Ummm pot roast, I just love it. Yes, it’s not fancy, it’s not sexy, but it’s so good! When you mention a pot roast for dinner you might get the same reaction I would get if I were to tell my kids we were having meatloaf for dinner. It’s not a very exciting reaction because… it is a loaf of meat and no one tried to hide that when they named it.
I think the pot roast generation is dying out and most likely for many reasons. It sounds like something that my grandparent’s generation would have made for Sunday dinner or would have prepared for a dinner party, something that would feed a crowd. It sounds time consuming – something you would need to check on multiple times or braise with drippings (I don’t know if people do that, but that is what I picture when I think pot roast). I also think people assume you need a detailed recipe and they don’t have one. I am not old, I cook for 6 people, not 16, and I don’t have a detailed recipe but occasionally I crave a pot roast for dinner because it’s classic, comforting and can be cooked in a crockpot – all of those are reasons we need to bring back the pot roast!
You can make a pot roast with basically any cut of meat. I am no expert on meat but I am telling you from experience that I have used several cuts and it always turns out well. You are just slow cooking meat with veggies – so use whatever meat cut you feel like eating. Slow cooking tends to give you a more tender meat so often people suggest using a tougher cut and saving the more expensive, tender cuts for things like steaks. Whether it’s beef or venison, a shoulder (chuck roast) or hindquarter (rump roast), you are good!
We eat venison. I put that out there like a blanket statement because I know there are people that are completely turned off by this. If that is you, it’s completely fine! I realize that it may seem gross if you aren’t use to it. I grew up eating it, my dad still gives me venison and I have a couple of brother in laws that kindly give us venison also. If I had to guess, I would say we eat it once a month. It is a very lean red meat that makes a great roast. Using it for a pot roast helps hide that gamey taste most people complain about with venison. If it’s not your thing, just use beef!
I soak all venison over night in vinegar water (thanks for the tip dad!) to help draw any blood out and soften the meat. It a very hands off step that only takes a minute. Fill a pot with water, add a couple splashes of white vinegar, add your meat and soak over night in the fridge. The next day you are ready to prepare your roast.
I can set my crockpot with a roast in the morning and be done with it until it’s time to eat – I love this!! Here are the steps I followed for my last pot roast. I just did what felt right and it turned out great!
After soaking my cut of meat over night, I placed it in my crockpot. I don’t have any exact amounts for you because you don’t need them – a crockpot roast is very forgiving BUT if you are a “numbers” person, I’m guessing my roast (a deer hindquarter) was about 2 lbs. It had already been cut from the bone – shout out to my brother in law for being awesome!
Next, I added my veggies, I used a couple handfuls of purple potatoes because… well, they are purple! I grabbed them from the store because I knew my kids would find them exciting and they offer more vitamins than white potatoes – they are 4 times higher in antioxidants! The purple potatoes were fun but you can use white, red, sweet – whatever you choose. I cut my potatoes in half.
Next, I added a few handfuls of carrots and a splash or 2 of chicken stock (roughly 1/2 cup). You can add any liquid of your choice – water with bullion, broth etc. I use chicken stock because I tend to keep it on hand. You can make your own stock from leftover chicken. The 100 Days of Real Food Cookbook by Lisa Leake gives awesome, easy instructions on how to make your own stock from the leftovers of a whole cooked chicken. I have done it a few times and loved the results but I keep store bought on hand. Costco’s store brand chicken stock is awesome and has a nice, whole food ingredients list (no sugar or MSG added) and so does the the brand pictured below – Kitchen Basics. I buy both and both are priced comparable to other brands available.
Next I added some seasonings – a couple dashes of garlic powder, a dash of onion powder & a pinch or 2 of salt. I just happen to use Pink Himalayan Salt (it’s higher in minerals) because I had it.
You can use any salt and add enough to taste, you can always add more after it’s done cooking. After you add your spices, you are done!
I set my crockpot on HIGH for 6 hours because that is what I had time for. The meat turned out very tender. If you want to set this before work or are going to be gone all day, you could cook it on LOW for longer (8 hours). Either way, my crockpot, I’m sure others also, go from the “cook” setting to “warm” to keep it ready to eat until meal time. The roast was delicious, my kids enjoyed it and we had enough for dinner and my lunch the next day. Simple ingredients, 10 minutes of hands on time and you have a hot, homemade, delicious meal! Enjoy!
Three Oaks Farm 