I love the smell of food cooking all day in the slow cooker.
The challenge is to get the pot roast to taste as good as if you had cooked it on the stove.
The secret? Go the extra mile and brown the roast in a skillet.
Then get even more flavor by deglazing the pan with beef broth. Finally, scrape all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan into the broth. I promise this roast will taste like you cooked it all day!

One of my childhood friends, Mary-Colin Santos found a slow cooker she had received as a wedding present and decided to give it a try. Can you believe it still worked after sitting in her closet for 27 years! Here is my version of her recipe.

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Slow Cooker disposable plastic liner for easy cleanup
One (3 pound) chuck roast
1 to 2 tablespoons canola oil
1 packet dry Italian salad dressing mix
1 packet dry ranch dressing mix
1 packet dry brown gravy mix
One (10 and 1/2 ounce) can beef broth
1 sweet onion, sliced
1 pound baby carrots

Line slow cooker with a disposable plastic liner for easy cleanup. Cut chuck roast into 12 chunks of equal size.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Use a large enough skillet that the sides of the meat don’t touch or the meat won’t brown. You may have to brown the meat in several batches. Brown all 4 sides. Remove meat to a plate and reserve.

Add beef broth mixed with enough water to make 1 cup. Add broth to skillet and bring to a boil.
Boil 2 minutes scraping the browned bits with a silicone spatula into the broth. Remove from heat.
Add the three mixes and stir until combined. Pour broth-seasoning mixture, using a spatula to get every last bit, into slow cooker lined with a disposable liner.
Add meat and arrange in a flat layer.
Top with carrots and onions.
Cover with a lid and cook on high for 5 hours or low for 8 hours.

Published in The News and Neighbor on January 25, 2023.