This pot roast reminds me of home and a warm hug from my mom. If searing the meat and the vegetables in advance is new to you, I encourage you to give it a go! It helps create even more flavor and texture. This is a great meal to make for a hungry crowd. This recipe can be made in a slower cooker or in the oven. Because this makes so many servings, it’s a great meal option to enjoy both fresh and freeze for a healthy meal at another time!
Ingredients
1 (5-pound) boneless chuck roast
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp fine sea salt, divided
3 tbsp salted butter, divided
2 yellow onions (omit for low-FODMAP)
1 pound carrots, cut lengthwise into quarters
1 pound parsnips cut lengthwise into quarters (omit for GAPS)
3 cups beef broth, store-bought or homemade, divided
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme (about 3 sprigs)
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary (about 3 sprigs)
Directions
Sprinkle all sides of the roast with the salt and pepper. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large heavy bottomed pot, such as an enameled Dutch oven. (If planning to cook the roast in the oven, make sure to use an oven-safe pot.) Sear the roast for at least 4 minutes on all sides over high heat, or until a brown crust appears. Once seared on all sides, transfer the roast to a slow cooker (or set aside on a rimmed baking sheet if using the oven cooking method)
While the meat is searing, prep the onions: Cut the tips of the neck ends off of the onions, leaving the root ends intact. From here, peel and then cut each onion into 4 wedges so that each piece has a corner of the root end still attached. (The root ends will help hold the wedges together.)
Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in the pot you used to sear the meat over high heat. Once melted, sear each cut side of the onion wedges for 4 minutes, or until they develop a brown char. Transfer the seared onions to the slow cooker (or to the baking sheet with the roast).
Next, working in batches, sear the carrots and parsnips in the pot for about 4 minutes on each side, or until they develop a brown char. Transfer the carrots and parsnips to the slow cooker (or to the baking sheet with the roast).
Pour 2 cups of the broth in the now empty pot and, using a whisk, stir up all the browned bits on the bottom of the pan so that they incorporate with the broth.
To cook the roast in the slow cooker: Once most of the browned pieces are lifted from the pan, pour the broth over the meat and vegetables in the slow cooker. Add the remaining cup of broth and herbs. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 6 hours.
To cook the roast in the oven: Preheat the oven to 275ºF. After deglazing the pot with the 2 cups of broth in Step 5, return the seared meat and vegetables to the pot and add the remaining cup of broth and herbs. Bake for 3 hours, or until the meat is tender.
To serve, pull the pot roast from the broth and place it on a cutting board if you’d prefer to pre-slice it or on a platter for slicing at the table. Serve with the cooked vegetables and add additional salt as needed.
Tips:
Leftovers will keep refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 5 months.
To reheat on the stove, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large frying pan over medium heat, then add the meat and vegetables and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, or until reheated through. If frozen, place a lid on the frying pan for 4 minutes and cook for an additional 4 to 5 minutes. To reheat in the microwave, cover with a paper towel and cook for 2 minutes if refrigerated and 4 to 5 minutes if frozen.
