Slow Cooker Pot Roast
The Sacred Sunday Dinner: The Midday Feast
Tuesday morning, seven-thirty: a three-pound chuck roast drops into the heavy ceramic crock alongside quartered yellow onions and a packet of dry onion soup mix. Eight hours on low is the only distance between that tough beef and the roast that perfumed the house while the family was at Sunday service, replacing the French bouquet garni and red wine reductions with the clever trick of burying whole garlic cloves right into the meat. Plug the machine in, walk out the door, and let time do the heavy lifting.
Before you start
Dry the meat.
Before doing anything else, pat the chuck roast completely dry with paper towels to ensure the seasonings stick and the meat takes a proper sear.
Ingredients
- boneless beef chuck roast3 lb
- garlic4 small cloves
- vegetable oil or bacon grease1 tbsp
- kosher salt2 tsp
- black pepper1 tsp
- garlic powder1 tsp
- yellow or sweet Vidalia onion1 large
- carrots4 large
- celery2 large stalks
- waxy potatoes1 1/2 lb
- dry onion soup mix1 oz
- low-sodium beef broth1 cup
- Worcestershire sauce1 tbsp
- cornstarch2 tbsp
- cold water2 tbsp
Method
- 01
Stuff and season the roast.
Using the tip of a sharp paring knife, cut six to eight 1-inch deep slits evenly across the top and sides of the raw meat. Press the halved garlic cloves deep into these pockets, then generously rub the entire roast with the kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
- 02
Execute a hard sear.
Heat the oil or bacon grease in a heavy skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat until shimmering and just starting to smoke. Sear the roast completely undisturbed for 4 to 5 minutes per side until a deep, dark brown crust forms, as this is the foundational flavor of your gravy.
- 03
Build the slow cooker foundation.
Scatter the onion wedges, celery chunks, and carrots in the bottom of the slow cooker insert to create a vegetable trivet. Place the seared chuck roast directly on top, then nestle the waxy potatoes around the sides of the meat.
- 04
Add the braising liquids.
Whisk together the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce and pour it around the base of the roast. Sprinkle the entire packet of dry onion soup mix evenly over the top of the beef and the potatoes.
- 05
Cook low and slow.
Secure the lid and cook on the Low setting for 8 to 10 hours. Resist the urge to use High heat; the low, slow temperature is absolutely required to melt the tough connective tissue into rich, buttery gelatin until the meat offers zero resistance to a fork.
- 06
Finish the gravy.
Carefully transfer the tender beef and vegetables to a large serving platter and tent with foil. Skim any excessive fat from the surface of the remaining broth, whisk the cornstarch and cold water into a slurry, and stir it into the slow cooker. Turn the heat to High and let it bubble for 10 to 15 minutes until thickened into a glossy, savory gravy.
- 07
Serve.
Gently pull the beef apart into large chunks, pour the gravy generously over the meat and vegetables, and serve immediately.
Notes
Deglaze for extra flavor.
After searing the beef, take the pan off the heat, pour in a splash of your beef broth, and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom. Pour this liquid gold right into your slow cooker.
Respect the potatoes.
Stick to waxy varieties like Yukon Gold or red potatoes which can hold their shape over an 8-hour braise. If you only have Russet baking potatoes, wait to add them until the last 3 hours of cooking so they don't dissolve entirely into mush.
From Cook Southern Food.