sauce thickens. Set the Crockpot on warm until your ready to serve.

To serve, I like to add the potatoes and vegetables to the bottom of the bowl. Place the meat on top and ladle that delicious sauce over everything. This dish does not require a knife. The meat is so tender that it will break apart using only a fork. After Steve took his first bite, he said, “this is the best Pot Roast I’ve ever had!”

There you have it, my Slow Cooker Pot Roast.

*Slurry: A thin paste of water and starch (flour, cornstarch or arrowroot), which is added to hot preparations (such as soups, stews, and sauces) as a thickener. After the slurry has been added, the mixture is typically stirred and cooked for a few minutes in order to thicken and lose any raw taste.

*Deglaze is to dilute meat sediments in (a pan) in order to make a gravy or sauce, typically using wine or stock.

https://lindalouhamel.com/2019/07/10/summer-time-flowers-and-herbs/

https://lindalouhamel.com/2017/08/21/slow-cooker-pot-roast-2/