What Kind of Meat to Buy
For this pot roast recipe, you will want to get a chuck pot roast. Because this cut of meat is heavily marbled, it is best cooked slowly at a low temperature with liquid. These factors allow the fat to break down, which keeps the meat tender and creates a rich flavor. The downside to dinnertime is when your life is so full, it can be hard to put a warm dinner on the table in time. Slow cooker meals have always been a great solution to that. This Crock Pot Pot Roast is exactly that type of dinner – it comes together quickly in the morning, is waiting for you in the evening, and is delicious comfort food as everyone pauses during their busy days. You will love this warm dinner as we head into cooler months.
Sear the roast. Season the roast with salt and pepper on all sides and place it in the preheated skillet. Brown the roast on the top and bottom until lightly browned. Remove from the skillet and set aside. Deglaze the pan with red wine. Scrape up the browned bits in the skillet, then pour the wine and bits into the slow cooker. Combine everything in the slow cooker. Whisk in the tomato sauce, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Then add in the garlic, onions, carrots, potatoes, and finally the browned roast. Cook the roast. Cook on low until the roast is fork-tender, then remove it from the slow cooker. Skim any excess fat off the top of the liquid. Make the gravy. In a small bowl, whisk together some of the hot liquid from the slow cooker and cornstarch. This makes a cornstarch slurry. Then whisk that mixture into the slow cooker to make a gravy. Taste the gravy and season with salt and pepper if necessary. Shred the pot roast. Serve with the vegetables topped with the gravy.
Making the Gravy
The gravy for this pot roast recipe also comes together in the slow cooker. Using a bulk of the liquid that comes from cooking the roast, it is thickened with cornstarch. Red wine, herbs, and tomato sauce combine with the flavor of the roast to create a savory gravy with a great flavor that is absolutely delicious with this roast and its vegetables. While you do want to choose a wine you enjoy the flavor of, you don’t have to break the bank on something expensive. An inexpensive red wine will work just fine but do not use a red blend. I get asked often when cooking with wine if the alcohol will cook off. The general rule is that it has to cook for at least three hours to completely cook out of a dish, which does happen in this slow cooker pot roast recipe. That being said, if you prefer to make this recipe without wine, I would recommend replacing it with beef broth to deglaze the pan. While some recipes can be cooked in the crock pot on high or low, I recommend only using the low setting when making a pot roast in the crock pot. You could cook it on high, but the roast will be tougher and you won’t enjoy it as much. You can expect a three-pound roast to take 8 to 10 hours. Please note that slow cookers vary a great deal in terms of temperature, therefore I’m offering you a range.
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