Classic Pot Roast
Serves 6
Cooking Time 9 to 10 hours on Low or 6 to 7 hours on High
Slow Cooker Size 5½ to 7 Quarts
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: The slow, even, and moist heat of the slow cooker is the perfect environment for
creating a delicious, fork-tender pot roast. We wanted a pot roast with classic flavors
that was easy to assemble. We started with a chuck-eye roast—our favorite cut for
pot roast because it’s well marbled with fat and connective tissue—and tied it around
the center to help it cook more evenly. Usually pot roast is simmered in broth with
a mix of spices or herbs plus chopped onions and garlic. To cut out all that prep
work, we turned to condensed French onion soup. This single convenience product, along
with some dried porcini mushrooms, created a beefy braising liquid with built-in aromatic
flavor. Plus, its condensed state meant that the sauce wouldn’t get watered down as
the meat released its juices. We cooked the roast until it was perfectly tender and
our finished jus had great body and complex flavor—you’d never guess it wasn’t made
from scratch. Finally, to make a hearty meal, we arranged small, unpeeled potatoes
and baby carrots on top of the meat before cooking it. Look for small Yukon Gold potatoes
measuring 1 to 2 inches in diameter; if your potatoes are larger, cut them into 1-inch
pieces to ensure that they cook through.
|
1 |
(10.5-ounce) can condensed French onion soup |
|
2 |
tablespoons tomato paste |
|
½ |
ounce dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed |
|
1 |
(3-pound) boneless beef chuck-eye roast, trimmed |
|
|
Salt and pepper |
|
2 |
pounds small Yukon Gold potatoes |
|
1 |
pound baby carrots |
1. Whisk soup, tomato paste, and mushrooms together in slow cooker. Tie roast around circumference with kitchen twine, season with salt and pepper, and nestle into slow cooker. Place potatoes and carrots on top of roast. Cover and cook until beef is tender, 9 to 10 hours on low or 6 to 7 hours on high.
2. Transfer roast to carving board, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 15 minutes. Transfer vegetables to serving dish and cover tightly with foil. Using large spoon, skim excess fat from surface of sauce, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove twine from roast and slice against grain into ½-inch-thick slices. Serve with vegetables and sauce.