I officially have a slow cooker and a pot roast. Now what?

[AmyS]

My slow cooker came in the mail, and I bought a pot roast to cook in it.

I have onions, carrots, kabocha squash, garlic, lots of spices, coconut aminos... prolly some other stuff I could throw in there...

What do I do? Do I brown the pot roast first? I have a rockin' cast iron dutch oven that I could do that in. Is this a thing you do with a pot roast?

I'm veddy excited.

[Susan W]

Lol. I so get this. What do you mean you bought a pot roast? That is not a cut of meat. Is it a chuck roast?

[AmyS]

Lol. I so get this. What do you mean you bought a pot roast? That is not a cut of meat. Is it a chuck roast?

Err, hang on. Lemme check the label. And yes, more accurately, I purchased a cut of meat with which I wish to make a pot roast. haha

[AmyS]

Beef round rump roast boneless

3.73 lbs

That's what's on the label.

Anyway, I wanna cook it in the slow cooker. Do I just sling it in and hope for the best, or is there more to do?

[Susan W]

Yeah..rump roasts are super lean. I would have suggested a different cut but we'll talk about that another time. Slice some onions and garlic. Sling the meat in with the carrots. If you have a can of tomatoes, that would be good too. Should be ready in 6 hours on low.

[AmyS]

Got it! Super lean, eh? What cut would be better (for next time)?

[Susan W]

Chuck is my favorite. I have sliced lamb and beef shanks in mine right now. They were on sale.

[martihana60]

I plan on cooking Chocolate Chili in my crock pot tomorrow night (8-9 hours, overnight) for lunches this next week.

Have not tried a roast of beef but I'm sure it can be done.

Best of luck!

[30Canandaigua]

My husband puts all sorts of meat cuts in the slow cooker. With nothing else. I tend to add things like onion, carrot, cumin, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves ect. Good Luck!

[Tom Denham]

Here is one of my recipes for making a roast in a slow cooker... http://www.wholelifeeating.com/2012/05/slow-cooker-loin-tip-roast/

I no longer add water. The roast cooks fine in its own juices and I have lots to pour off at the end.

I like every roast a cow can make. Fatty or lean. I usually pull bites of roast off and add it to wilted greens, onions, and dried cranberries that I prepare separately in a wok. I add a handful of cashews if I am using lean meat to give the meal more fat.

[AmyS]

Chuck is my favorite. I have sliced lamb and beef shanks in mine right now. They were on sale.

Chuck, check. (Ya see how I did that? See?)

Odd, lamb shanks were right next to the roasts in the store today. Of course my response was "whuuutizzzthattt" - now I know. Slow-cooker-able meat.

My husband puts all sorts of meat cuts in the slow cooker. With nothing else. I tend to add things like onion, carrot, cumin, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves ect. Good Luck!

OOOOOOOO. Cinnamon sticks. Yum. Thank you for the good luck wishes, I am very optimistic. This slow cooker reminds me of the oldies and goodies, where it's really super hard to ruin your food. Ha!

Here is one of my recipes for making a roast in a slow cooker... http://www.wholelife...loin-tip-roast/

I no longer add water. The roast cooks fine in its own juices and I have lots to pour off at the end.

I like every roast a cow can make. Fatty or lean. I usually pull bites of roast off and add it to wilted greens, onions, and dried cranberries that I prepare separately in a wok. I add a handful of cashews if I am using lean meat to give the meal more fat.

Oh, excellent on the recipe and your interest in All Possible Cow Roasts. Now I'm not too worried about it being dry. I have a whole lotta kale and spinach, so roast and greens is on the menu.

[AmyS]

Follow-up question: is the cook time more likely to be six hours or eight hours on low, with my 3.73 pounds of roast (as opposed to Tom's recipe for 5.5 pounds of roast)?

[Holly]

I like very tender meat so I usually cook it for 10 hours on low, even with the smaller size. I tried it a few times with out adding extra liquid, but now I always add beef broth to help with the tenderness. For pot roast I don't eating veggies, just the seasoning ones.

Remember to not remove your lid while cooking! I read that you have to tack on more time at the end if you open the lid.

[AmyS]

OK, ten hours for more tenderness.

I added the can of tomatoes so I think there will be enough liquid.

I won't lift the lid! This one has a glass lid so I can see in. So far nothing has exploded or burned down my house. Excellent.

[Tom Denham]

I have eaten roasts cooked as little as 6 hours and it was fine. I.e., I was hungry and pulled some out to eat before it finished. I use 8 hours as my standard, but going longer works too. And I am am working with frozen roasts. The first hour is probably thawing time with very little "cooking."

[AmyS]

I went ten hours with this roast, and it's good! It was not frozen, but the leftovers will be.

Next time, no tomatoes. Eeps! I picked them all out. I was wondering if there was something mysteriously delicious about tomatoes with roast for Whole30 eating. But no, I just don't like 'em in a roast. Otherwise, may I just say that I had an excellent breakfast this morning.

[Meg Hamilton]

I made the mushroom rump roast recipe last week from PaleOMG. It was very good!!

http://paleomg.com/mushroom-gravy-slow-cooked-rump-roast/

[lindyj]

America's Test Kitchen Slow Cooker cookbook is one of the best I've ever read. It has great discussions on the 'why' of everything, which helps when I start changing the recipes to fit what's in the fridge. It's not a paleo cookbook, but most of the recipes can be easily adjusted. Highly recommended!

..or just google paleo slow cooker and you will be inundated by ideas!

[Kaleena]

Here is one of my recipes for making a roast in a slow cooker... http://www.wholelife...loin-tip-roast/

I no longer add water. The roast cooks fine in its own juices and I have lots to pour off at the end.

I like every roast a cow can make. Fatty or lean. I usually pull bites of roast off and add it to wilted greens, onions, and dried cranberries that I prepare separately in a wok. I add a handful of cashews if I am using lean meat to give the meal more fat.

How long does an almost 5+ pound roast last you? Do you keep it in the fridge or the freezer?

[AmyS]

Yum. I may never turn my slow cooker off. Haha