Slow Cooker Yankee Pot Roast

Yum

THE Yankee Pot Roast is as traditional a New England dish as you can get. Dating back to the colonial era where meat such as smoked ham were slow braised as in a boiled New England Boiled Ham dinner, the fresh beef was slow braised as well and the Yankee Pot Roast was born.

A pot roasted beef is first seared on all sides giving the meat a nice brown crust that adds flavor and color to the dish. It is then braised at a low temperature for hours along with a supporting cast of vegetables that flavor the liquid and in some cases are the vegetables that will land on the dinner plate. It cooks long and slow until the meat becomes really tender.

Yankee Pot Roast is as much a part of our culinary heritage here in New England as are the distinct four seasons which map our cooking preferences and our life style. When the ground is laden with snow or the bitter winds are blowing down on us from Canada we crave warm, hearty, filling and satisfying comfort food.

I am so please with the result of cooking the bottom round in the crock pot after searing it on the stove top. It simmered on low for about six and a half hours and the result was that the roast was every bit as delicious and tender as when I’ve braised it in the oven and even better than braising on the stove top.

This meal can be prepared in the morning before you leave work or perhaps you can prep the night before by getting the meat seasoned and wrapped in plastic and the vegetables chopped and covered with plastic wrap or placed in a zip lock back and stored in the refrigerator.

We love mashed potatoes with our pot roast dinners so I did that on the side and extra carrots. However, if you want add some red potatoes you have cut into large bite size pieces to the crock pot and peel and cut the carrots in large pieces, adding those in as well.

You’ll be so glad when you arrive home from work and smell the wonderful aroma of the braising roast and vegetables that fills the air. The final steps are to take the roast out of the crock pot and cover with tin foil. Remove the vegetables to a large bowl and cover those. Make your gravy and you’re done. Call the family and be sure to have dinner around the table.

One other thing to note is that I always use gravy master® in my beef gravies to add color and depth of flavor. If you don't have that use kitchen bouquet as they are essentially the same.

To find out to create some left over make over meals with pot roast please visit this page: Pot Roast Dinner and Beyond.

• 3 1/4 lb. bottom round
• salt to taste
• granulated garlic to taste
• onion powder to taste
• black pepper to taste
• 1 large onion - in large chunks
• 2 medium carrots - in large chunks (or 4 large carrots peeled and cut in slices optional)
• 2 stalks celery - in large chunks
• 1 lb. red potatoes (in chunks) - optional
• 1 can Campbells® beef broth
• 1 can water
• gravy master® - a few drops
• olive oil

1. Season the beef with the salt, pepper, granulated garlic and onion powder on all sides. In a deep wide skillet over medium high heat add in just enough oil to coat the pan. Let this get hot. Sear the beef on all sides for about 2 minutes on the bottom and top and about a minute on the other sides. When seared add to the crock pot.
2. To the roast add in the vegetables, the can of broth and water and the gravy master®. Pop the lid on, set it to low and leave it to do its' thing.
3. When you arrive home, remove the roast and cover with aluminum foil.
4. Remove the carrots, onion and celery from the cooking liquid and transfer the liquid to a sauce pot to make gravy.