As our carefree summer days fade into busy weekdays full of schedules, practices, and homework finding time to make dinner becomes harder and harder. On those extra busy days, I rely heavily on my crockpot and instapot. I have a few recipes that I use but this pot roast is a family favorite – hands down. It’s easy to prepare and when we get home after a busy day the only thing we have to do is get the sides ready.
Pot Roast calls for a tougher cut of meat – Chuck Roast, Beef Brisket, and Bottom Round Roast. Cooking the roast at a low temperature over a long period of time makes the meat fork tender. For this recipe, I use 1 can of cola as my liquid. You can swap out red wine or water or broth if you prefer.
3 lb to 4 lb Chuck Roast, Bottom Round Roast, or Beef Brisket
1 tablespoon butter or Olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
3 carrots cut up
1 medium onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic chopped
3 potatoes, cut
1 packet brown gravy sauce
1 packet of ranch dressing
1 packet of Italian dressing
12-ounce can of cola or wine, broth or water
1 can of sliced mushrooms (optional)
1/4 cup flour or cornstarch
Directions:
- Season roast with salt and pepper generously
- Turn crockpot/instant pot on to Saute, melt butter or add olive oil. Brown roast on all sides
- Add chopped carrots
- Add sliced onions
- Add garlic
- Add potatoes
- Add Italian, Ranch, and Brown Gravy Sauce packets to the pot
- Lastly, add preferred liquid – I use cola but water, red wine, or broth works well. Stir well
- Set to cook for desired time – the longer the better. I usually set it for 8 hours minimum for the slow cooker. *** If you have an Instant Pot/ Slow Cooker combo – once the cooking time is finished set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for an additional 20 minutes.
- Add sliced mushrooms, if using
- Ladle out 1/2 cup of liquid and add a little flour/cornstarch to thicken. Mix it well to avoid lumpiness. Once you have your desired thickness add liquid back to the pot.
- Get ready to eat and enjoy!
I serve the roast in a bowl over mashed potatoes or rice. I sprinkle grated parmesan cheese on top before serving. This would also pair well with macaroni and cheese, a garden salad, and rolls.
Leftover ideas:
Remove roast from liquid, shred meat, and store for later use (freezer or fridge).
- Use the meat as on nachos! Spread tortilla chips on a baking sheet, and top with leftover shredded roast. Add a can of black beans (drained of liquid), 1 can of corn (drained of liquid), and cheese – I use a combo of Mexican blend and Velveeta cheese. Bake until everything is warmed (10 minutes in a preheated 350 oven). Top with diced tomatoes, guacamole, sour cream, diced green onions, chopped cilantro, and sliced jalapenos.
- Make tacos! You can warm up the meat in the microwave/oven OR heat it on the stove. For the stove – over medium heat add canola/olive oil to a frying pan. Once the oil is heated add the meat and fry. I prefer the meat a little crunchy. Serve with tortillas, taco shells, and toppings (cheese, tomatoes, sour cream)
Store roast WITH Liquid and vegetables
- Make a modified shepherd’s pie using the leftover meat. Lightly grease a casserole dish. Preheat the oven to 350. Mix in a can of cream of mushroom soup with meat and liquid – I use the same gallon zip lock bag to avoid washing a bowl. Put mixture into the greased casserole dish, top with 1 can of green beans or peas (drained of liquid), spread mashed potatoes on top (instant mashed is a blessing), sprinkle with parmesan cheese, and bake. I prep this and store it in the fridge or freezer to use another night.
