Day 239.
I was going through the archives the other day and started laughing when I realized I haven't made a pot roast yet this year. I usually make pot roast in the crockpot 4-5 times a year----but 2008 has sort of taken on a life of it's own.
Usually I make pot roast the same way, each and every time: 1 envelope of onion soup mix, and a cup of whatever wine I have open, or some broth.
Back in February, I bookmarked a recipe that I was given by Terri W. for a 3-packet pot roast, and then promptly forgot about it.
I finally made it yesterday. It was simple and easy, and makes awesome gravy. If you wait until the envelope packets are on sale, and stick with chuck roast, this is a very inexpensive meal that can be stretched for a few days.
The Ingredients.
-packet of ranch salad dressing and seasoning mix
--packet of Italian salad dressing mix
--McCormick Grill Mates Peppercorn & Garlic (the original recipe called for a packet of beef gravy or au jus, but all of the gravies and jus packets contain wheat starch. Please read labels carefully a few times if you are avoiding gluten.)
--3 lb chuck roast
--1 to 3 cups of water
The Directions.
I used my 6 quart Smart Set crockpot for this dinner.
I opted to not throw any vegetables into the crock because we had leftovers I needed to use. Feel free to throw in some chopped potatoes, an onion, carrots, and celery.
Trim the roast of any visible fat and place it into the crockpot. In a small bowl, combine the contents of the 3 packets. Pour on top of the meat. Flip the meat over a few times to get it covered with seasoning on all sides.
Add 1 cup of water.
Cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4-5. The meat will be more tender if you cook it low and slow.
20-30 minutes before eating, add 2 more cups of warm water to the crockpot, and flip to high.
The meat only needs 1 cup of water on it to cook properly, but the spices are too concentrated to only have 1 cup of water in the pot when it's time to eat. Waiting to add the water until the end will help the meat retain it's shape, and the added water will make a nice juicy gravy.
The Verdict.
We ate this with some leftover curried rice and vegetables while we watched Michelle Obama speak. This was a great dinner.
The kids dipped their meat in barbecue sauce and Adam and I ladled broth over the top of ours.
I will make this again.
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