Do you guys ever crave dishes from your childhood? I know that I do … like all the time. Most (all) of them are straight up comfort foods. This is just how it was growing up in the 80s and 90s, and I’m sure many of you can relate. It was all about the meatloaf, mac and cheese and pot roast. Throw in chicken and dumplings, meat sauce and lasagna and you have the Sulia house, circa 1991. Don’t worry, we had our fair share of veggies, too. ;) Pot roast was a big one in our house, and my mom made/makes a delish one. This slow cooker pot roast with tomato-based gravy is an ode to my childhood, with a slightly modern twist.
Just the thought of a pot roast dinner gets me so excited. I know that there will be mashed potatoes involved, definitely a green veggie and the gravy … oh my the gravy. It’s just pure comfort and has a way of warming up your insides as you stroll down memory lane.
Pot roast is one of those dishes that I usually don’t start making until the temperatures start to drop, snow covers the lawn, and the sun begins to set before 5 pm. It’s a sign that winter is coming and it’s time to bunker down and hibernate until spring.
Beef chuck roast is great. It’s cheap and feeds a lot of people. In our case (since there are only two of us), it will feed us for a good week. Seriously, we are STILL eating pot roast. No really, that’s what’s for dinner tonight. It’s a tough meat to screw up, but it’s also a meat that can literally be tough if not cooked properly.
This is where the slow cooker comes into play. Slow cooker pot roast is better than any other pot roast. I promise you. It just braises in that gravy and a flavor bomb is created in the mean time. The gravy is super bold, with red wine being the base and a simple mirepoix just enhancing the all around flavor.
This perfect wintertime slow cooker pot roast may be traditional and old school, but it is one of the best comfort foods out there! Recipe and beer pairing is below! I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend! xo
Servings:
8
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 8 hours hrs
Total Time 8 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
Ingredients
- 1 boneless beef chuck roast 3-4 pounds
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 3 large carrots peeled and diced
- 3 stalks of celery diced
- salt and black pepper
- 6 clove of garlic finely minced
- 1 28- ounce can whole tomatoes with juice
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped (plus extra for garnish
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- salt and black pepper
- 1 tablespoon corn starch mixed with 1 tablespoon water more or less depending on how you like the consistency of your gravy
Instructions
Preheat a large saute pan over medium-high heat.
Place the flour in a shallow bowl and coat the beef, making sure that the flour adheres to the beef and any excess falls off.
Add the canola oil to the saute pan once hot and then add the beef. Brown on all sides, for 10-15 minutes total, flipping carefully after 7-8 minutes. Remove the roast from the pan, keeping the stove on.
Add the onion, carrots and celery. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper and saute until cooked through and tender, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Remove the pan from heat.
Heat your slow cooker to low (if you are cooking for 7-8 hours) or high (if you are cooking for 3-4 hours). Add the sautéed veggies to the slow cooker. Add the tomatoes, beef broth, red wine, thyme, rosemary, oregano, parsley and granulated sugar. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Add the beef to the slow cooker and cover. Cook for 7-8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high.
When the beef has cooked, remove the beef from the slow cooker and cover with foil, leaving the slow cooker on. Increase the setting to high, if not set to it already. Add the cornstarch and water mixture to the slow cooker with the sauce and whisk to combine. Continue to whisk until the sauce has thickened substantially, about 2-3 minutes. If you find that the gravy isn't thick enough for you, feel free to add more cornstarch mixture until you reach the consistency you desire.
Serve the beef with the gravy and enjoy!
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