Description
This horseradish pot roast is a classic comfort dish with a bold twist, featuring a tender, slow-cooked beef chuck roast in a rich, savory horseradish sauce. The roast is seared for a flavorful crust, then slow-cooked with aromatics and finished with a creamy horseradish-sour cream sauce, perfect for a hearty family meal.
Ingredients
Units
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Main Ingredients
- 3-4 pound boneless beef chuck roast
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 chopped yellow onion (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 cup beef broth
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/3 cup prepared horseradish (more or less to taste)
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic (about 6 cloves)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch (to thicken)
- 3 tablespoons cold water (to thicken)
- 1/4 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Season and Sear: Pat the 3-4 pound boneless beef chuck roast completely dry with paper towels. Season all sides evenly with 1 ½ teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper. Heat a large 12-14 inch skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the roast on all sides until a rich brown crust forms, about 3 minutes per side.
- Prepare Slow Cooker Base: Place the seared roast in the bottom of a large 6-8 quart slow cooker. Spread 1 chopped yellow onion over the top of the roast.
- Make Sauce: Reduce the skillet heat to medium. Pour 1 cup beef broth into the skillet and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all browned bits from the bottom, incorporating those flavors into the broth. Turn off heat and stir in 3 tablespoons tomato paste, ⅓ cup prepared horseradish, 2 tablespoons minced garlic, and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce until thoroughly combined. Pour this mixture over the roast and onions in the slow cooker.
- Add Herbs and Cook: Place 3 sprigs fresh thyme into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 9 hours 15 minutes (or up to 10 hours) until the roast is fork-tender. Alternatively, cook on HIGH for 6 to 8 hours.
- Thicken Sauce: During the last 45-60 minutes of the cook time, skim off any fat that has collected on the surface of the liquid. In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons cornstarch and 3 tablespoons cold water to form a slurry. Stir the slurry into the slow cooker to thicken the sauce as it finishes cooking.
- Rest and Remove Thyme: Once the roast is tender and the sauce is thickened, remove and discard the thyme sprigs. Transfer the roast to a plate and cover tightly with aluminum foil to rest.
- Finish Sauce with Sour Cream: Whisk a small amount of the hot roast liquid into ¼ cup sour cream in a separate bowl until smooth and warmed through. Stir this mixture back into the slow cooker, blending it into the sauce.
- Serve: Shred or slice the rested roast as preferred. Return the meat to the slow cooker with the sauce to keep warm before serving.
Notes
- Storage Instructions: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Reheating: Reheat in the microwave in 60-second bursts until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, or reheat covered in the oven at 350°F for about 30 minutes until warm through.
- Freezer Tips: For freezing, thaw the roast in the refrigerator 1 to 2 days before cooking. You can cook it straight from the bag (skipping the sear) or thaw completely, pat dry, and sear first to develop flavor.
- Make Ahead: You can assemble all ingredients in the slow cooker insert and refrigerate up to 24 hours before cooking. When starting cold, add 1 to 1.5 hours to the cooking time.
- Horseradish Adjustment: Adjust the amount of horseradish to taste for more or less heat and tanginess in the sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 6 ounces cooked beef with sauce)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
