Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Is your man a lover of meat and potatoes? Here is a dish that is easy to prep and will melt in your mouth (and melt your man's heart)!

Now, being a working girl, I do not get to spend as much time in the kitchen as I would like. Don't get me wrong, I love my job -- But coming home around 7:00 PM does not afford me much time to prep a complete meal. The solution? Slow cooker meals. I'm talking healthy meals -- from scratch -- that do not require you to slave over a stove all day. All you have to do is prep... wait... and come home to a house that smells delicous and warms your tummy on a chilly Fall evening!

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 8 hours on low heat (Don’t freak out…. You don’t even have to be home while it cooks!)

Note: The key to pot roast is to cook on low heat for a long time. You can cut your cook time in half without compromising tenderness by cooking for high heat. Alternatively, if you do not have a slow cooker, you can make this meal in a dutch oven and bake at 275*F for 5-6 hours. However, slow cookers are inexpensive and very practical.  I suggest you invest. In my view: bigger is better because we like leftovers!

Ingredients: Look at this list, people. Short, simple, organic. I love knowing exactly what is going into my meal:
- 2-3 pound rump roast (chuck roast is great too but has a higher fat content) -- This will feed one woman, one very hungry man, with plenty of leftovers
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 4 carrots, peeled
- 3 stalks of celery, chopped
- 8-10 yukon gold potatoes
- 2 cups of beef broth or stock
- salt and pepper


1. Prep your veggies -- wash the potatoes; cut and chop celery, carrots, and onion. You can do all this one day in advance. Put all veggies in the base of the slow cooker.

2. Salt and pepper your meat on all sides.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan; sear roast on each side for 1-2 minutes on medium-high heat. This step seals all of the juices and flavor into your meat.

 

4. Place meat on top of vegetables. Pour beef broth / stock into the pot.

 

5. Place potatos around the meat and on top of veggies. This will keep them from becoming mashed or soggy.

6. Slow cook for 8 hours on low heat for a never-fail meal that will impress your man. The result? A complete and hearty pot roast that is so tender you can cut it with a fork. I would have uploaded a pic of the finished product in the slow cooker, but The Hubs already helped himself to a bowl before I got home! I gobbled this up shortly after:

To all you ladies out there: my friend Hallie posted a similar recipe on her blog a la Pioneer Woman and titled it “How to Get a Husband”. I can't say I disagree... Thanks Hallie!

Happy Fall to All!