Crock Pot Roast Beef

Click on thumbnails for larger images

This is such an easy and delicious dish to make when the weather turns cold. I got this recipe from a friend of my mother-in-law. I give it to anyone with a crock pot who eats beef! The original recipe calls for 1/3 cup of each ingredient (beside the beef), but I put it at a cup because I like the sauce and I make a gravy with it.

Ingredients

3-5 pounds of beef (chuck roast)
1 cup water
1 cup red wine
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped

Instructions

The list of ingredients is ridiculously short and simple.

Start with a good chuck roast. I know 3 pounds of meat sounds like a lot (at least, it does to me), but I get rid of most of the fat after cooking. You can use a tough cut of beef because the slow cooking breaks it down into very tender strands.

Dice the onions and celery and put them in the crock pot.

Put the beef on top of the vegetables in the crock pot. Add the water.

Pour in the wine. If you don't have an open bottle of red on hand, then try to get a hold of 2 buck Chuck (Charles Shaw) Cab or Merlot for $1.99.

Add the soy sauce.

Set the crock pot on high for 8 hours. I usually flip the meat after 5 hours, but I don't think you have to.

When the pot roast is done, the meat should come apart easily. I remove the beef to a plate or tupperware and drain off excess juice and set it aside. I strain the remaining juice and dump all of the vegetables in with the beef to serve or refrigerate to serve later. Then I pour the juice into a tupperware or glass bowl and refrigerate it for many hours. When it is cooled, the fat will have floated to the top and solidified. I dispose of the fat and reheat the sauce in a pan. (It's a lot of work, but it's better for you).

Make a roux. In a shallow pan, melt a tablespoon or two of butter over medium heat.

When the butter is melted, toss in a few tablespoons of flour and stir to combine.

Keep stirring until the mixture starts to brown.

Pour in a ladle of the beef juices and whisk in until the consistency is uniform.

The mixture should thicken. Add another ladle of the juices and continue until the mixture is gravy-like. Add the remaining juices.

The gravy should be smooth and thick. Serve hot with the beef. It is great on mashed potatoes.

	The list of ingredients is ridiculously short and simple.
	Start with a good chuck roast. I know 3 pounds of meat sounds like a lot (at least, it does to me), but I get rid of most of the fat after cooking. You can use a tough cut of beef because the slow cooking breaks it down into very tender strands.
	Dice the onions and celery and put them in the crock pot.
	Put the beef on top of the vegetables in the crock pot. Add the water.
	Pour in the wine. If you don't have an open bottle of red on hand, then try to get a hold of 2 buck Chuck (Charles Shaw) Cab or Merlot for $1.99.
	Add the soy sauce.
	Set the crock pot on high for 8 hours. I usually flip the meat after 5 hours, but I don't think you have to.
	When the pot roast is done, the meat should come apart easily. I remove the beef to a plate or tupperware and drain off excess juice and set it aside. I strain the remaining juice and dump all of the vegetables in with the beef to serve or refrigerate to serve later. Then I pour the juice into a tupperware or glass bowl and refrigerate it for many hours. When it is cooled, the fat will have floated to the top and solidified. I dispose of the fat and reheat the sauce in a pan. (It's a lot of work, but it's better for you).
	Make a roux. In a shallow pan, melt a tablespoon or two of butter over medium heat.
	When the butter is melted, toss in a few tablespoons of flour and stir to combine.
	Keep stirring until the mixture starts to brown.
	Pour in a ladle of the beef juices and whisk in until the consistency is uniform.
	The mixture should thicken. Add another ladle of the juices and continue until the mixture is gravy-like. Add the remaining juices.
	The gravy should be smooth and thick. Serve hot with the beef. It is great on mashed potatoes.