Slow-Cooker Beef Pot Roast
Ingredients
- 3 lbs beef chuck roast
- 1 lb baby potatoes
- 4 large carrots, cut into chunks
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp dried thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- Salt and black pepper to taste
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Instructions
- 1
Season the beef generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
- 2
Place the sliced onions, carrots, and potatoes at the bottom of the slow cooker.
- 3
Sear the beef in a hot skillet until browned, then place on top of the vegetables.
- 4
Whisk together broth, wine, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and thyme, then pour over the roast.
- 5
Add fresh rosemary sprigs on top.
- 6
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 5 hours until the meat is fork-tender.
- 7
Remove the beef to shred, and serve with the cooked vegetables and juices.
Notes
For the best flavor, do not skip the searing step; it creates a Maillard reaction that adds deep, savory complexity to the sauce. If you prefer a thicker gravy, whisk a tablespoon of cornstarch with cold water and stir it into the liquid during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
The Story Behind Slow-Cooker Beef Pot Roast
Pot roast is a quintessential American comfort dish, rooted in the culinary traditions of early European settlers who utilized 'one-pot' cooking methods. By braising tough cuts of meat like chuck in liquid over low heat, home cooks could transform budget-friendly proteins into succulent, tender meals. It became a staple of mid-20th-century family life, representing the efficiency and nourishment of home-cooked Sunday dinners.
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Ree Drummond
Ree Drummond emphasizes the 'set it and forget it' philosophy, often highlighting how braising tough cuts like chuck roast transforms them into melt-in-your-mouth staples. Her approach focuses on balancing acidic components like wine or Worcestershire with aromatics to achieve a deep, restaurant-quality jus.