Before-Work Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Ingredients

• 3 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed (1360 g)
• 1½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into chunks (680 g)
• 4 medium carrots, cut into thick coins (360 g)
• 1 large yellow onion, cut into wedges (250 g)
• 2 cups beef broth (480 g)
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (15 g)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste (16 g)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced (12 g)
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme (1 g)
• 1 bay leaf (1 g)
• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt (8 g)
• ½ teaspoon black pepper (1 g)

Instructions

1. Layer vegetables. Place potatoes, carrots, and onion in an even layer inside a 6-quart slow cooker. Keep pieces similar so they finish together. Pour in broth, Worcestershire, tomato paste, garlic, thyme, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir the liquid around vegetables until the paste dissolves.
2. Set roast on top. Pat chuck roast dry, then place it over the vegetables. Sprinkle the top with seasoning left on the board. The roast should rest above most of the liquid, not completely submerged, so juices run through the vegetable layer while it cooks.
3. Cook without checking. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours, or HIGH for 5 to 6 hours. Leave the lid closed for hours. The roast is done when a fork twists easily in the center and potatoes yield when pierced.
4. Rest the roast. Turn off the cooker. Transfer roast to a plate and rest 10 minutes before pulling it into pieces with two forks. Remove bay leaf from broth. Spoon vegetables into bowls, return beef to the insert, then serve over vegetables.
5. Serve with broth. Skim surface fat from broth if desired. Ladle broth over beef and vegetables, then serve. For leftovers, divide beef, vegetables, and broth among shallow containers. Keep extra broth with the meat, since it helps the portions reheat without drying.

Notes

• A 6-quart cooker fits this ingredient volume without pressing the lid against the roast. A fuller cooker may need the roast cut into two pieces.
• For a thicker broth, whisk 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water. Stir it in after cooking, then cover for 10 minutes.
• Use low-sodium broth when preferred, since Worcestershire and the seasoning contribute salt. Taste the broth after cooking before adding more.

Nutrition Facts