Don’t get me wrong, a freezer full of beef is a great problem to have…
BUT sometimes it is a problem none-the-less. Roasts are great, but sometimes the same old thing for dinner can get monotonous even if it’s good, amiright?
When my kids start complaining about eating the same beef roast recipes over and over again, I know it’s time to get creative.
That’s where this recipe for Slow Cooker Beef Roast with Sweet and Salty Sauce was born.
It’s still “just” a beef roast, but it’s also a little something different, just different enough to appease the tastebuds of three kids and one husband (and, not gonna lie, myself too) who sometimes get bored of the classic stuff. Plus, it’s a “put in the crockpot and ignore until supper” type of recipe, which is super helpful for those busy days on the homestead when your from-scratch meals need to be a bit more ‘hands-off’ than usual.
Add your family’s favorite sides to this (the sauce is AMAZING on mashed potatoes) and you’re ready to roll. Dinner, done.
Week nights just got a little more flavorful.
If you’re interested in my tips for cooking tender roasts, check out my Heritage Cooking Crash Course, where I share a classic roast recipe and also give you tips on how to successfully cook grassfed roasts.
If you love roasts as much as I do, you’ll also love my “Saturday Night Roast Beef” recipe from my Prairie Homestead Cookbook. This recipe will give you super tender beef, smothered in rich gravy and served alongside sweet baby carrots.
Finally, if you’re looking to buy good-quality 100% grass-fed & grass-finished beef, check out my family’s ranch Genuine Beef Co, where we’re now shipping our beef nationwide. We’ve worked super hard to bring you the best beef, from the Wyoming prairie to your table. For a limited time, get FREE ground beef included with your Stock Up Bundle.
If you’re looking for more ways to cook beef, make sure you check out my Cooking Through The Cow ebook, which includes 40+ recipes and lots of other helpful tips on how to cook (and purchase!) beef.
Slow Cooker Beef Roast with Sweet & Salty Sauce
Ingredients:
- 1 beef chuck roast, approximately 3-4 lb (or any roast you have stashed in your freezer will probably work)
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 3-4 cloves minced garlic
For the sauce:
- 1 cup tomato paste or thick tomato sauce
- 1 Tbsp. mustard (or balsamic vinegar)
- 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 3 Tbsp. honey or maple syrup
- ½ cup broth of choice
To thicken sauce:
- 3 Tbsp. arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)
- ¼ cup water
Instructions:
In a pre-heated skillet over med-high, sear the roast on all sides until golden brown.
Season the roast on both sides with salt & pepper and place the roast in your crockpot with the minced garlic on top.
Whisk together all of the sauce ingredients and pour over the roast.
Cook on low for 8-9 hours, or until fork tender.
If you’d like a thicker, gravy-like sauce, whisk together the arrowroot powder and water, then pour into the warm sauce and stir until smooth. Turn your crockpot on high for 4-5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Great served as-is or over rice or potatoes; it’s also great served on buns as shredded beef sandwiches.
Notes:
Use any type of mustard for the sauce that you want. And if you don’t like mustard, you can use balsamic vinegar for an equally delicious (though slightly different) taste.
You can make your tomato sauce thicker by adding some tomato powder to a standard cup of sauce. Learn how to make tomato powder here. If you don’t have tomato powder, you can always make your sauce thicker with a spoonful of tomato paste.
PrintSlow Cooker Beef Roast with Sweet & Salty Sauce
A delicious sweet and salty sauce smothers your beef roast and will delight your family for supper. Uses a crockpot for a quick and easy meal.
Ingredients
1 beef chuck roast, approximately 3-4 lb
Salt & pepper, to taste
3–4 cloves minced garlic
For the sauce:
1 cup tomato paste or thick tomato sauce
1 Tbsp. mustard (or balsamic vinegar)
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 Tbsp. honey or maple syrup
½ cup broth of choice
To thicken:
3 Tbsp. arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)
¼ cup water
Instructions
In a pre-heated skillet over med-high, sear the roast on all sides until golden brown.
Season the roast on both sides with salt & pepper and place the roast in your crockpot with the minced garlic on top.
Whisk together all of the sauce ingredients and pour over the roast.
Cook on low for 8-9 hours, or until fork tender.
If you’d like a thicker, gravy-like sauce, whisk together the arrowroot powder and water, then pour into the warm sauce and stir until smooth. Turn your crockpot on high for 4-5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Great served as-is or over rice or potatoes; it’s also great served on buns as shredded beef sandwiches.
Notes
Use any type of mustard for the sauce that you want. And if you don’t like mustard, you can use balsamic vinegar for an equally delicious (though slightly different) taste.
You can make your tomato sauce thicker by adding some tomato powder to a standard cup of sauce. Learn how to make tomato powder here. If you don’t have tomato powder, you can always make your sauce thicker with a spoonful of tomato paste.
If you’re looking for more ways to cook beef, make sure you check out my Cooking Through The Cow ebook, which includes 40+ recipes and lots of other helpful tips on how to cook (and purchase!) beef.
Sarah R says
Do you have any thoughts or ideas when you didn’t take the roast out ahead of time and so working with a frozen piece of meat?
Cris - Prairie Homestead Team says
You will want to defrost it gently to avoid it getting dry or tough. Try putting the roast in a bowl of warm water (and keep changing out the water) until it is mainly thawed.
Toria says
Could this be done on high for a shorter time? I thawed my roast to make today and forgot to put it in this morning!
Cris - Prairie Homestead Team says
Yes, of course! However, you risk it being more dry if you use high for shorter time with frozen roast. Not a super big deal, but in the future, give it a try with a thawed roast on low as well!
Toria says
Oh that would be why the time seemed long, I missed that this was supposed to be from frozen. I thawed my roast and it was small so I did it on low for 5 hours and it was perfect, absolutely delicious over brown rice!
I don’t cook frozen meat in the slow cooker as it can’t thaw and heat it fast enough for it to not hang out in the danger zone for too long.