Slow cooker Pot Roast
Tina wanted to throw a roast in the slow cooker. I usually chop up the veggies for her (cuz she just can't stand cutting onions), but I decided I'd do the whole thing. (Chop up, but the stuff in the slow cooker, etc.). This has a pretty fast prep time, because you just throw everything in... But hey, if you can't do something when you are cooking... then is it really cooking, and whats the point? Cooking is only fun if you are actually doing something! So I decided to experiment and it turned out pretty good. About 30 minutes prep time (getting the stuff out of the fridge to putting the lid on the crock pot and walking away). BTW: We have a nice big oval crock pot, so this worked well.

Put 2 tbs oil in an electic skillet and add 2 chopped medium onions. Add in 4 cloves of garlic (you can cut the larger ones in 1/2). Saute for a few minutes then add the rest of the veggies, prepping and sauting as you go:
4 stalks celery cut in 2" pieces
1 yellow squash sliced thin
1 small bunch of brocilli, stem sliced, florets in small pieces
Season with savory salt and pepper.
Saute all of this till the veggies have some color (are brown a little, transparent, etc.).

Remove veggies to a plate, add a little more oil (few tbs) if needed and add 2# pot roast. Sear on both sides, seasoning with savory salt and pepper.

Remove pot roast and put in slow cooker - cover with veggies.

Deglaze the electic skillet with 1/4 cup red wine.
Add ~14oz can of diced tomatoes
Bring to a boil and stir in brown gravy. (Take about 1/4C brown gravy mix and add enough water to make a paste).
Stir mixture until thick and thin with water until mixture is not a thick gravy, but not watery.

Pour gravy over pot roast and veggies. Should just about cover the veggies.

Let cook for at least 6 hours.

You end up with a pot roast and veggies that have a nice red wine/brown gravy sauce!



- posted by James @ 11:22 AM